Daily Kennebec journal., 1906-01-08
|ndu|ged in by Admiral
Evans Batt|eships.
kearsaTge and Kentucky Touch
Bottom in New York Bay.
Alabama Hits Kentucky. .-.later Badly Dam.
aged--.Going 10 Dry Dock.

New York, Jan. 1.-While the battle
ship squadron under command of Rear
Admiral Robley d. Evans, was pro-
ceeding to sea today the battleships
kearsarge and Kentucky ran aground
III the lower harbor off the West Bank
Light The Alabama and Illinois were
following next in line and before they
could alter their course the Alabama
coIlided with the Kentucky striking
her glancing blow. The Illinois just
got clear of the tangle and proceeded
down the bay, anchoring outside the
bar with the flagship Maine. The ac-
cfdent occurred shortly after / P. NJ.
The Alabama remained by to render
assistance to the Kentucky and kear-
sarge and wireless messages were sent
| to the Brooklyn navy yards for tugs.
At 2.45 o'clock the kearsarge and
Kentucky both We're floated and start
cd for sea, accompanied by the Ala
bama. The Kentucky, however. was
| ordered back, and returned to Tomp-
kinsvlle, where she anchored late this
afternoon.
The Maine, Illinois, Alabama and
Kearsarge remained off the bar until
5.25 o'clock when they weighed anchor
| and proceeded to sea.
A wireless message was received at
| the Brooklyn navy yard tonight from
the Kentucky stating that the star
| board side of the vessel above the wat
or line has been quite badly damaged
| in the collision with the Alabama. It
also was stated that the kentucky will
| come up to the navy yard tomorrow for
| repairs.
The squadron of battleships was
| bound for Hampton Roads. where the
| several divisions of the North Atlantic
fleet now in home waters are to be as
| senlblcd under Rear Admiral Evans
prepara tory to sail for West Indian and
South American waters for the annual
| winter mancuvers.
! The batIleshps anchored off TOmp-
k;nsville, Staten Island last night un-
| der orders to proceed to set today. It.
" Is nearly ! o'clock this afternoon be-
| fore the entire squadron was under
| way. The flagship Maine. with Admiral
| Evans on board. headed the column
and threaded her way cautiously
| through the Narr0ws. The Kearsarge
ard Kentucky following, We're swept
| slightly out of their course and being
deep in the water with heavy supplies
on board ami coal bunkers full, ground
ed just off the West Bank light. The
| navigating officer of the Alabama made
| every effort to swing wide of the
grounded shiDs. but the sweep of the
strong flood tide that was running, car
RED the heavy Alabama into the Ken
| lucky with a crash.
| Luckily the blow was glancing one
1t fell on the starboard side. The Hi
nois. which had altered her course as
| quickly as possible, barely missed col
| liding with the two vessels already in
| trouble. But she swung clear in the
swirling tide and kept on her course to
| join the Maine.
| There was a rapid exchange of sig
| nails. the Alabama, which had not been
seriously injured, being ordered to
| stand by to render assistance to the
grounded Kearsarge and the grounded
and battered Kentucky. When the
navy yard tugs arrived the battleships
| were soon pulled into deep water and
| both started for sea. Admiral Evans,
| however. ordered the Kentucky to turn
back and proceed to the navy yard for
| repairs.
! The Alabama, the Maine. kearsarge
and Illinois. after lying at anchor out
side the bar fer several hours, headed
| for TIE south.
| AS soon az the Kentucky joins the
| fleet Admiral Evans probably will or
der court of inquiry to investigate
! the grounding of the two ships and the
subsequent collision.