The Hawaiian gazette., 1872-01-10

w PUBLISH DcION Il lCUUGT from OdDUalL
Mcintyre, the pilot on board the Atalanta
at the time that vessel got aground in the
passage, on the l4th of December, to the
Minister of the Interior; also letter from
Captain Jacob Brown. master of the steam
tug Pele, to the Editor OF this paper, in
reply to the reflections of letter of Capt
Sinclair's, published in the Adce7iSer OF
December Both, in which he reflects Sc
verely on the management of the Pele, on
that occasion. The statement of the Pilot
and that Of Capt. Brown substantially
agree in nearly every important respect,
although there Is very great discrepancy
between their statements and that of
Captain Sinclair. Captain Brown states
that the master of the ATLANTA told
him soon after the vessel got on shore,
that she was all clear forward, while
he states in his letter that "If the
tug had taken a hawser from our star
board quarter, as requested shortly after
we struck, to tow US astern, the vessel be
ing all afoat aft, she could have been got
off within an hour after she struck"
The reason that the orders of the Pilot
were not obeyed by the master of the
Pele, is fully explained by the fact that he
could not have heard them; as is also the
reason why he ceased towing the ship in
the morning, which was owing to the
propeller of the steamer getting fouled in
one of the lines used in getting the ship off
So far as we can learn, it would appear
that no one was to blame for the accident
to the ship, in the first place, and that
every one concerned used their very best
efforts to get her afoat. Such being the
case, all are alike deserving of credit for
their perseverance and patience.
Honolulu, January 9th, 1872.
To His Err F. w. Haclison, Mn ofue Interior:
SIR have the honor to acknowledge the re-
ceipt of your note of this mornings date and beg
leave to answer as follows:
On the 18th of December last was on board
the bark Atalanta as pilot and had charge of the
said bark to bring her into the port of Honolulu
The bark drew q feet and inches of water at
the time, and it was then $3.50 P. n.y. about half
tide at the bar whom the Polo made fast to the
bark to tow her in the ship at tins time being in
range of the lighthouses, the fairway channel in.
In crossing the bar the ship would not mind her
helm, the tug being ahead at the same time. As
We neared the spar-buoy the ship took yaw, or
swung off towards the starboard hand when the
tug Pele to keep the ship from going ashore on
the east side, had TO steer almost directly across
the channel to the west, and got the ship pointed
fair in. Then the ship waved off hard to port
and would not mind her helm. As the ship
swung of, l hailed Capt. Brown on the tug to
steer hard to starboard or port his helm, and 60
ahead hard but Capt. Brown, being in front of
the piIot-house of the tug, l suppose could not
hear me and as the crew of the tug could not
understand me- the order was not passed to Capt.
Brown. By the ship swinging off to port she
grounded on the west side Of the channel After
the ship had grounded, the tug kept trying to
tow her off, but finding it of no use, Capt. Brown
suggested to cast off the tow-rOpe and let the ship
lie until high water, when he would come off and
tow the ship in. We cast off the ships line and
ran out lines and hawsers to the can-buoys on the
east side of the channel hove them taut aud
kept them SO, as the tide would rise during the
night After we had cast off the tugs tow-rope
and she had towed out schooner to tighten the
ship, requested Capt. Brown to stop by the
ship with the tug during the night, which he did
At half-past one A. NJ. the wind hauled out west
erly made sail on the bark and got her off the
bank, and then brought her to anchor At day
light brought the ship into the inner harbor
remain your obedient servant,
A MCINTYRE.
Editor HaDaiidR Gazette SIR: A letter
having been published in the Adreytiser of
Dec. Both, signed by Captain Sinclair, master
of the ship Atalanta, which reflects strongly
upon me IN regard to the assistance rendered
that vessel by the steam-tug Pele on the night of
Dec. IA, when she unfortunately ran ashore while
attempting to enter this harbor feel it my
duty to myself to make a plain and truthful
of the facts of the case, and of the
assistance rendered the Atalauta by me with
the steam-tug.
It will be remembered that on the evening in
question there was fresh southerly breeze blow
ing, which would enable vessel to enter the