The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-07-22

will. II Justification be foupd for the action
order nat court sma rtial be held to determine
the guilt of any OF the officers Of the BEN
ming, on who may be to ola me for the aooi-
dent.
Rear Admiral Goodrich Is on his way
from Alaskan waters to Bellingham Fay
on his flagship, the cruiser Chicago. The
investigation will be rigdly carried out.
and officials Of The Navy Department here
Intend TO make sure Of the punishment OF
any one who may have been to blame for
the large loss OF life
When the first news Of the disaster reached
Washington coming through press do
spatches, Instructions were at once sent 10
the command ant Of the Mare Island Navy
Yard by Acting Secretary OF the Navy
Darling to send surgeons to San Diego 10 :
assist IN caring for the wounded.
In response to Commander Youngs
request for assistance coming In q deepatoh
tonight, the tug Fortune and the distilline
and supply ship Iris we're ordered from the
Mare Island yard to San Diego. 1t Is be-
lsved here that the local surgeons and
physioians at San Diego together with :.
those at the army post at that place, could
| handle the situation satisfactorily, but IL
| was deemed best to send aid from San
Francisco.
| Among the crew OF the Bennington were
twenty-eight seamen who were sent hso
Monday to San Diego to join the Bennlng-
ton. It was hoped here to-day that these
man had not reached the vessel but u
despatch from Admiral McCaLa. com.
I mandant Of the Mare Island yard. receiveo
at the Navy Department tonight said
that the men had joined the Bennington.
Many were undoubtedly killed and injured.
The Bennington arrived at San Diego
last Tuesday, after a cruise to Honolulu
and back. She sailed from San Francisco
to the Hawaiian Islands on May II. arriving
at Honolulu on the 25th Of May. The trip
there was merely cruise and In pursuana2
with the policy OF the Navy Department.
10 have a warship visit the Hawaiian group
AZ often as possible. On July Q the Benz
nington sailed for San Diego, arriving there
on last Wednesday, the 10th.
Her original orders directed her to 60 10
Panama to relieve the Princeton, but they
were recently changed and the Bennington
WAS about to proceed to Port Harford' lOo
miles north OF San Diego, to convoy the
monitor Wyoming, which put IN at Fort
Hartford after losing a propeller at sea-
Another vessel will be sent to the Wyom-
ing's assistance.
The Bennington Ia one Of the fret vessels
OF the new navy. In Its time IL was con-
s,dered one of the best vessels OF Its type.
The ship Il equipped with what Is known
aa the Scotch type Of boilers. Unlike the
ho,lers IN the warships being built to-day.
the BENIN gton's boilers are equipped with
fire tubes instead OF the water 'uDes Vi
more modern boilers.
NH ha
tha water. generating steam in the style
Of boiler used In the Bennington; while
IN the modern boiler the tubes take the
vater and the FIRE plays on the tubes. The
Harrington a. far az Is now known mas
MAYER had an accident with its boilers
The Remington was placed out OF Coz
mission in 1901, after returning from China,
ond was stationed at the Mare Island yard
until the winter of 1908, when the vessel
was again placed in commission, after
having been fully overhauled and piace"
in good condition.
The last reference made IN the annual
reports of the Chief Of the Bureau OF Con-
str,,otion and Repair Of the Navy Depart
ment WAS in that for the fiscal year ending
LIVE 20 1908 It said, u. 8. 8. Benning-
ton was extensively overhauled under
SURVEYS approved Oct. 10, 1901. and Jan. u
1oos the work having been 80 per cent.
completed at the beginning of the fiscal
YEAR. The work was completed In FED
r,,ary. 1908, and the vessel commissioned
March 2 leaving the yard on April 4, 1905.
In March report was made to the SEQ
retary of the Navy concerning the condition
of the Bennington. She was gone over a.
the Mare Island yard and everything about
the vessel seemed to be most satisfactory
Extensive repairs were made only last May
and then nothing was found wrong at any
noint and it was without the least 1eal
That the ship was sent out to sea again.
The B ennington carried six e-inch gum
in the main battery, and four e-pounders
tour 1-pounders and two 80 caliber Colts IN
the secondary battery. The contract cos
~ the vessel was 100000. Congress au'
thorized her building March 8. 1887, and ttl
contract was signed with the Palmer DOM
pany on Nov. IS, 1887.
/, The keel was laid In 1888 and the vesse
vas launched June 8, 1890. The oontrao
y called for completion May Is. 1889, but tn
: date Of the first commission not until Jun
= % 1891. Since then the Bennington ha
t seen much service, and undoubtedly he
boilers were hard worked, although NJ
y more 40 than those OF many other vessel
y -, the navy. The life Of the Benning
q TOMS boilers was considered as FAR iron
= ended.