The New York herald., 1871-02-16
PNE LOSS OF TIE SAGINAW.
THE MIDWAY ISLAND EXPEDITION.
Reason OF the Visit of the Saginaw
to Ocean Island.
The Wreck and the Party on
Shore.
Their Life ON the Coral Reef and
Their Rescue.

Their Life ON the Coral Reef and
Their Rescue.
From the Pacific Commercial Advertiser OF Homo
lulu, Jan. 2S.]
To the northwest Of the Hawaiian Islands, for o
distance OF over thousand miles, stretches sue
cession OF coral reefs and shoals, with here and
there sandy slet thrown up by the winds and
waves, and mostly bare Of vegetation. These isets
are termed "atolls' by geographers, word taken
from the Maldive language, and signifying coral
island consisting Of q strip or ring OF coral
reef surrounding central lagoon. Professor
Dana, who accompanied Wilkes exploring
expedition around the world during the
years lSSS-1s42 published book OF some $50 pages
on Coral eefs and Islands," in which he Demon
srates very clearly that these reefs owe their origin
10 the mysterious operations OF the zoophytes or
polyps, which he describes "an animal Of the ra.
dlate type, having In general cylindrical body. at
one extremity OF which there Is o mouth. sur.
rounded by one moro series Of arms or tenacles.
" has no special organs Of sense and is capable Of
multiplying by buds and artificial sections,
as wen as ova. These animals form coral
by the secretion Of calcareous matter"
iIis theory ls that tho zoophytes build their
which have sunk beneath the level OF the ocean In
oygone ages. These coral islands abound in this
ocean, and rising but few feet above the surface
surrounded by strong but uncertain currents
they are peculiarly dangerous to navigators, partr
cllariy at night.
Il ms upon one OF these Islands, known as Ocean
Island, situated In latitude 2S % north and long-
tade l7s so west, that the United States steamer
Saginaw Went ashore on the morning OF the
.9th OF October last, while on her way
10 San Francisco from Midway formerly
Breoke's) Island Three OF her crew remained, hav-
ing al fortunately reached the shore safety, unu
the Sd OF the present month. when they were res
cued from their halfstarved and perilous situation
by The timely arrival OF the steamer Kllauea, which
had been promptly despatched to their aid by the
Hawaiian government on the receipt or the eWS OF
the disaster at Honolulu.
In ME Haoaa,an spectator for July, 1888, we find
the following account OF Ocean Island and the wreck
oi the Gledstanes, as FURNISHED by the master:-
The island in latitude 2s 23 NORTH longitude I7s 30
" o s1Ss Iss
shells and covered near tho shore with low buhes In
considerable number OF hair seal1. There always an
asnance 81 ND IN Sf s M and IN great variety Ias highest par:
sea- The only fresh water s what drains through the
Wing aoons tie beach there apDeass to be great variety Of
shellish.
The Spectator says:-
oy ohs rw msn was os he ~ %
lotA OF December, when himself with his CHEZ
eight ecamen Sandwich Islands ia schooner
cm 9 Of the TSs sn or sk oee e
and men, who remaaed several months longer and endured
o that purpose by her Britannia Majess Consul
We propose giving here a concise history of the
il-starred expedition, which has resulted disas-
trousy In the loss Of four valuable lives and the
squandering OF large amount OF money. This ac-
islands.
HARBoR AT MIDWAY ISLAND.
Through the misrepresentation OF interested par
ties, hacked by tine recommendations OF q naval
oiicer who was either incompetent to Judge
prejudice and spite against the government and
people OF these islands. The North Pacific Mail
the expenditure OF reasonable sum, good harbor
could be made ar Midway Island, barren sand
bank, ENCLOSED IN , coral rect, situated In north
III degrees 23 minutes. distant from Honolulu about
100 miles, and torty-elght miles from Ocean Island
This was TO be the coang station for me compaays
steamers on their voyages between San Francisco
and China. AS a commencement, Congress APP
sp Channel the se Inc
was detailed for the service, and on the ED OF
February, 1870, left San Francisco for Midway
Island via Honolulu having on board party OF ex
perlenced divers and all the necessary machinery,
apparatus and stores fer carrying on the work OF
arrived AZ the island March "a and after putting up
the necessary buildings the business of blasting the
bar was commenced, and the hrst trial was CON
been used In two charges each dslodglng about i've
tons OF rock. This was to be hoisted into scow
and then dumped on the reef on either SIDE Of the
proposed cut. The channel was to be over 600 feet
in length, with general average width Of 200 leet
and ,S depth Of g. tWentyfour ns feet so,,oo
lulu, and up to the. date Of her loss-October 29-
had made four trips to and from the island. On her
orders to the working party to discontinue opera
lions, as the APPROPRIATION $3.50 O00 had been eX-
whenever the weather ana health Of the men per-
mitted, under water and in boats and scows, Tor
six months using large quantities OF powder ana
fuse, they had excavated channel near the centre
OF the cut about fifteen feet wide and 450 feet In
length, and the $4,000 was expended and the
work brought to q stop. At this rate the work
will cost, when competed, at least the sum OF
s10C0,0vO. II is very much to be doubted whether
the United States government VIII consent to the
throwing away OF any more money in the useless
attempt to make an available harbor ut Midway,
after The experience OF the past year. II Congress
appropriatlng more funds 1t will certainly require
vast deal OF lobbying and corruption.
The prevailing winds at Midway during the sum-
mer months were the northeast trades, so-called,
varying from east BY north to east southeast. In the
fall and winter the wind was mostly from the north
When the westerly gales blew the mouth OF the
lagoon being, as IN all coral islands, on that side
Inc sea broke heavily all over the lagoon and no
work could be done. on one occasion Ihe workmen
were returning to the island from the entrance OF
the channel when one OF these gales came on, "aRdn
drum at one time whether she would ever reach the
shore.o During the month Of Aprl the Thermometer
ranged from IS at sunset TO S6 at noon and so at
sundown. Twenty-eight days In July, marked TO-
"a and 81 morning, noon and night, ana Tor twenty.
Two days In october, rs, 81 and 70.
UNLUCKY FRIDAY.
Having taken on board the working party and
their materials on Friday (traditonaly unlucky for
sallors) the Saginaw lett Midway Island for San
Francisco 1t was determined however, to visit
Oct an Island, about f0rtyeight miles to the west
where IT was possible that some vessel might have
been wrecked 1t was upon this island that the
British ship GedsaneS was wrecked III 1887 ana tile
American ship Parker In September, 1872. The
crew OF the latter ship were taken from the island
IN May, 1S43. But the Saginaw on her humane mis-
sion became herself a wreck. The wind was lair
and the. engines were running slowly. and 1t was
expected that they would be near the island about
four O'CLOCK In The morning. At haltpast two the
engines were stopped entirely. At naiI-past three
the man on the lookout reported that he saw
SOMETHING AHEAD WHICH He THOUGHT TO BE
BREAKERS.
The order was given immediately to back the en-.
gines which was done and continued for about ten
minutes, when the wheels refused to move, the dih
Guilty being evidently that some the steam cOn.