Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1906-01-08
BATTLESHIPS IN A TANGLE.
THE ALABAMA AND THE KEN
TUCKY COLLIDE.
The Accident Occurred In New York
Bay The Kearsarge And
Kentucky Run
Aground.
BLAME RESTS WITH ADMIRAL
OF THE FLEET.

While attempting 20 get ont OF New
York harbor yesterday on its way to
Hampton Roads, the battleship Sauad-
ron of the United States Navy got IT.
self tangled rp in the lower New York
bay. Before the tangla was straight
ened ont the Kentucky aud Kearsarge
were aground and the Alabama had
struck the Kentucky a glanoing blow
on the starboard quarter and damag.
ing her so badly that she will have 10
50 to the Brooklyn navy ward for re.
pairs.
The Alabama herself was damaged
n little ny the collision. The squad
ron, consisting of five first class bat.
tleshipS, the flower of the navy. left
Tompkinsvillc at III. 10 O'Clock yeStof.
day morning for the Roads and win
ter cruise. Rear Admiral Evans. on
the Maine, was in command and Rear
Admiral Davis commanded the second
division. They proceeded lin tho fol-
lowing order: Maine, Kentucky.
kearsarge, Alabama and Illinois.
The Maine, leading, twas the only ves-
sci that carried pilot. She flew the
singal Follow the flagship" "
ln close formation, 400 yards apart.
they turned into the main ship chan.
mel. There was an ebb tide, which
raised the l2knot speed of their screws
to about Ii knots. 4 heavy wind was
blowing from the west. This gave
them tendency to swing toward the
east bank, rather sudden shoaI. with
mud bottom. The end of this hank
reaches into the channel at point
between Swinburne Island an Oonev
Island Point. The tail end of the
squadron, extending out like a string
of iaftV h 4 TO, q.
this bank. The Maine passed IL. hut
the Kentucky suddenly went aground
and was jammed tight i'm the mud he
fore her engines could reverse.
The KoarsarRe, only 200 feet be
hind. saw the Kentucky stop suddenly
aud go aground. She herself was too
far 70 the east TO risk turning west
ward into the main chaDucl. AS tho
event proved, she would probably have
truck the Kentucky had she tried TO
10 50. Her navigating officer sheerod
her to port. She avoided "A collision.
but she, too, went aground Behind
this taDgle came the Alabama, Admiral
Davis flagship. Captain S. =. Comfy
in command. Tie Alabama's navigAt.
ing officer saw the to vessels stop be.
fore him and saw that they were
aground He turned out into the open
water to starboard, hoping TO clear.
The space was too short. Wind
and tide were against him. He passed
clear OF the Kearasrge, which had
gone further inshore before she
grounded, but his port bow caught the
starboard quarter of the Kentucky
and raked it, Just the fraction of a
second in the turn of tho wheel pre-
vented him from Tamming the Ken.
tucky at ! / knots. That would have
been something to tell about As it
was, the Alabama made the Ken
tucky look as though il had been in
action. She carried away the Ken
tucky's port rail and all belonging 10
it from the stern to the superstruc-
ture- tore away the davit of the can
taiu's gig, even to the heavy steel
stanchions into which the davits were
set. OF the gig itself it left nothing
bat piece of the bow II bent in tho
upper steel plates of tho hull for "A
distance OF about 10 feet.
The steel doors which close the port
| Of the after inch gun in the broad
| eide went by the board. There was
probably some additional damage TO
| the hull and screw. The Alabama
| herself lost only the steel doors Of her
forward 6.inch gun on the port bow.
The plates Of the sponsor which
| protect the gun were bent and the
| gun itself probably dismantled. At
least, when seen yesterday the gun
| dropped and hugged the ship's side as
/ though it were feeling unwell. A hole
| about a foot in diameter was punched
through the plating just under the an
| chOr.
The feet is scheduled TO eail for tho
West Indies on January II, TO carr
ont the winter maGeuyers. 1t is said
that the fleets departure will trob.
ably be delayed = report of the acci
dent will be made by Admiral Evans
70 the Navy Department at Washing.
ton and if a court.martial is ordered
it will be ordered by Secretary Bona
rartc.