The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1886-09-15

ley, Major w. H. Cornwell, Hon. Fred I
II. Hayselden, Secretary of the Board of /
Health, and Mr.. +. p Hastings, United I
States Vice Consul General.
Cure or Ocean Island, as stated yester-
day, is situated in latitude % deg. %
min. north, longitude I78 deg. % min
west, and is one OF long chain of scat
tered islets and rocks which extend
northwestward from the Hawaiian ISL
ands. These islets may be laid down to
the point of the recent disaster in the
following order: Bird Island, Necker,
Basse Franeaise, Gardner, Two Broth
ers' Rock, Marc Reef, Laysan, Lisian-
ski, Philadelphia, Pearl and Hermes
Bank, Midway Island, and then Cure or
Ocean Island which lies quite near Mid
way Island The distance from here to
Ocean Island in a straight line is l 200
miles, although the actual distance
sailed and rowed by the boats crew,
which arrived here night before last, was
something over l 800 miles.
Cure or Ocean Island is a barren
surrounded by treacherous reefs, which
extend some distance into the sea. The
point where the Dunnotter Castle went
ashore was between the points OF two
reefs which run around the Island, one
from the north and one from the south,
the ends OF the reefs almost meeting at
distance OF about eight miles from the
Island. There is a narrow channel be-
tween the points of the two reefs, with
i solid coral bottom upon which the
Dunnotter Castle struck, and soon be-
came a total wreck. The surf on those
outer reefs is very heavy, although on
the inside for several miles the water is
comparatively quiet.
The Island is without shelter and is
almost destitute OF water, although
brackish water can be found by digging
a short distance. 1t is stated that there
is an abundance OF turtles on the ISL
and, AMI before the present boats crew
left, the men had caught a quantity of
fish from the sea. The greatest danger
which threatens the remainder of the
crew on the island is the want of water,
as they have sufficient provisions to last
them six or eight weeks if used spar
ingly Another danger is that they may
become discouraged and attempt to
leave the Island in boats before assist
ance arrives, and such a course would
most likely result disastrously to all or
part of them. Captain Martin, how
ever, informed Mr.. Norman, the First
Mate, who came with the boats crew,
the Island for two months. AS So days
have already elapsed, this will allow the
Waialeale something over six days in
which to reach the Island before the
time expires. The Waialeale can steam
216 miles a day, and with sail and steam
<'.'I' make ESQ rnilas a day. With favor
able weather, she Will in all LIKELIHOOD
cover the distance of 200 miles in be-
tween five or six days.
The United States steamer Saginaw,
wrecked on Ocean Island in 1870, was
built at Mare Island Navy Yard, in Cal
ifornia, about the year 1860. From there
she went to the China Station, and was
afterwards condemned by the United
States Government, and was brought
back to San Francisco. She was again
refitted at Mare Island, and was after
wards sent to Plover Bay, Behring
Straits, with an ocean cable, to be laid
for Russian Telegraph Company
across the Straits. But as the project
failed, the Saginaw came back to San
Francisco, where she was re-officered
with naval cadets and was placed under
the command of Lieutenant Com
mander SiCcard, and was sent to survey
Cure or Ocean Island. Through the
ignorance of the officers, who were all
green hands, she was run ashore on the
reef on clear, bright day, and was lost.
The Saginaw was a side-wheel steamer
of about 400 tons. She carried two
fifteen-inch rifed pivot guns, one forward
and one aft, and four twelve-pOund
howitzers, two on each side of the ship.
She carried not to exceed 120 men, be-
sides the officers. After the vessel was
wrecked, which occurred in the latter
part OF September, 1870, the officers
erected shelters on the Island and con-
structed a water-condensing apparatus,
which was left on the Island when they
were rescued, but it was afterwards
taken away by the captain of a ship
which happened to call there, and the
place has been without any life-saving
accommodation since that time. Word
of the disaster was brought to these
Islands by four of the crew of the Sag
inaw, who came distance OF over l 200
miles in thirty days in an open boat, but
three OF them were drowned in attempt
ing to land at Waimea, Kauai, which
place they reached on the 29th of Octo-
Der, 1870. The survivor of the boats
crew, sailor by the name of landlord,
is now gunner in the naval service of
the United States. In reaching Kauai
the boat passed through three heavy
gales of wind, and only made land by
the greatest chance.
The steamer Kilauea was dispatched
to Ocean Island to rescue the remainder
Of the officers and crew and made the