Rensselaer Republican, Volume 21, Number 31, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 April 1889 — GREAT DISASTER AT SAMOA. [ARTICLE]

GREAT DISASTER AT SAMOA.

AU the Ame i loan and German Men-of-War Wrecked in a Fn.loua Hnrrlc »ne. |i- ; . London, March 30.—Advices have been received from Samoa to the effect i that, in a terrific hurricane there, three American and four Gennafi men-of-war were wrecked and that many persons were drowned. Auckland, March 26.—Dispatches from Samoa state that the American men-of-war Trenton, Vandalia and Nipsic, and the German men-of-war Olga, Adler and Eber, were driven on a reef during a violent storm and totally wrecked. Of the American crews, four officers and forty-six men were drowned, and of the German crews, nine officers and eighty-seven men lost their lives. Later advices received regarding the hurricane which devastated Samoa and wrecked a number of German and American war ships, says the storm swept the islands on tnq,l6th iist. All the war ships attempted to put to sea but only the English steamer, Calliope, succeeded in getting out. Merchant vessels suffered severely. The bark Peter Godeffrey, one other bark and seven coasters were wrecked and four persons were drowned. The Calliope sailed fbr Sydney. The Peter Godeffrey was a German bark. She had arrived at Samoa from Sydney, Washington, March 30.—The Navy Department has received a dispatch from Admiral Kimberly confirming the report of the disaster at Apia. The Trenton and Vandalia are a total loris. The Nipsic is on the beach and may be saved. Two of the German vessels are a total loss. Washington, March 30. —The following cable message was received at the Navy Department this morning: Auckland, March, 30, 1889. Secretary of Navy, Washington: Hurricane at Apia March 15. Every vessel in harbor on shore except the English man-of-war Calliope, which got to sea. Trenton and Vandalia total loesses. Nipsic beached, rudder gone, may be towed up. Chances against it. Will send her to Auckland if ■ possible. Vandalia lost four officers and thirty-nine men. All saved from the Trenton. All stores possible saved. German ships Adler and* Eber total losses. Olga beached, may be saved. German losses ninety-si?. Important to send 300 men home at once. Shall I charter a steamer? Can charter in Auckland. Lieutenant Wilson will remain in Auckland to obey your orders. Fuller accounts by mail. Kimberly. Captain Cornelius M. Schoenaker, commanding the Vandalia, who lost his life at Apia, had a total sea service of fifteen years, with an additional thirteen years on shore duty, and about six years unemployed. He was appointed from New York in 1854. He became a Midshipman in 1859, and was made a Lieutenant at the outbreak of the rebellion and in 1865 became a Lieutenant Commander. Eight years later he got his full rank as Commander, becoming Captain in October, 1886. He was a member of the Ulster County family of Schoonakers. The difficulty of obtaining telegraphic news from the Samoan Islands is very great.. The dispatches received last night and this morning by the Associated Press were first taken from Apia to Auckland, New Zealand, about 2.0C0 miles, by steamer. The news was then transmitted by cable from New Zealand to Australia, thence to Banjowanja, thence to Singapore, thence to Penang, thence to Madras, thence to Bombay, thence to Aden, thence to Suez, thence to Alexandria, thence to Malta, thence to Gibraltar, thence to Lisbon, thence to London and thence to New York. The hurricane burst upon the harbor suddenly. The German man-of-war Eber was the first vessel to drag her anchor. She became unmanageable, and was driven helplessly on the reef which runs around tne harbor. She struck broadside on, at 6 o’clock in the morning. The shock caused her to lurch and to stagger back, and she sank in a moment in deep water. Most of her men were under hatches, and scarcely a soul of them escaped. The German war ship Adler was the next to succumb. She was lifted bodily by a gigantic wave and cast on, her beam ends on. the reef. A terrible struggle for life ensued among the officers and sailors aboard. Many plunged into the raging surf and struck out, some reaching the shore in safety; others clung to the rigging until the masts fell. Of those in the rigging, only two gained the shore. The captain of the Adler and several other officers were saved. Meantime the United States steamer Nipsic had been dragging her anchors and drifting toward the shore. The captain, however, managed to keep control and ran her on a sand bank. Boats were immediately lowered and the whole company were saved, with the exception oi six inen. These were drowned by the capsizing ' of a boat. The United Stated steamer Vandalia was carried before the gale right upon the reef. She struck with a terrible shock, hurling the captain against a Gatlin gun, and he fell stunned. Before ne could recover a great wave swept the deck, and washed him and others away into the sea. The vessel sank fifty yards from the Nipsic, and several of the officers and men went down with. her. Others perished while making desperate efforts to swim to the shore. Some of the ship’s company tried to save themselves by clinging to the rigging, but heavv and swift-running waves dashed over them, and one by one they were •wept away. . By this time night had set in. Many natives and Europeans had gathered on the shore, ah anxious to render assisttance to the unfortunate crews, ’but, owing to the darkness, they were wholly unable to be of service. - Soon after the Vandalia had sunk the American war ship Trenton broke from her anchorage and was driven upon the wreck of the Vandalia, whence she drifted to the shore- The bottom of the Trenton was completely stove and her hold was half full of water. ,As morning broke, the German man-of-war Olga which had hitherto withstood the gale, although much battered by the heavy seas that constantly broke upon her, became unmanageble and was driven upon the beach, where she lay in a toleiably favorable position. The following is a record oi the officers and men lost: , Eber—The captain and all other officers except one, and seventy-six men. Vandalia—The captain, tour officers and forty men. Nipsic—Seven men. Adler— Altogether, fifteen persons. Mataafa sent a number of his men to

the assistance of the wrecked ships, and they rendered splendid aid in trying to float the Olga. ( The Nipsic was a wooden vessel and ’ was built in 1873. 'After two cruises she was rebuilt at the navy yard at Washington, in 1879, She was park rigged, 185 feet long and 35 feet beam. Her displacement was 1,375 tens, and indicated speed ten knots. Her battery consisted of one eight-inch muzzle-loading rifle, four nine inch smooth-bores, one sixty' pound breech-loading rifle converted parrot, which was located on the forecastle; tn the secondary battery one three-inch rifled howitzer, one twelve pounder, and one short Gatling gun. In addition to these there were sixty Hotchkiss rifles of the latest improved pattern in her armory, besides the usual number of pistols and side arms allowed 'by regulation for vessels of the Nipsic class. The Trenton and Vandalia were larger than the Nipsic. The Trenton was a shipped-rigged wooden cruiser of ten guns and of 3,900 tons’ displacement. The Vandalia was also a bark-rigged wooden cruiser of 2,100 tons, with a battery of eight guns, mostly smooth-bores.