Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-07-08
WILL Be PATCHED Up
New Hampshire First to Be
Sent to Newport Station.
VESSEL RAMMED BY LINER
Accident During Dense Fog in Mar.
ragansett Bay.
COST OF REPAIRS ESTIMATED
Placed at About $4,000, Which
Fall River Steamship Company
May Have to Pay.
'0ST OF REPAIRS ESTIMATED

The battleship New Hampshire, dam
aged when run down while at anchor in
Newport harbor by the steamer Com
monwealth. yesterday morning, is to be
conveyed to Newport naval station to be
patched up, and then will be conveyed
to the navy yard at New York, where
she will be made as good as new.
The repairs to be made at the Newport
naval station by the squadron and station
force will require, 1t is estimated by
Naval InspectorWilliam ]. Baxter. about
500 worth of material, SO that the big
battleship will be seaworthy so far as
making New York harbor is concerned.
The work will take a few days for this
purpose.
The New Hampshire, Constructor Bax-
ter estimates will be laid up in the New
York navy yard for two weeks. The re-
pairs there will cost about $4,000. accord
ing to his figuring.
Rear Amiral Aaron Ward. who is the
senior admiral Of the feet, In the absence
Of Rear Admiral Osterhaus, now on his
way north from Cuba, has already or
dered the board of inquiry. composed OF
officers of the fleet, and until their work
make no movement.
AS the New Hampshire was anchored
when struck, unless 1t should appear that
she was improperly placed In the harbor
Steamship Company will be called upon
to pay the cost of repairs to the battle
ship.
Dense Fog Over Water.
While cropping its way through a dense
fog in Narragansett Bay early yesterday
morning the Fall River Line steamer Com
monwealth rammed the New Hampshire
near the Newport naval training station.
Both ships sustained considerable dam
age, but no fatalities or injuries resulted
from the collision.
The Commonwealth struck the New
Hampshire astern ana nearly end-on.
The accident occurred at 4:23 o'clock,
shortly after the Commonwealth had
landed passengers at Newport, on its trip
from New York to Fail river.
When the New Hampshire was dis
covered by the lookout the Common
wealth was almost upon it. Before the
ship could be turned aside the collision
occurred.
The sleeping passengers aboard the
Commonwealth were shaken In their
berths. and several were thrown to the
floor.
Part of the 1000 passengers scrambled
to the decks to ascertain the trouble.
but were assured by officers that there
was no danger and there was no disorder.
Collision Drill Ordered.
On the New Hampshire the crew imme-
diately made ready for collision drill,
Capt. James II. Oliver ordered divers to
make an examination of the battleship to
discover the extent Of the damage
The Commemorative bow was stove in
where it rammed the battleship. while
the New Hampslfire's stern was cut about
the protective deck. The after-compart-
ment was crushed through, the gun and
berth decks were smashed and the cap
tain's after cabin and the boiler room
beneath were damaged.
Diver Makes Report.
The diver reported no damage to the
battleship's propeller, its rudder or en-
gines.
Close by the two ships in collision at
the time were the warships Florida and
Louisiana, together with several scout
cruisers and torpedo boat destroyers of
the Atlantic first and second feet di-
visions.
Rear Admiral Aaron Ward and Rear
Admiral Cameron MGR. Wirrslow were
aboard the New Hampshire during the
day to examine the damage.
After unloading her passengers the
Commonwealth proceeded last night to
New York, where she will go into dry
dock for repairs.