The Honolulu republican. [volume] (Honolulu, T.H.) 1900-1902, 1900-09-26
CURSE OF SPANIARDS
ON Steamer HOOKER
DESTRUCTION OF THE CABLE
SHIP RECALLED-STO OF
A MAN ON BOARD.
Was Captured Early in the War
Taken to New York and Fitted
For Laying Deep-Sea and
Shore Cables.

The destruction Of the cable steamer
Hooker on CorreSidor Island, Manila
bay. was either a fuihllment OF q pro-
phetis threat or an interesting cOinei-
deuce.
When she was captured from the
SAniards, one OF the officers, protest
ing In his native tongue against the
loss OF his beautiful ship, said: Take
her, but beware o. ne vengeancs OF Fl
Corregidor" 1.-THE pan sher).
1t was, OF course, only retributiye
justice to which he referred, but ii is
not the less queer that a real corregidor
should have torn her to bits in mis-
rocky teeth.
Corregidor Island failed to stop some
ships that passed in the night, but II
recaptured from the Americans one
vessel which Spain lost to them.
| was on board of the Hooker when
she was wrecked on Corregidor.
She had been originally the Spanish
steamer Panama. Captured early in
the war, she was taken to New York
and ntteQ Tor caDie laying.
The waterproof combination on the
outside of the submarine telegraph
wires requires to be kept constantly
under water to prevent it from cracking
after il is once put in place.
To preserve the cable properly the
steamer was fitted with two immense
tanks, one in the fore and one in the
after hold, each OF which was big
enough TO hold one hundred and ten
miles OF shore cable. That amount OF
deep sea cable would not be heavy
load, as it is made much lighter, being
far removed from the destructive intiu
ences OF surging waves, fitting rocks
and marine animals, to say nothing OF
anchors of vessels, which are SO de
strucIive to the shore ends OF all ma
rine cables.
When the cable was coiled into the
ship the vast weight centered il the
two spots caused her to sag out of
shape and begin leaking.
She would have gone to the bottom
had they not bracsd her up internally
with beams ana tfuSSeS.
We left Manila Oh August 11th, -
work on the Hongkong cable, and were
passing through a rather thicklish nar
rows between Corregidor and Caballo
islands. in the mouth OF Manila bay.
when the haze began TO thicken and
the steamer was put under slow bell.
The sea was perfectly calm, 50 there
were no waves or breakers TO mark
the rocks with their white suds. The
threatened danger caused us TO take
unusual care on the lookout ahead as
she forged into the narrow channel
Suddenly came that terrible cry, the
most frightful Of all known among the
many terrors of the sea:
Breakers ahead,"
Before q thing could be done We had
gone on the rocks with such force that
the vessel took heavy list 10 star
board. Our tender. the former Spanish
gunboat Espana. came up and RAJ out
= hawssr TO help US back OF. In trying
to tow us clear she souled on the rocks |
herself and received some damage.
That ended all chances for Us.
A typhoon came up and struck TIE |
ship. lying helpless and immoyable. |
The sto, n increased rapidly until the /
channel was ehurned into SETTLING |
foam and the sea drove In roaring |
masses over the wreck, which was
trembling and groaning from stem TO /
stern
The day after the storm decreased /
some OF US went back on board. /
ventu-ing the hazardous trip Tor the /
purpose Of taking photographs for SOU
yenirs OF the vengeance of Ell Corregi- /
dor sn our once beautiful ship.-a.
Brnst, in the Sunday Call