Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1888-05-31
NO. 90.
AN HISTORIC COASTER.



which Piles the Pacific.
Eighteen hundred and thirty-fivc.
How many people are there in Van
couver whose momorv can run back TO
that time, when tho sailor king sat on
the throne OF England. aud the Duke
of Wellington was power in tho land.
when tho railroads as yet only existed
in the brains of an enthusiast long
before the click, click of the electric
needle had been heard; whom Canada
was only known hs an arctic region.
where tho Inhabitants had TO wear
furs NIL tho year round 10 kocp from
froczng. when British Columbia was
unhcard of. save "a preserve Of tho
Hudson's Bay CUmpanyS Yet there
came into the harbor boat yesterday
whose virgin bows were first kissed by
old Father Thames in that year rs she
glidcd down the ways Of one of tho
numerous shipyards on that river.
aud was christcucd by the fair hands
Of Duchess "fho Beaver" in
honor Of the old company whose
chief source of profit lay In that now
scarce animal The youngest city on
the Pacific yesterday greeted the old
est steamboat on these waters. Fifty
three years have come and gone since
tho stanen old craft first proudly
rode the waves. What changes has
she witnessed the settlement of an
almost unknown country by hardy
and entcrprising peoplc-thc creation
of a mighty dominion stretching from
tho Atlantic to the Pacific. aud gin.
died with slender band Of stcel-the
birth Of young and lusiy city spring
ing into life where impcnetrable for
ests grow; all these marvcls have oc-
Cured since the Beaver first floatcd.
Tho steamer Beaver. after being
launched and her engines. built by
Bolton IL Watt. son Of tho celebrated
James Watt fitted on board. was
Iiggcd as n brigg and. under COM
mand Of Captain Home. proceeded
under sail round Cape Horn and UP
the Pacific to Astoria. arriving after
quick passage of 1868 days. At that
place. then the chief trading point of
the Hudson Bay Company on tho Pa.
ciiic she began her career rs n steamer
proper. and under command of Cap.
tain Mcneil sailed up and down the
furs. After this she was employed by
the British Government rs survey.
ing ship. and many of tho hydro
graphic charts now in use were COM
piled from surveys made by the old
Beaver. After many vicissiludcs she
passed into the hands Of Captain
| Saunders, her present owner. and was
used for towing purposes, but was ac-
cidontally sunk in Victoria harbor
year ago.
Captain George Merchant, the pres
| ent commander. conceived tho idea of
again raising the old craft. and using
her for towing logs, and carried it
out Sho will in future be regularly
employed in bringing timber TO the
Hastings mill. Captain Merchant Is
well and favorably known on the Pa
ciic coast, having first come to the
Pacific on ii. NJ S. Jealous. the first
ironclad In these waters. in 1885. He
10 ~ efhiitetA ~
good fellow. and tho venerable old
craft could not DO in better hands.
Many alterations have been made
in the vessel, but these have been con-
fined mainly to her upper works. her
machinery and cabin fitting remain
ing pretty much as they were when
she frat left the yard. The hull is
splendid specimen of thorough work
manship. Built of British oak. with
knees closely joined together and
ceiled inside with heavy planking. it
looks good for one hundred years 10
COME The twin engines would puz-
zle many modern marine engineer.
in fact. in motion they would proba-
bly, almost frightcn him. Four great
walking-beams down In the lower
hold. instead of being above the deck
rs now. work slowly up and down.
while ecccntrics. we'll named. move
about his head. and great lev,
ers and connecting rods ponder
ously work around him. Her
certificates show her TO have eighty
horse power AMI she is allowed
to uso twelve pounds of steam. but
even with that low pressure she does
splendid work. One peculiarity is
that she uses salt water. the encrusta-
tions Of which are periodically blown
out when the salinomerter shows it to
be necessary. Her cabin. which is
aft. is still fitted up as it was at first.
and is surrounded by old-fashIoned
lockers and bulkheads. The old bell.
with the worl Beaver and the date
1885 on it. still hangs in its old place.
and in deep and rich tones warns the
weary wasel: &c tll.e passing hears
The anchor. with its heavy flukcs aud
long chains. is still as serviccable as
when 1t dropped with a splash into the
deep waters of Astoria fifty three
| years ago. Vancouver NstCS.
Remarkable Discovery.