The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-06-13
'Unableto Determine How
the Minnesota s1.arlnch
Was Lost.
COAT AND CAPE
FOUND AT SEA
Sailors Pick UP Part Of Canvas
from Launch, and Admiral
Evans Certain Eleven
Men Were Drowned.
Report Not
Verified.

NORFOLK, VA. June 12.--Through.
put the day and up to n late hour to-
night. under the direction OF officers
of the fleet. the bottom of Hampton
8 Roads was Grcdgcd by the sailors, in
the hope of bringing up additional cyi-
dence of5the launch disaster of Mondny
night. beyond the canvas canopy and
Il coat and a cap, already reported,
there were no results.
While it is understood that an In
vestlgntlon has been ordered. no ar
engagements have boon perfected for 1t
and no statement has been made as to
its trend In fact, 1t Is admitted that
unless some clue Is secured indicating
who was responsible for the accident
the investigation Will be useless. In
maritime circles It Is not believed that
any steamer or vessel that foulcd the
launch is aware of 1t. The night was
rough, Il drizzling rain and imperfect
lights on the launch arc believed to be
responsible.
Certain the Men Are Dcnd.
Admiral Evans to-day admitted that
there could be no further question that
the disaster occurred. The finding of
the portion of the canopy of the launch
and the coat and hat has confirmed TO
him the suppositIon that the launch
went down and all on board mere lost.
While Virginia Day was participated
in. In order not to break the program
arranged in advance. the navy officers
have declined all new invitations tc
participate in festivities and celebra-
lions. and the ball game between the
army and navy. ><lcdvled for this
afternoon. was called Off.
Still Work ON Theories.
While there has been no direct state
,1.t al,E
manner In which the young men were
lest old and new theories have been
sth:eshed out here by naval officers to-
day, but until the launch is found or
the bodies recovered It will be i'm
possible to tell with any degree OF
stcertaLnty Just how the disaster oc-
CURED. The most persistent report
during the day was that the launch
had been caught and cut to pieces by
n tug towing a barge IN Hampton
kRoads. but SO far no vessel has re-
ported the accident to the government
authorities. The possibility that the
,nidshipmen and seamen were picked
mp by an outgoing steamer is hardly
1enable. as wireless messages, in view
slof the anxiety which must be felt,
would have been sent in to the feet.
Unless the launch was wrecked in the
choppy seas, it may have been upset
by ship without the fact being
Anown to those on board. In that
sevent. no opportunity would have been
given the occupants to save them
selves. as the canvas /. was securely
fastened as a protection against the
elements. Naval officers are unable to
say whether an credence may be placed
in the report concerning the destruc-
Aion of the launch by a tug and barge.
Running Down Runlors.
AS is usually the case in such mat
ters all sorts of rumors have been
abroad, but in mot u single instance
has 1t been possible to trace to the
source or origin for vcrification. 1t
gers on one OF the excursion steam
ers. carrying crowds to view tho Illus
minations, had reported that q humping
Eoise and jar ind icated that the ves-
4sel had struck some objectl In the dark
1'ess. Supervising Instructor OF Steam
Z Vessels CAST says. however, that all
OF the excursion boats had tied up at
their landings before the Minnesota's
launch had steamed away from Dis
q scovery Landing at the Jamestown Ex-
position pier, and for that reason he Is
certain that this could not have hap
pencd. inspector CAST expressed the
3opinion that the launch was not in
I, collision. but was wrecked by the
heavy seas.
TO Continue Dredging.
None Of the high officials OF the
navy has received any report beering
ION the manner in which the young
men We're lost. and about the only
thing absolutely certain is that all
were drowned. The Roads will be
dredged, especially along the route
which the launch is supposed to have
taken. but with the high seas rolling
IT was undoubtedly carried out OF It's
regular course. Late tonight the
statement was made that the dredging
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