Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-06-30
ON PINNACLE ROCK
Capt. Wilde Reports Disaster to the
Oregon.
HAD PREVIOUSLY MADE S0UNDINGS
Two Naval Vessels Sent to Her
Assistance.
MAY FLOAT BY IT'D

M "A i IL " "a L d L L II T.
The Secretary of the Navy this morning
received the following cable message from
Capt. Wilde, commanding the battle ship
Oregon, telling of the accident that has be-
fallen that noble vessel:
"CHEFoo, 29th.
''Sec'y Navy, Washington:
Anchored yesterday dense fog, in IL
fathoms, three miles south of How XII
light, Gulf of Pechili. Sent out two boats
and sounded - least water 51a fathoms.
Weather clear. Got under way and struck
Pinnacle Rock. Much water in forward COM
partment. Perfectly smooth Shall char
ter steamer if possible at Chefoo and
tighten the ship. Rock through side of
ship above double bottom about frame 10.
Some holes also through bottom of ship.
WILDE"
Admiral Remey. commanding the Asiatic
station, telegraphed the Navy Department
from Hong Kong this morning as follows:
HONG KONG, 9th. Received 4:2S am.
June Both.
':Secy Navy. Washington:
princeton arrived. Brooklyn leaves for
Nagasaki. The Zafiro at Chefoo has been
sent to assist the Oregon. reported by Rodg-
ers on a rock south of How XII light. Iris
going to her assistance. REMEY."
Where the Disaster Occurred.
Pinnacle Rock, where the Oregon ran
aground, is about twenty-five feet high and
lies three and two-thirds miles south of
Hoki Island, and about mile and quar-
ter north northeast of the Island of Siaolu-
shan. The rock is encircled by a shoal,
and should not be approached nearer than
three cables. According to the officials
there is very strong current Of from
three to five knots speed ever prevalent
in this vicinity. and this fact. together with
the dense fog that prevailed at the time,
enhanced greatly the dangers of navieat
ing the Oregon. The officials of the naval
photographers office say there is a great
rise and fall Of the tide at this point (about
ten fee) and 1t is possible that the Ore
gon may be lifted off in this way and set
afloat without assistance.
The OregOn's Commander.
The New York Herald furnishes the fol-
lowing sketch of the Oregon's commander.
Capt George Francis Faxon Wilde. COM
manding the Oregon. was appointed to the
United States Naval Academy on Novem-
Der 30. 1861. He was graduated in 1865 and
was attached to the steam sloop SUsque-
hanna of the Brazil squadron, and served
for a year. when he was sent to the steam
er Nipsic of the south Atlantic squadron.
where he remained until 1851. While on
the Nipsic he was promoted to master. He
was commissioned lieutenant on March
-
stoned a lieutenant commander.
He commanded the Canonicus of the
north Atlantic squadron in 1S13-74 and
thereafter served in various capacities until
he was promoted to commander in 1885. He
was assigned to command the Dolphin in
1886. and was in charge of that vessel until
1850. when he entered the lighthouse serv-
ice to remain until 1893. While serving on
the VandaHa the north Atlantic station
from 1879 to 1881. he twice earned the thanks
of the Secretary of the Navy. He was pro-
NOTED to the rank of captain on August 10,
1898
During the Spanish-Amecic lean war he com
manded the ram Katahdin. He succeeded
Capt. Albert S. Barker in command of the
Oregon at Manila in May. 1899. when the
latter took command of the Baltimore.
Where the Ship Was Struck.
Captain Wilde's statement of the injuries
sustained by the Oregon is scarcely suffi-
cent to enable the naval constructors here
to form unquestioned judgment "a; to
the prospects of saving the famous snip.
Frame 10 is just before the forward tur-
ret. Just before it, on frame Is, is wafer
tight bu!khead running across the ship
The next water tight bulkhead in the rear
is on frame %, under the edge of the for
ward turret. In the compartment formed
by these two bulkheads is the rock through
the side. This compartment Is filled at the
bottom with big, square chain locker.
for the eight-inch ammunition. In the mid
die and further above is a big store room
Perhaps If the filling of this compartment,
as reported. involves the loss of per cent
Of the ships fioatative power, thus much
heavy weight Will require to be taken off
to Tighten the Oregon sufficiently to make
good the loss and feat her free.
The constructors are puzzled by the cX-
preston of Capt. Wilde, Rock in through
side Of ship above double bottom about
frame 10 They do not know whether he
means the rock has gone through the d7u-
BILE bottom and is projecting above it, or
whether it has torn through the side of the
ship above the point where the double bot
tom ends, about ten feet below the water
line. They incline to the first theory,
though such a wound is much more serious
and would make the chances of saving the
ship much less In the other case. the rock
which holds the ship might be easily blast
ed or riven away from the side, leaving the
ship still afioat and free to return to port
for repairs.
1t is understood that the holes through
the bottom of the ship also referred to by
Capt. Wilde are only through the outer
skin, have perhaps only filled the. double
bottom and have not swamped the compart-
ments within If the Oregon is held fast
by a rock projecting through the double
bottom, then her condition is very similar
to that of the great American liner Paris
when she lay on the Manacles in the En-
glish channel.
Think Vessel Can He Saved
The constructors here say that on the
whole, the ship can probably be saved if
the weather does not become rough, but
unfortunately this is the season of storms
in Chinese waters. Some kind of wrecking
plant however, may be had at Napaski
distant only days sail from the scene Of
the Oregon's grounding, and it Is under
stood that this will be availed of imme-