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Tsunami (Tidal Wave) Disasters and the U.S. Navy
Photos of USS Memphis beached by tsunami
The U.S.S. Memphis (formerly the U.S.S Tennessee),
and armored cruiser of 14,500 tons displacement, was lying at anchor in the
harbor of San Domingo City, San Domingo, on the afternoon of August 29. The sea was smooth, and no storm
warnings had been received. Suddenly the sea rose, and waves resembling tidal waves in size rolled
into the harbor, lifting the ship by successive steps, and finally, in less than
an hour, depositing her on the rocky bottom in from 12 to 19 feet of water and
only 40 feet from the precipitous shore line. The loss of life on the vessel itself
consisted of three men washed overboard and seven men who died as the result of
injuries from the bursting of a steam pipe, probably caused by the displacing of
several boilers from their settings when the bottom of the vessel was forced
upwards by successive blows on the rocky bottom. In addition, 25 men were drowned from
small boats enroute from the shore to the ship, and 5 men from 2 other boats
which had put out to sea for safety but were finally driven ashore during the
following night.
The wreck has been
carefully examined by both naval and civilian experts, the consensus of whose
reports is to the effect that although salvage of the vessel, as a whole, is
practicable the cost would be excessive and the ultimate delivery of the vessel
at a repair port would be a difficult and dangerous undertaking. The salvage, if successful, and repairs
would take between two and three years. In view of the great expenditure which would accompany an attempt at
salvage, whether successful or not, and the certainty that, if successful, the
ultimate cost would be close to the present book value of the ship; and further,
in view of the fact that Memphis is of a class no longer constructed by
any naval power, of comparatively small military value, and, if repaired, by two
or three years from now would, in view of her age, etc., do little or no active
service thereafter, the department has decided not to undertake salvage
operations. In the meantime all
articles of a portable nature, whose value is commensurate with the cost of
removal, are being recovered, and shipped to the United States whenever
Government transportation is available. Subsequent to the stranding of the Memphis the Government and
citizens of San Domingo extended the utmost courtesy and hospitality to the
officers and crew of the vessel.
Source: Annual Report of the Navy Department for the Fiscal Year 1916. (Washington, DC: Government Printing Office, 1917): 66-67.
12 January 2005