The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1917-01-05
NAVAL DISASTERS
Their Rarity Is a Tribute to the
Skill of Our Seamen.
THE WRECK OF THE SAGINAW.
This Catastrophe Brought Into Play the
Wonderful Ability and Energy Of
Commander Sioard and His Officers
and Crew-An Epic of the Sea.

| Wonderful Ability and Energy Of
Commander Sosrd and His officers
and Crew-An Epic of the Sea.
American naval officers are noted for
their efficiency, fearlessness and en-
ergy not alone In the stress and tur-
MOL Of war but also when emergen-
cles arise where battle with the ele-
ments may be more perilous than
would be the heaviest big gun fire of
an enemy.
Maritime disasters happily have been
rare In our naval history. Their rarity
indeed speaks volumes for the skill of
our navigators, to whom negligence OF
incompetence has hardly ever been i'm
puted. At most an Overconlidence may
be urged In one or two instances; but
generally speaking, our naval wrecks
have been caused by violent convul-
sions Of nature in her angrlest mood or
from causes over which our naval COM
manders had no control.
In the latter class was the wreck of
on Ocean island In the north Pacific
Oct. 20, 1870. This disaster was due to
faulty charts that did not show the ex-
istence OF an outlying reef upon which
the vessel piled up In the darkness OF
the night. Through the energy and
good seamanship Of its commanding Of
ficer, Lieutenant Commander Mont
gomery SlCard, who realized at once
that his ship was total loss, every
soul was safely landed, together with
such stores and provisions as the time
permitted which elapsed between the
accident and the ships breaking up.
Without delay he organized a camp
on shore, establishing and enforcing
the strictest rules, for upon them de-
pended the lives OF all concerned. He
managed to secure a boiler from the
wreck, and he converted 1t into a dis
tiller, thus obtaining constant sup
ply OF fresh water for drinking 1t is
difficult to imagine the sufferings those
poor fellows would otherwise have un-
dergone, since there was no potable wa
ter on the island.
Recognizing the fact that his party
might be detained many weeks, IL not
months, and that Ocean island was
breeding ground for sea fowl, he at
once drew line around his camp and
forbade any one crossing it without au-
thority, lest the birds be scared away
and the only source of food disappear
with them.
Raids for obtaining eggs and fowls
were stealthily carried out out at night
under specific orders by selected and
carefully instructed men. In this man
ner, rejecting great credit on Sicard's
forethought. there was never any lack
of food, such as it was.
Since the scene OF the disaster was
a thousand miles removed from the or
dinary path Of vessels traversing the
Pacific, little or no hope could be enter
tanned Of casual rescue. In some way
or other word had to go to the outside
world. One of the Saginaw's boats,
prepared for this perilous service, was
dispatched under Lieutenant John G.
Talbot, with four seamen, to the Ha-
wailan Islands, some 1,5O0 miles away
across wintry ocean. Upon this slen-
des thread hung the salvation of hun
dred and more men.
The~dificulties, storms and dangers
encountered. the hardships and suffer
ings endured, make this trip OF these
gallant sailors one of the finest among
the countless epics Of the sea. Terri
bly, exhausted by privation and the
ceaseless struggle against old oceans
fury, their oars all lost in heavy
gale of wind, the boat pushed on under
sail, only to he capsiZed 10y the surf In
landing on the beach of the island of
Kauai.
It Is related that Talbot sighted the
very last outlying rocky islet OF the
Hawaiian group, fortunately recog-
nized by one of his crew, and from
there beat up against the trade wind to
Kauai. Had he missed this islet, no
more, in all probability, would ever
have been heard Of him. and 1t Is
equally likely that his shipmates Oh
Ocean island might not all have sur
vived until success should crown Sec
ond attempt to communicate with CIV
iliZation.
In the overturning OF the boat four
Of its occupants were drowned, the
brave Talbot among the number. Hap
PLY one seaman got ashore, more than
half dead, to bring Sicard's dispatch
es to the American minister to the
Sandwich Islands, who ut once char
tered steamer and sailed the same
day to the relief Of the marooned
ships conn any OF the Saginaw. Ex-
cept for the sad ending to Talbot's mis-
sion this wreck. however unfortunate
In itself. is splendid example of the
resourcefulness and skill OF the Ameri-
can naval officer and so may be re-
garded with vastly more pride than re-
gret.-Rear Admiral Caspar +. Good
rich In Philadelphia Ledger.