The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1860-12-13
NOTES OF THE WEEK.

loss Of this ship. which occurred 1t that island on the
10Th of November. Capt. SIS report will be found
in our shipping memoranda. Capt. Wade. late mas
ter Of the Silrer Star, has furnished Us with the
following particulars Of the disaster
The Sur,r Star left Honolulu on the 81 Of Novem-
Der, al noon. bound for Jarvis Island, with Mr.. Potts
and his assistant. a gang Of lnborers for the island,
and Mr.. J. D. Hague. agent for VIM. II. Webb, ESQ,
on board. We had a quick and pleasant passage
down 70 the line, and on Friday night, at midnight. as
certaiuel by observation Of stars, that We were in the
latitude Of. and 80 miles to the eastward Of the island.
Shortened sail, and lay by until daylight, when we
squared away TO the westward. \ 81 \. NJ, Nov.
10, made the island about ten miles distant ahead,
the weather fine and 4 fresh breeze from Ne, and
flaws; ran down to the island under three topsaIls
and jb, and when the center Of the island bore about
south, distant about one mile, hove to. Mr.. Potts
manned a boat with a native crew, took q six inch
line and pulled 10 the buoy, intending to run the line
10 the ship, when @he came up. As soon as | saw the
boat fast to the buoy, filed away, bringing the North
or inner buoy to bear about East and stood in for it;
took in mizen top-sail and set the spanker. When l
judged myself at the proper distance from the buoy,
hove ali aback, and hauled down the jib. The ship
came up to the buoy, and the line was passed on
board; but before the slack line was got in, the ship
ranged ahead of the busy nearly her length, bringing
the buoy abreast Of the mizen channels, the wind and
current setting the ship TO the leeward; when her
Roadway stopped. her bow was At the entrance Of the
boat channel; the ship getting stern way, let run the
topsalls and took the warp TO the capstan; the ship
drifted TO the leeward OF the channel, and her fore
foot grounded on the coral rocks just off the edge of
the reef. Made sail on the ship again TO back her
off, and had the wind been from the East, as it usu-
ally is, it would have been easy to effect this; but it
being from the Ne, and the shore tending 10 the
NE. and SW., the wind and current forced the ship
on, and she swung along shore. presenting her broad
side to the heavy swell. Took in all sail, got a haw-
ser out to the buoy astern, and endeavored to heave
her Oft; but the buoy, which lays in 100 fnthoms, has
much scope of chain. 1t came home to the stern
without effecting the desired object. Meantime the
ship was forced on to the reef, from her bow to the
mizen channels; over the stern no bottom at twenty
fathOms. One hour after she grounded, she had four
feet of water in her hold; at ! u. VI. she bilged. and
broke in two on the port side. Finding ali our efforts
useless, there being no possible way 10 relieve the
ship, We abandoned our work, and commenced TO
land water and provisions on the island, there being
very little there. At / p. NJ, she fell over on her
port side, broke in two and filed, her deck being to
the water. November II, landing water. Novem-
Der II, landing water ami provisions. November Is,
at work saving what we could from the wreck
November IA, stove all our boats, and the crew re-
fuSlng 10 work IN the SURF IN our boats, and Mr.. Potts,
the Governor, not feeling himself justified in hiring
me the company's whaleboats, and the ship breaking
up fast, after consulting with the officers and having
no other alternative, 1 concluded to sell the ship ut
public auction, which was done on the 18th. The
wreck brought $500, and was bought by Mr.. J. Potts
for and on account of the American Guano Company.
On the 18th the masts went over the side, and there
being a heavy surf on, she went to pieces.
To Captains Athearn, of the whaleship Hercules,
and Sanborn, of the Omega, | return my thanks for
the assistance offered me the day the ship went on
shore, but having rs many men as l could work, |
was obliged to refuse their kind offers. To Capt.
Clark, of the Bart Gosn0ll, | am under obligations
for his prompt offer Of assistance to convey me and
ships company anywhere on his route. or to furnish
us provisions, although not required, his kindness
was duly appreciated. To Governor Potts and his
assistant, Mr.. F. L.. Jones. also to Mr.. J. d. Hague,
vgent for Vim. ii. Webb, | desire, in behalf Of my
officers and crew, to return nay sincere thanks for the
hospitable treatment l received from them, and their
efforts to relieve the hardshirs and monotony of a
shipwrecked life, will ever be remembered with graft
tude and pleasure by us. To Capt. Stone. whose
kindness and courtesy TO his passengers is well known
duly appreciated here, compliments from me are
superfuous. He is a perfect gentlemen, and a true
Good luck TO him and his brave little craft,
the Josephine. THOMAS FRANCIS WADE,
Late master of Siirer Star.
The Siirer star was a fine Boston clipper of 1876
register, built at Medford, Mass, in 1856, and
owned by Messrs. Reed & Wade, of Boston, where she
was insured. and rated as \ No. l.. Her loss is an
unfortunate one, and is one Of those accidents
which no foresight nor the best Judgment and pru-
lence can always prevent. The Josephine brought
up from Jarvis Island, Captain Wade and his
and men, together with the effects that had
saved from the wrecked ship.
NAvAL.-H. B.. Ms steamer ,4lert arrived on
saturday last, from Victoria, V. l., from which port
he had a long and tedious passage of % days. She
will remain in port some weeks. The following is Il
list OF her officers =
COmUaHder-W. 4. X. PE,zsE. (
SurgcOH-F. L. Leonard.
First LieuteHdHt-Edwari Stubs.
Second LieuteHaHt-IhoS 7. Dickinson. ,
MdSter-AleN. T. Boxer.
PqVHnSter-rhos. X. Dennis.
assistant PaVmaSter-Fred. 4. Cndd.
Engine erS-Jam Ward, John LanEandS, Hugh i. GaiT.
MIdShiDneH-AIfred Anderson, George II. Lawson. ,
GHIHer-John James.
BOatSlrGiR-GCorge Turner.
C1TUFHfsr-Thuuas Mercer.