THE GREAT SAMOAN HURRICANE

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21865, 19 August 1936, Page 11

THE GREAT SAMOAN HURRICANE

THE CALLIOPE’S ESCAPE RECALLED

LONDON, August 17,

The death has occurred of Captain Harry Pearson, who was navigating officer of H.M.S. Calliope in the Apia hurricane in 1889.

Early on March 15, 1889, storm clouds were blowing over Apia harbour, Samoa, and the officers of seven warships at anchor anxiously consulted barometers which gave warning of the approach of a storm. Swinging at anchor uere the British warship Calliope, the German warships, Olga. Eber, and Adler, and the American warships, Nipsic, Trenton, and Vandalia, as well as several trading sels. International tension accounted for the presence of the warships, and because of this none was willing to be the first to leave the harbour, although all the commanders realised it would have been prudent to put to sea some hours before. Shortly after 2 a.m. the storm broke. It was a hurricane of terrific force. All precautions were taken, but before long all the vessels were dragging their anchors. The Eber and the Adler both went ashore. The Nipsic was next to ground, and the Vandalia foundered in deep water. The Calliope, Trenton, and Olga were fast bearing down on the beach, when, to the amazement of all, the Calliope turned and very slowly fought her v ay to sea and safety in the teeth of the gale. It was a great feat of seamanship on the part of her commander. Captain Kane, and her navigating officer, Captain Harry Pearson, for the vessel had to pass between the Trenton and the reef with very little ’room to spare. So brilliant was Captain Kane’s seamanship and so gallant the behaviour of his vessel that the sailors on the drifting Trenton cheered as the Calliope passed by. The Trenton, her furnaces extinguished by the seas she had shipped, collided with the Olga, and both went ashore. Only the Calliope was saved. Two iron barques and 11 coasters were wrecked besides the warships. The death roll totalled 150, including several courageous natives who were lost in trying to rescue drovning- sailors from the wrecked warships.