Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1900-09-17
CAPT. W||DrS REPORT
FULL DETAILS OF
the OREGON ACCIDENT
Grounding Wss In No Way Fault Of
0fcers---ln Midst Of Dense Fog
Ledge Not Charted---COn-
stantly on Watch,

Washington, Sept g. - The nav,
department has just received by mai
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 to confirm the department
previously expressed conviction that
the grounding was not In any respect
attributable to fault on the part oI
Captain Wilde or any officer Of ia,
Oregon, who, In fact, appear to hay,
exercised extraordinary precautions {,
guard against the accident. The r.,
pairs have been completed and tn,
Oregon arrived yesterday at Woo sung
where she is to form one OF the inter.
national feet 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 1906 p. m, June
Is, 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 | 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 tal
same afternoon. The zafiro arrived at
i:1O p. IN. on June 23d, and the mo-
ment men and stores were taken from
her the Oregon went to sea, leaving
Hongkong at $3.50 p. m. The weather
was fine and clear until the Goth, 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 S:li 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 'leadud'
right along with patent sounding ma
chine.
"Off Wei-hai-wei the fog lifted for a
few moments inst long enough for mo
to see the flashing light. That was the
last absolute FIX I had. judged my
self IN no orf Cbefoo nv seeiny como
hunks. which are generally seen an
that port. A steamer also crossed our
bow. evidently bound into Chefoo from
Port Arthur. The fog settled down
denser and denser. Sounded with nat.
ent lead every half hour. When n,
distance from Howki Iipbt had heen
run down to within ten miles I slowed
to five knots and had lead men I'm botn
chains. also extra lookouts Listening
for any whistle echo from any islands
or to catch the sound of a gun from
Hoki light station. There were fully
fifty men stretched along forward on
both sides on lookout. Owing 10 th,
density of the fog I remained on IN.
bridge night and day since the 2sth.
All hands. I'm fact, were constantly IN
the alert. The whistle was being CON-
stantly sounded. and as there was way
light airs there was no reason WHY IN -,
light keepers should not have heard.
II continued on. sounding constant
~, until LAS u. m. on the 2sth when
/ began finding water from twelve :,
thirteen fathoms when had been ga
ting right along to seventeen fatboms.
This indicated something wrong and
getting no response TO blasts of tho
whistle, | anchored in seventeen fatr-
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 Howki 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. Tie
fog shut down again very dense he
fore | got my anchor. but. knowing
my position and orders being urgen,,
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.
IAN water-tight doors were instant
" closed. The engines were instantly
stopped, but not reversed. as | feared
she might sink II | backed into deem
water. The sea was as smooth as a
lake and I decided To wait and see n
she took water, which she did rapidly