Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-29
IN THRILLING RESCUE
Warrington's Crew Taken
Aboard Cutter 0nondaga.
BRAVE GALE IN DARKNESS
Torpedo Boat, Hit by Schooner, II
Safely lowed to Hamp-
ton Roads.


NORFOLK, Va, December 29-Ffght-
in@ her way out of the harbor and
through tempeStuous seas against a
forty -hve-nlie gale, the revenue cutter
Onondaga went careening early yester-
day morning answering the IS S.
wireless call of distress that had come
from the United States torpedo boat
Warrington, which was crippled In
collision about fifteen miles northeast of
Cape Hatteras.
The Warrington had been struck by
schooner that swept upon the low-lying
torpedo boat unseen in the darkness of
the fierce winter storm. The stern of the
warship was badly wrenched and smash
ed. and the huge waves that at times all
but completely submerged her poured
perilousls into the ships after hold.
Seemed About to Sink.
For time it was feared that the War
rinston would sink before help arrived,
And after the Onondago had made her
piucky run against the power and stress
of the storm, and arrived within speaking
distance of the Warrington, the torpedo
boat officers decided that the men of the
Warrington should be transferred aboard
the cutter, save only small working
crew to remain aboard the torpedo boat
and share the imminent danger of death
rather than abandon the ship entirely.
The transfer of forty-five of the War
ringtons sailors in the lifeboats of the
Onondaga made a thrilling and gallant
the lifeboats, but the Drawn and nerve of
the oarsnen shot the small boats steadily
forward to the side OF the Warrington.
The bitter cold of the driving winds
lies af fhn nd nd
of the rescuers, and when the boats re-
turned to the Onondaga the rescued sail
ors were, many of them, benumbed
that they had to be drawn aboard by
means of ropes slipped around Their
bodies.
But in spite of the tremendous diff
culties the transfer of the sailors from
the wallowing, water-logged torpedo boat
was effected without the loss or injury of
one of them. Despite the fact that the
hour Of rescue was long after the time of
dawn. the storm so blackened the atmos--
phere that the rescues were performed
by searchlights.
Sailing Vessel Unknown.
Like conditions of darkness had pre-
vailed at the time Of the collision and
to such an extent that after the Warning
ton had been struck neither officers nor
sailors could make out definitely the rig
ging of the ship that had come upon
them. save that she was a sailing ship.
She scudded off in the darkness and her
identity is not known.
Phe Warrington, at the time of the &C
cident, was leading nine other members
of the mosquito" fiees up the coast from
Charleston and on the way to New York
via Norfolk. The nine boats of this char
acter compose the eighth and ninth divi-
sions of the Atlantic torpedo fleet. They
left Charleston Tuesday morning.
The Warrington had gone ahead and
when the COLLISION occurred was something
more than nine miles in the lead of her
consorts- When the shock came every
knocked off his feet. The majority of the
men We're in their hunks and were flung
to the steel floors
Many OF the men were injured. but only
one seriously. He had three ribs broken.
The first aspect Of the collision was so
threatening that the Warrington's wire
less began shooting out the distress call
repeatedly in the night. The signal was
first picked up and answered by one Of
her own squadron blowing on. nine miles
behind. The IS o S" of the crippled tor
pedo boat was taken UP by the sister ship
and flashed to the Onondaga-
In Tow to Hampton Roads.
1t was II o'clock when the latter finally
came upon the Warrington The torpedo
fleet had. of course. come up to aid
When it was discovered that she would
not sink Immediately her anchors were
dropped. The other ships kept a constant
searchlight play on her to ascertain If
immediate rescue Of the crew was at any
time demanded
When the Onondaga had arrived and be-
gan the work of rescue fourteen of the
crew volunteered to remain aboard the
ship with the officers. none of whom
would leave.
The Onondaga late in the afternoon
took the Warrington in tow and started
for Hampton roads with the Perkins
flagship of the fleet: the Sterrett, Pauld-
Ing and Drayton following closely. Last
night the boats were fifty miles beyond
Cape Henry.
Warrington Arrives Safely.
The crippled torpedo boat destroyer
Warrington, which was run down off
Hatteras in a gale on Wednesday night
by an unknown ship, was safely towed
into Hampton roads at 2:3O o'clock this
morning by the revenue cutter Onondaga,
which also brought the destrOyer's crew