New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-01-08
BATTLESHIPS In CRASH.
TWO RUN AGROUND.
alabama Rams Kentucky an 4Ooid-
inc Stranded X KedrSGrge-AU OH.

Atlantic SQUADRON, under Rear Adnltal Evans
we're steaming out to sea yesterday Oouiiu
for Hampton Roads, the Kearsarge ana
ta Kant,clxv went aground about noon, off
tbo northwest point of the East Bank. about a
mile and half south of Norton's lsiaho and
+,-o miles east of West Bank Light
The Alabama. fourth in line. tore through
tho channel and struck the Kentucky on the
stsrboard quarter with terrific force tearing d
hole in her own port bow and seriously naIIlag-
ing the Kentucky. The feet was proceeding
under reduced speed, probably not more than
seven or eight knots, when the high Wlno ana
strong tide eddies played havoc With the Ken
lucky. forcing her TO swing almost nan milo
of the main channel
The Kentucky rammed her nose INTO the pahh
first then the Kearsarge. stationed 400 yards IN
30 triad +o 1,eer 10 the eastward to avoid
he- Iut the strong tide and heavy winds maze
he- srin and she drifted 10 the westward Of the
uep,,,cxv and went aground rather than ram
her Neither of the battleships had time TO re-
5,,oa speed Hardly were they aground "hei
+he Alabama fourth in line, follo"eo' anu pe-
core she could reduce speed or swing away from
the mud held batteships grounded ahead OF hef'
she ranmed the Kentucky with all the terIlhc
force behind the impetus Of IZ,ooo tons ol
steel The Kentucky was forced 10 return
- TonnKinsvile. where an immediate inspec-
Of her null was oidCltN = - ~ ~
ted1z, strained It was said late last night that
- v-ae aleab but this could not be confirmed b.
,7 5ixer who inspected her hull would not
.,,a ruh,ic the damage. if any. sustained be-
,ov, the waterline. Her starboard quarter ran
Was Torn away heavy steel davits snapped on
end the CAPTAINS gig cut in Two as thoueh ps
a raen bladed knife. Besides TINS her Pla'e9
-.era torn and twisted from waterline 10 super
structure Apparently her steering gear aieo
mas damaged. for she linped back TO Ionpklrs-
.,,. 1;lo : wounded bird. Besides splitting
~ ~ 80 how ffteen feet above the water
me the AIabama's forward davits were torn
ar,av all tl7e rail Of the port bow snapped off,
-,a+as denied and the huge iron shutter on one
of the gunports torn away
~. Alabama yeered of into the channel ana
-o.aa5ad down tc the Southwest Spit, where
ba was able to swing around Coming PACK
-. drew alongside Of the Kentucky, and re-
,,o;na5 there until the kentucky and the hear-
,-ga n,,ll-d off under their own steam and
ioined the flagship Maine, which was already
outside Sandy Hook
Rear Admiral Evans ordered the Kentucky
hack to Tonpkinsville for examination. She VIII
% 70 tbe navy yard this morning for survey
II e believed that her huh is seriously strained
AMER making temporary repairs the Alanarna
+o,ra5 the feet outside the Hook. and all except
he
7vae exacrIv 525 o'clock when the fleet left
500 Hook. The Illinois was in The rear of the
oo,,r,n and. having enough sea room TO over
come the high wind ana tide, got off into the
main channel in safety.
DANGER ABwATS PRESENT.
The accident is one that. according to marin
ers. is liable to happen any time in the Lower
psv hecsuse Of the narrovness of the channel.
+sJa hat YaraNail
there the wear round Rear Admiral Robley 2,
Evans. commanding the feet, outside the
Hook when the accident occurred. Rear Ad-
nira1 Davis who was on the Alabama. stated
briefly how the accident occurred. but would
not make any comment.
According Is the Official statement all five
battleships left Tompkinsvilie al 11:15 o'clock
yesterday morning, under orders to steam to
Hampton Roads Rear Admiral Evans. on the
flagship Maine led the column, displaying the
signal Follow the flag This order means
single column formation. each vessel four hun
dred yards in the rear Of the preceding one.
They steamed ont in the following. order: The
Maine. the Kentucky. the Kearsarge. the Ala
hama and the Illinois. The Maine passed on TO
Sandy Hook. but the Kentucky, when about a
mile and half south IF Nortons Island found
It impossible to follow the order. because of the
high wind and heavy tide The Kearsarge, four
hundred Yards behind her. had already been
forced eastward on account of the tide. but had
hoped to get into the column any moment. The
Kentucky lowered her speed. struggled for few
minutes and then ran aground.
The kearsarge could not get 10 the eastward of
ne henlucky and, seeing no other way, swung
70 westward and went aground rather than
ram ne Kentucky. The Alabama coming be-
hlnd under the same speed. was confronted with
the same conditions at this point. except that
she vas eight Kindred yards away from the
heatucky. She tried Is pass to the eastward Of
me KENTUCKY. now Wing with her nose in ten
lee' q mud hut her steering gear was not
Working rTog cry ard the wind and tide became
stronger every moment. Before she could reduce
speed she rammed the Kentuckys starboard
quarter then veered off into the channel
BLAMES WIND AND TIDE.
The fleet got into communication with the
navy yard al once BY wireless telegraph. and
Rear Admiral Coghlan dispatched the three big
ocean going navy tugs Powhatan Apache and
lncus L was O'Clock when me tugs got TO
me scene. They were not needed. however, as
me hearsaige and the Kentucky got off under
'heIr OWL steam, and after temporary repairs
the Alabama followed.
Keal Admiral Charles H Davis, who is divis-
lon@l commander Of the North Atlantic squad
iVi' received the newspaper men board the
Alabama shortly after the accident and ex-
piained il in detail but would not comment on
Il other than TO say that the high wind the
action Of the tide and the narroWness of the
enamel were directly responsible.
These conditions he said. explain the whole
situation. There is hardly any comment be
made. Such accidents always likely under
conditions such as we had to-day in narrow
channel"
Rear Admiral Davis would not say that the