The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-01-08
WARSHIPS COLLIDE
IN NEW YORK BAY
= Fighting Bob Evans Squadron
of Five Big Battleships Mar
rowly Escapes Disaster.

New York, Jan. .s.-Five great battle
ships, the flower of the American navy,
under command of Rear Admiral,
Fighting Bob,' Evans, were near
grave disaster in the lower bay yes
terday. Millions of dollars and many
lives were at the hazard of touch on the
>rudder. Only wonderful bit OF good
fortune saved the fleet from wreck.
Two battleships, the Kentucky and
the Kearsarge, ran aground and In an
effort to avoid similar fate the mag
nificent Alabama smashed into the
grounded Kentucky and both ships were
badly damaged. The crash fell mostly
upon the Kentucky, which had to be
ordered back to the Brooklyn navy yard
mission meanwhile. The Alabama put
to sea with the rest of the feet, but
showed marked evidence Of the col
lision. For two hours work conferred in
getting the Kentucky and the Kearsarge
ahoat.
Five Ships in Line.
The five ships, the battleship squad
ron, with Rear Admiral Evans in COM
mand, started down the bay yesterday
bound for Hampton Roads, A strong
sbb tide was flowing and there was a
brisk westerly wind with a northward
trend to it. These elements made bad
combination for a fleet of battleships
to meet. Unfortunately, also only the
Maine had a pilot aboard. =:
The feet, at about twelve knots speed,
or fifteen miles an hour, passed soon into
the main ship channel, taken by heavy
draught craft in proceeding out to sea.
ever, by wind and tide which had a
tendency to force each ship over to the
east Of the channel, until they were
about a mile southeast Of Swinburne
island in the lower bay and about three
miles northeast Of the West Bank light
The tide and wind drove the big
ships more and more against the East
this point is 1900 feet wide, it requires
care, in the management of vessels
drawing SO much water. as battle
ship, not to get too far in toward the
East bank, where there is danger OF
grounding.
The first vessel to trip was the
Kentucky. She tried hard to keep in
ahead Of her, and then it was noticed
that she wabbled as If she was not
minding her rudder we'll. With wide
turn to port she suddenly mounted the
northern bit Of the East bank and In
. a moment was aground forward with g
shopping sea and high wind, and right
behind her three other great warships:
= In the narrow channel it looked tc
. all as if there was to be another hor
. rible OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES disaster
: which few years ago overlook the two
great British battleships, in which hun
dreds of lives were lost.
Directly behind the Kentucky, ane
coming at good rate Of speed, was the
q Kearsarge. It looked as if she mus
ram the Tentuck?. In a desperate ct
fort to AVOID the impact the Kearsargt
pulled far ever tu the fatal East bank
and quicker than it takes to tell it she
too, was asho's got hundred feet from
the Kentucky.
The commander Of the Alabama, mex
in line, instead Of trying to hug tn
=. east bank, tried to get by the DANCE
at starboard Of the Kentucky.
There was not much time in which t.
execute the evolution. The Alabam
crashed into the Kentucky at hal
speed and in a glanting direction. Onl,
this saved the Kentucky. Had ., tn
great Alabama struck the Kentuck
fair and square with her vicious prov
made for ramning purposes, she woul
have beaten in her heavy steel plate
., and cut her to the waters edge.