The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1888-06-04
WRECK OF THE BRITISH BARK
HENRY JAMES"
A FULLER ACCOUNT.

The following account of the loss
of the Henry James, and the escape
of crew and passengers, contains
particulars not hitherto published.
The account was written at Samoa
for the BULLETIN, but did not reach
us in time for publication on Satur-
day.
On the 9th of May last, boats
crew of shipwrecked seamen arrived
at Apia, Samoa, and gave the de-
tails of the loss of the English bark
Henry James, on Palmyra Island,
and of the rescue of the passengers
and crew. The following is based
upon the story of William Crosby
(seaman) one of the boats crew:
The Henry James was a staunch
iron bark of about 960 tons register,
owned by the North British Ship
ping Company of Glasgow.
In February last, she left New
castle, Australia, for San Francisco,
with cargo of 2,200 tons of coal,
under command of Capt. baltimore.
The crew consisted of two mates
and seventeen men, besides whom
there were seven cabin passengers
and 3 in the steerage. Fair weather
and light winds were experienced
and the 10th of April found the bark
in the region of the n. E. trades
and in sight of Palmyra Island.
This island is situated in latitude
deg. 40 min. North and 1862 deg.
II min. West longitude. 1t is
simply group of small coral ISL
ands, about 60 in number, enclosing
lagoon, and to the northward and
eastward are several dangerous sub
merged reefs, among which are
Kingman and Caldew reefs, whose
positions on the chart are not fixed
with accuracy, and in the vicinity of
which exist insidious currents that
sweep across the shadows in the
teeth of the trades. 1t is perhaps
to this easterly set, the strength Of
which varies from one to three miles
an hour, that the loss of the James
may be attributed.
Passing Palmyra island on Mon
day, the 10th of April, about p.
M, Capt. baltimore headed his
vessel about n. N. W., endeavoring
to make all to the eastward that
was possible and consistent with
safety. 1t was the last land TO be
sighted before reaching the Golden
Gate and with it all dangers would
have been passed in safety. But
this was not to be realized, for, |;
few hours later, while continuing on
the same course and making about
five miles an hour, the ship struck
without warning of any kind and
without shock, slid up on a cora
ledge where she remained hard an(
fast. 1t was 10 O'Clock at nigh
and they were 36 miles from Pal
myra Island. In moment the
yards were braced aback, jibs an(
spanker taken in, but beyond pay
ing her head off little she did no
move. Now nearly in the trough o
the sea, the ship commenced to rol
heavily and it was at once decided
to abandon her. Two boats wer,
lowered, a cutter % feet long, anC
the gig, considerably smaller. Th'
two women, who were cabin passen
gers, beloved with great fortitude
and with the four children were frs
lowered over the ships stern. Th'
Captain was last to leave. But fey
things were saved: chart, chrono
meter, nautical almanac, sextant; I
, breaker of water, some bread ant
: canned meat-these, with the boat
sails are all that was saved from th
4 wreck.
+, In hopes of securing something
n next morning, the two boats lay b.
e the ship all night, but daylight re
i vealed'noshans hut a hopeless wrec
and a line of breskers so, castin