THE LOSS OF THE BATTLE-SHIP MAINE. IRISHMEN AND IRISH-AMERICANS AMONG THE CREW.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXVI, Issue 2, 13 May 1898, Page 24

THE LOSS OF THE BATTLE-SHIP MAINE. IRISHMEN AND IRISH-AMERICANS AMONG THE CREW.

Is view of the Rev. W. Saunders' recent deliverance it is interesting to note that a large proportion of the crew of the United States battle-ship Maine, which waa destroyed by an explosion in Havana Habour were Irish by birth or descent, and that a large number belonged to the Catholio faith. The crew was composed of 355 men 2b of whom were officers. Of these about 24U men and 2 officers' were lost, and 57 men were injured. The officers included .— F. E. Larkin, boatswain ; Brent M Carthy, paymaster a clerk ; Eugene D. Ryan, paymaster : and Sergeant Michael Meehan. Among the men below the rank of commissioned officers were :— Lewis L. Barry, John P. Barry, Daniel J Boyle, Edward Burns, Francis D. Oahill, Charles Curran, Michael Cochrane. Anthony Conroy, Daniel Cronin, Thomas Clarke, John Coffey, M. C. Downing, William Dononghey, John Dolan, James Drury, junior, Michael Flaherty, Michael Flynn, Patrick Flvnn Patrick JFoley Patrick Gaffney, William H. Gorman, Patrick Gra-ly, Michael Griffin, W. C. Hanrahan, Daniel O'Connell Haley Thomas J Harty, John Heffron, Patrick Hughes. Joseph H. Kane Michael Kane, Hugh Kelly, Frank Kelly, John Kellyi Thomas F iunsella, Michael Lanahan, William J. Lee, Matthew Lynch, Ber^ nard Lynch, Thomas Mack, Michael Malone, Cornelius Murphy J Monahan, Hugo M'Gonigle, John J. M'Nannus, William M'Nair Francis M'Niece, WilUam Meehan, William M'Devitt, William M'Ginms, John M'Dermott, J. J. M'Manus, Charles M. Nolan, James O'Connor, Thomas J. O'Hagan. William Noble, Patrick O'Neill James O Connor, Hugh H. O'Regan, John Powers, John Porter' Thomas J. QuigleyC. P. Quinn, Joseph Reilly, John W. Riley! Michael E. Salmin, Joseph Scully, Jeremiah Shea, Patrick G Shea Thomas Shea, John J. Shea, Owen Sheridan, Daniel J. Tehan' Martin Tuhey, and Joseph F. Walsh, a coxswain. According to the newspapers, all the above were drowned or killed except the following :— Sergeant Meehan, boatswain Larkin paymaster's clerk M'Carthy, M'Devitt, Foley, one of the Flynns' Mack, Cronin Cahill, Joseph, Kane, Jeremiah Shea, Heffron', M'Ginnis, Lanahan, Coffee, and M-Manus. ' An absolutely correct list of either the lost or the saved has not been compiled. Rev. Father Chidwick, chaplain of the Maine, writes as follows regarding the crew :—: — "Never did a clergyman derive greater comfort from hia flock than I received from the orew of the late United States steamship M ?, ln J e - \™ w often heard oar officers say that they had never sailed with a crew of better men, and I firmly believe the statement, lhey were loyal and brave men and attentive to my ministrations* They showed their faith and obedienoe to command in the supreme moment of our disaster, when the survivors executed our commander s orders with promptness and coolness. " May Almighty God have mercy on their souls, and may the prayers of a weeping nation find favour in His sight for them We commend them with confidence to Him whose mercies are infinite although His ways are inscrutable to our finite reason." ' The most ancient European coin, the ducat, was first struck in the mint of Venice, about 1284.