New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-08-10

MUST GO INTO DRYDoCK
Atlantic Fleet Further Crippled
When Flagship Connecticut
Breaks Crankshaft-War-
ships We're Practising.

Y .,rtad to-day to the big battleships
Nebraska and Connecticut, engaged
with the Atlantic fleet in manGuvres
q. Narrsgansett Bay, will keep both
.stos out NJ further drills for some
tine.
The Connecticut has broken crank
..an but more serious mishap was
..,orted to the Nebraska. which ran
On upchsrted shoal four miles west
:. south Of Point Judith Light yester-
49, The nature Of the damage TO tho
.s;, could not be learned from the
al officials. but il was said that after
=. Nebraska remained in the ma
,,uyres for q short time following the
.,,id.nt il was decided 70 send her to
BOSTON fer repairs.
Rsfore she left tho vicinity Of the
ami where she grounded a diver was
San, overheard to learn the exact cause
If the grounding. and he brought up
renor, that the Nebraska had struck
among group of powders covering an
..re NJ sea bottom. with only twenty
90, of water over them. The discovery
- such a shoal caused great surprise
in both shipping and naval circles.
The Nebraska was in command OF
Cantain spencer s. Wood. AS a result
Of the accident it is believed she Will
NOT no able to enter the annual target
,ractice of the fleet in Southern waters
hold between August 81 and Septem-
her II. Ofhcers on board the flagship
Connecticut were reluctant 10 talk to-
night on the accident 20 the Nebraska.
They said the Nebraska left the fleet
this morning and that she is proceed
ing under reduced speed toward Bos-
ten.
The Connecticut. with Rear Admiral
Hugo Osterhaus. the fleet commander
On board came into this harbor to-
night under her port engines. 1t was
said that her starboard crankshaft was
broken and she would have TO 60
either 10 New York or Philadelphia
for repairs, which would take several
weeks.
The break occurred yesterday morn
ng when the Connecticut was going
through mannuvres at a fifteen-knot
speed. but it was not discovered until
after the ship came TO anchor. Then
one of the machinists discovered the
break. A board Of inquiry Will exam
inc next week into the causes Of both
mishaps
Soon after the accident Rear Ad-
niral Osterhaus reported to the Navy
i Department as follows:
4 considerable damage has been done
4 10 the Nebraska passing over an un-
eharted shoal four miles west Of Point
Judith viii probably have 10 dock
vessel
The Navy Department Immediately
4 ordered the Nebraska 10 the Boston
Navy Yard for examination. II is be-
q reyed il may be necessary 10 put the
ship out Of commission. replacing her
b IN the feet with one Of the battleships
in reserve al the Philadelphia Navy
Yard.
The bsttleship Nebraska and the
&. flagship Connecticut. with the other
ships Of the North Atlantic feet, left
Newport last Monday for q week S
naval engagement in the vicinity of
Block Island. Vineyard Haven and
Point judith.
Boston. Aug. s-Repested efforts 10
communicate 10y wireless with the battle
Iship Nebraska following the report OF
t\rer accident were without success to-
say and tonight Except for the in
/ ormatou that she had left the feet in
Narasansett Bay and headed northeast,
nothing definite could be learned at the
charleston navy yard.
Wireless operators along the coast said
they had intercepted messages from other
aatteships during the day. indicating
that the Nebraska. with vessels Of the
second division. was proceeding 70 Rock
port. Mass Nothing had been heard
from the battleships at Rockport late
tonight.
The Nebraska and the Connecticut are
9TH FIRST class battlcshps. Of 1900 tons
ep.accmeut. The Nebraska has 1905
norsepOwer twin screws. while the Con.
aecticuts engines develop only 1850
horsepower