The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1888-09-22
COLLISION AT MIDNIGHT
ne steamship Zealandia CoIIides with
the Ne" Wharf and Barkentine Xii
kitat.

The Oceanic steamship Zealandia
from the Colonies was telephoned eight
mics south at 1O:15 Friday night. DR..
Brodie, Port Physician, and Pilot Capt.
shepard went out to meet the steamer.
She lay off and on for over an hour be-
lore entering the passage.
About II 100 the Zealandia came Gid
ing IN the passage past the Lighthouse.
Mr.: Eldridge, of the Oceanic Steamship
Com pany's office, the ADVERTISER re-
porter, and perhaps half dozen others
were watching the steamer coming in
from the outer end of the New Wharf on
the Esplanade. There were also two
hacks standing by.
AS the Zealandia came opposite the
Marine Railway it was observed that
she was rather close inshore. Some
body remarked, "She will put on speed
to turn out" AS the huge vessel came
nearer and nearer, our reporter became
anxious as the bow was straight on for
the mOorlng post on which he leaned.
He nerVOusly receded a pace as the
vessel fairly loomed up for certain con-
tact with the wharf. Quicker than it
takes to write these lines the bow of the
steamer came within a yard outside of
the first or seaward corner of the wharf
1t seemed as if with the Roadway and
swing of the vessel that she might
shave past. A voice on board asked:
''Is she clear?"
'NO, she will not clear !" was shouted
back in an excited tone.
- was the word on the
wharf, and the writer, who was
furthest out, had not gone more
than ten yards when the crash came
an awful crunching of timbers and rip
ping up of the newlaid planks. The
hack horses stampeded up town in the
meantime, but the people on foot, not
feeling the conclusion on the inner pOr-
ton Of the wharf, went back to see the
damage. From our reporters point of
view it seemed that the Zealandia was
tearing through the poop of the Port
Townsend barkentine Klikitat, and as
the boom and gaff and after rigging were
torn away it seemed as if a serious
casualty was happening before our eyes.
All this was only matter of seconds,
and as our reporter left for the Office,
to get a start on this account, the
steamer had passed and then backed
again, thus getting out OF the line of
further damage. An examination of
the Klikitat showed that, happily, the
Zealandia had not come into collision
with the barkentine's hull, the only
damage to her being what is related
above and perhaps, it being covered
with the sheets, part of the stern rail
on the port side broken. There were no
outcries heard from the steamer which
would indicate anything like panic on
board. The wharf received q fine
angled glancing blow from the steamers
bow, at the Import corner, then the
lateral pressure of the passing hull. A
line starting back yard or two from
that corner to point near the opposite
corner would include the damage to the
wharf
On going back to the Oceanic wharf
when the Zealandia was locked, about
l o'clock, our reporter met Captain
Shepard, who explained how the acct
dent occurred. There was fresh breeze
blowing in the jib which would have
served to swing the steamer in all right.
But the breeze suddenly fell off after en-
tering the harbor and the steamer failed
to come round in time. From an exam
nation he had made no damage to the
steamship could be found. The purser on
being asked if she was damaged, replied,
"Not particle"
1t was narrow escape from serious
casualty A yard nearer inshOre and
the remorseless bow of the Zealandla
would have crashed through the cabin
and hull of the Klikitat, and nobody
can calculate how much other mischief
would have been accomplished.