The daily morning journal and courier., 1903-08-18
DESTROYERS IN COLLISION.
BARRK RAMS DECATUR DURING
 FORMATION OF HEDGE.

FORMATION OF WEDGE.
 The Only A.cIdpnt to Mar tho Maneu-
 yers or Oyster Bay-- Decatur Appeared
 10 be sinking af One Time but Righsed
 iIerseif--Presidcnt's Son, Kermit,
 Aboard-vesseis Ordered to Brooklyn
 Navy Yard for Repairs.
 Oyster Bay, N. T., Aug. 17.-President
 Roosevelt to-day enjoyed a unique dis
 tinction and. at the same time, con-
 ferred a distinction unique upon the
 American navy For the first time in the history of the country the president reviewed and inspected. in time of
 peace. a great fleet of United States
 warships.
 The ceremony was a magnificent and
 fmDressive naval spectacle. It was un-
 inarred by the slightest mishap until
 just at It's conclusion. when the torpe-
 do boat destroyer Barry rammed the
 destroyer Decatur, fortunately doing little damage The incident. however.
 was exciting. It occurred just at the
 moment when the president was receiv-
 ing congratulations upon the success of the manoeuyres. The first squadron of destroyers, consisting of the Decatur,
 Bainbridge, Barry. Dale, and Chaun-
 cey. all under command of Lieutenant l.. H. Chandler. WAS approaching the Maytlower at full speed. The vessels were in close formation. passing in re-. view. Orders were signalled from the Decatur to the other vessels to form a flying wedge. In executing the order, the Decatur swung across the bow of | the Barry. An instant later, the Barry rammed her on the starboard side. As the ships were running at speed of twenty knots. the blow was tremen-
 dous. The Decatur listed sharply to
 port and seemed to be in serious dis tress. From the Mayflower she ap- peared to be sinking.
 The Mayfiower's boats were manned instantly, but were not lowered, as the Decatur was seen to right herself. In a few minutes she hoisted a signal of "No serious damage Later she steamed alongside the MayfioWer and Lieutenant Chandler reported that while his ship had received a bad bump
 on the starboard quarter she was not materially damaged. The injury was plainly evident from the deck of the
 Mayfiower. She had been struck about | haly way between her stern and mid ship and large dent had been pushed into her plates. At that point the plates are. only an eighth of an inch in thick Eness. Fortunately they were not brok- 1 ell and the vessel made no water. The paint was scraped off the side for about twenty feet and the starboard rail was damaged, but otherwise the vessel was | intact. The Barry, which had struck the Decatur a glancing blow. had her
 bow crumpled by the collision, but she was not injured otherwise. The accident put q sudden stop to the
 manoeuvres of the destroyer squadron. The vessels came to an immediate stop, 1.-the Bainbridge. Dale and Chauncey standing by the two in collision. Boats
 Boats were However from two of them but after casual examination of the Injuries to the Barry and Decatur the boats. officers and crews returned to Ithei- vessels. Admiral Dewey ordered
 Lieutenant Chandler to proceed with ,sthe five vessels to the Brooklyn navy yard where such repairs as may be necessary could be made quickly. Af- ater the damage has been repaired the squadron will rejoin the fleet to con- tinue the summer manoeuvres. Admiral
 Rodgers. who was on board the May
 flower. and is commandant of the Brooklyn navy yard, said the repairs l to the two injured vessels could be made very quickly. %s~ i President Roosevelt who was intent Fly watching the squadron of .destroyers when the accident occurred remarked that such accidents, especially in the destroyers, were likely to occur at any time. In the execution of war ma- noeuvres some chances. he said, must come when the navy was afraid of scratching off the paint of vessel, its efficiency would deteriorate materially. | Both the president and Mrs. Roose- lsvent noted the accident with great calmness, notwithstanding the fact that their son Kermit was on board the De- , catur, at the time of the collision. He was standing beside Lieutenant Chand- Ter when the vessel ran alongside the 1 Mayflower to report. In commenting upon the accident, Admiral Dewey said that really it amounted to little and | would delay the vessels in their move ments only few days. He said that | such an accident was a part of the war
 game and must, at times, be expected. Sir Thomas Lioton was guest of the president during the review.