The Honolulu republican. [volume] (Honolulu, T.H.) 1900-1902, 1900-09-15
TELLS @ DISASTER
'1t'1H OREGON.
Capt. Wilde Describes
How His Ship Was
Stranded.
she STRUCK IN UneHlRTED REEF.
EVERY POSSIBLE PROBATION
TAKEN TO GUARD AGAINST
ACCIDENT.
Commanders Report Shows That
No Blame Can Be Attached to
Himself or Any Of His
Officers.

WASHINGTON. Sept. 3.-The navy
department has just received by mail
the official report of Captain Wilde o:
the battle ship Oregon Of the circum-
stances attending the grounding of that
ship in the Gulf of Pechili last June.
and her successful salvage The re-
port goes 70 confirm the department 8
previously expressed conviction that
the grounding was not in any respect
attributable to fault on the part Of
Captain Wilde or any officer Of the
Oregon. who. in fact, appear to have
exercised extraordinary precautions TO
guard against the accident The re-
pairs have been completed and the
Oregon arrived yesterday at Woo Sung.
where she is to form one Of the inter
national fleet to guard the transport
service during the existence of the
Chinese troubles.
Captain Wilde's report says: THE
Oregon grounded upon an uncharted
ledge in Pechili gulf at sos p. m, June
%, 1900. The ledge has three and a
half fathoms over its highest part.
The chart showed at this place seven
teen to eighteen fathoms. Previous to
the grounding of the ship l received
urgent orders from Hongkong, from
the commander in chief, to proceed to
Taku as soon as ready. This order was
dated June 23d and was received tao
same afternoon. The Zafiro arrived at
4:10 p. m. on June 23d, and the mo-
ment men and stores were taken from
her the Oregon went to sea, leaving
Hongkong at $50 p. m. The weather
was fine and clear until the 18th, when
fog set in very thick. We slowed to
half speed At intervals the fog lifted
and the ship was sent ahead full speed.
Southeast Promontory light was sight
ed at STA o'clock on the night of June
9th. Northeast Promontory light was
not sighted, as the fog had again shut
down. Neither was the fog signal
heard. The ship was being loaded
right along with patent sounding ma
chine.
"Off Wei-hai-wei the fog lifted for
few moments just long enough for me
to see the flashing light. That was the
last absolute FIX / had. judged my
self to be OF Chefoo by seeing some
junks, which are generally seen OF
that port. A steamer also crossed our
bow, evidently bound into Chefoo from
o. cd
denser and denser Sounded with pat
ent lead every half hour. When my
distance from Howki light had been
run down to within ten miles slowed
to five knots and had lead men in both
chains, also extra lookouts listening
for any whistle echo from any islands,
or to catch the sound Of q gun from
Hoki light station. There were fully
fifty men stretched along forward on
both sides on lookout. Owing to the
density of the fog remained on the
bridge night and day since the 18th.
All hands, in fact, were constantly on
the alert The whistle was being con-
stantly sounded. and as there was very
light airs there was no reason why the
light keepers should not have heard.
81 continued on, sounding constant
ly, until las p. m. on the 18th, when
/ began finding water from twelve to
thirteen fathoms, when I had been ge--
ting right along TO seventeen fathoms.
This indicated something wrong. and.
getting no response to blasts Of the
whistle, anchored in seventeen faith
oms Of water. The fog was very dense.
Two whaleboats sounded around the
ship, but found no distractions. About
forty-five minutes after anchoring the
fog suddenly lifted and Howh light
house was plainly seen. distant three
and one-third miles. The chart show
ing clear water, / got under way at
once. headed for Howki light. The
fog shut down again very dense be-
fore got my anchor. but, knowing
my position and orders being urgent,
and suspecting no danger, started
ahead with a starboard helm. when
the vessel brought up with three dis
tinct thumps. Not until then did the
lightkeepers fire guns: they then fired
two guns, according to rule.
"All water-tight doors were Instant
IL closed. The engines were instantly
stopped, but not reversed. a. feared
she might sink If backed into deep
water. The sea was az smooth as a
lake and / decided to wait and see il
she took water, which she did rapidly
in compartments As. Al. AS. AIS. ASS,
A9S, BS0. Is magazine. magazine ard
passing-room. At once got out and
provisioned all boats; also armed and
equipped the same. Got over the coll
lfsion mat at once and at slack water
sent a diver down and located the
break. Another diver was procured.
who located one long break. extending
= distance OF twenty-five feet ON the
mort aide forward The current was
running at great velocity: divers could
only work for tvo hours at high and
low water slack
.Sent Lieutenant Leigh. navigator,
To Chesoo ON the passing French gun
boat Surprise to charter steamers To
take ammunition. coal and stores. As
the ship would have 30 be hghtened to
get rock cot of the eide Of he sAip o.
out a the bottom Two steamels ar-
rived nom Chefco on June 3oth, which
had been chartered BY Commander
Rogers. United States steamer Nash-
villa
-On July 1t. at 1l:s7 q m. the ship
floated and swung to her anchor,
which had been laid ont astesn With
ten-inch hawseF. The hAwsar part