The daily morning journal and courier., 1906-08-01

Strike During a Fog While About to
 Enter the Harbor-Probably Not
 Damaged Below the Water Line
 Plates of the Forward Part of the
 Alabama Dented--Fear That Six-Inch
 Guns on Both Ships Have Been Dam-
 aged-Seaman Badly Injured.
 Newport. R. L, July S1.-Rear Ad- miral Robley D. Evans, commanding the Atlantic fleet, received reports Tn detail to-day of the collision which oc- cured during fog last night between the battleships Alabama and Illinois about eight miles southeast of Bren- tons reef lightship. The side of the Illinois was scraped by the DOW Of the Alabama, and several plates of the for ward part of the Alabama were dented IL was feared also that one of more of the 6-inch buns on the two battleships were damaged. Rear Admiral Evans said tonight that he was satisfied that neither ship was injured below the Waterline.
 The collision occurred between 8 and o'clock last evening when the sec- ond division of the battleship fleet was eight miles southeast of Brenton's reef lightship. Both the first and sec ond divisions left Rockport Mass. Monday morning for Newport. They sailed in single column formation with the first division in front, consisting of the battleship Maine, the flagship of Rear Admiral Evans, and the battle ships Missouri, Kentucky and Kear- sarget. In the second division were the battleships Alabama, the flagship of Rear Admiral Charles H. Davis, the Illinois, Indiana and Iowa The fleet was making about eight knots an hour on the run to Newport, when the weather turned foggy and orders were signalled to reduce the speed to five knots and kep tn ships 400 yards apart
 When the collision occurred the first division ships were well into Newport Harbor, while the second was south east of the lightship, Tn the thick fog the Alabama and Illinois came togeth- CT at an angle, with the Alabama to starboard. The Alabama hit the Hi nois just abreast the forward turret and the bow of the Alabama scraped the side of the Illinois crushing in the rail for some distance. Seaman Corbett of the Illinois was injured by the fall of a life boat davit during the collision, so that it was necessary to amputate one of his legs tonight. On the Illi- nois the gunwale on the starboard side forward was dented in, while the bill board on the bow of the Alabama was also damaged.
 The crews of both ships went to col lision drill as soon as the accident hap pened Officers of both ships say the discipline was of the highest order al though every one feared that something serious had occurred. On the bridge of the Alabama were Rear Admiral Davis, Captain Samuel H. Comfy, commander of the vessel; Lieutenant Commander H, F. Bryan, the navigating officer, and other officers, Captain Gottfried Block finger, and Lieutenant Commander A. H. Davis, the navigating officer, were on the bridge of the Illinois.
 As soon as the fact of the collision became known on the other ships of the division, the Iowa and Indiana stood by the damaged ships ready to give as- sistance in case it was needed. Rear Admiral Evans was informed almost immediately of the accident by Rear Admiral Davis, who sent him a wire less message. Admiral Evans ordered the division to anchor for the night in the vicinity of Brenton's reef lightship and this afternoon the second division joined the first in Newport harbor.