Show battleships NARROW ESCAPE illino s comes near coll ding with the alabama during storm monterey cala northwest gale sweeping into the harbor gave the eight ships ot the second division ot the atlantic fleet several hours of watchfulness saturday night and cut off all communication with the shore A serious accident was narrowly reverted when the battleship illinois in line from the alabama flag ship of rear admiral sperry parted her anchor chain in the height of the blow and went drifting toward the bhore the illinois headed directly tor the alabama and it looked for a time as though a collision was irnel nent by heroic work the helmsman managed to steer the drifting ship away and the only damage done was the tearing away of the port gangway of the alabama the illinois drifted fully yards before her emergency anchors sent spinning into the white capped waters finally held fast |