Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 38, Number 36, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 January 1906 — SHIPS IN A CRASH. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

SHIPS IN A CRASH.

Baffles hip Kentucky Han Down. by the Powerful Alabama. The battleships Kentucky and KearBarge ran aground and- the Kentucky was fouled and damaged by the battleship Alabama during the passage of the battleship squadron under eotomand of Rear-Admiral Rohley Evans through the main ship channel out of

New York harbor Sunday. The Kentucky was so badly damaged that it was unable to proceed with the fleet. The Maine, Admiral Evans’ flagship, was the only vessel to carry a pilot and was leading the squadron, the Kentucky, Kearsarge, Alabama and Illinois following in close, formation in the order named. An ebb tide and a west wind combined to urge the vessels toward the east side of the channel and the Kentucky went aground. There was not room for the Kearsarge to sheer off into the main channel without a collision, so her commander drove her aground. The Alabama attempted to make thfe channel and struck the Kentucky a glancing blow on the starboard quarter, carrying away the rail and all belonging to it. The upper steel plates of the Kentucky were bent for a distance of abont ten feet. Both the Kentucky and Kearsarge freed themselves and the Kearsarge joined the fleet outside the bar.

Rear-Admiral Charles H. Davis, In command of the second division of the squadron, with the Alabama as flagship, explained the accident in detail, but would not comment on it other than to say that the high wihd, the action of the tide and the narrowness of the channel were 1 directly responsible. He would not say that the Kentucky was seriously disabled. He was of the opinion that his own vessel, the Alabama, was not.

REAR ADMIRAL EVANS.