The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-10-02
SEA AND SHORE.
The Brig Lurline Drifts Ashore
at Point DiablO.
Her Fate Almost Shared by the John D. Spreck-
els-Cruise Of the Cutter Corwin At
ter smugglers of Whisky.


siderably excited yesterday over the news
that the brig Lurline. from Hilo, was on tue
rocks at Point Diablo. After entering the
harbor the Lurline, under command OF Cap
tain Matson, encountered strong flood tide.
A heavy fog also prevailed.
The brig drifted nearer the shore than was
anticipated and when it was found that
Point Diablo was close at hand the captain
ordered both anchors out, but the tide was
too strong for the anchors to hold the vessel.
The Lurline's heels struck on the rocks and
stove in a hole on her starboard side. After
striking the rocks the crew took to the boats
Captain Matson and his first mate were left
on board.
The brig John d. Spreckels, also from
Hilo, hove in sight and was in danger of
meeting the same fate as the Lurline. The
tug Relief soon came to the scene, but in
stead of going to the relief of the Lurline,
which was in danger of being battered to
pieces, Captain Haskell Of the tug hailed the
John ID. Spreckels and began to bargain for
what money he would tow her out of danger,
Alter some parleying the captain of the
John ID. SpreekelS agreed to give $3.50 to
have the brig towed out of danger.
This not difficult feat was soon performed.
The tug then steamed back to the Lurline.
which was dashing against the rocks and
which was leaking freely, after having been
abandoned by her crew. The captain and
mate were, as stated the only two persons
on board, and when the Relief threw her
ropes on board the Lurline the captain and
mate attached them
THE LURLINE ABANDONED.
a plain Matson and his mate then left the
LurlfDe in a boat, in order to see whether
she would sink after they left the brig.
Captain Haskell of the tug sent man on
board the Lurline to guard her, with special
instructions to let no one on board, and
when Captain Matson of the Lurline saw
that his vessel did not founder, he endeay-
ored to return on board again.
1t is stated that the man who was left in
charge by the captain of the Relief refused
to allow Captain MatSon on board his own
vessel, and said he would brain him il he
attempted it. The Lurlne was then towed
to the Oceanic Dock, where it was found
she was in danger of sinking. So she was
lowed by the tugs Relief and Alert to the
Mission mud flats, where she now lis, her
cargo OF 9S17 bags Of sugar almost a total
loss
The sailors who had abandoned the Lur-
line in boats and her captain and mate who
were refused permission to so on their own
vessel were brought to this city by tugs.
When the news OF the disaster and the cir
cumStances surrounding 1t were made
known at the Exchange there was loud
howl among insurance men. Considerable
criticism on the action OF the captains was
also passed by shipping men.
OWNERS OF THE CRAFT
The Lurine is partly owned by Captain
Matson, but is under contract with Spreckels
Bros The brig John D. Spreckels is owned
entirely by, the same firm. Spreckels Bros.
also own the tug Relief, which went to the
assistance Of both the Lurllne and the John
d. Spreckels.
Many insurance agents called at the EX-
change in the afternoon and characterized
the actions of the captains of the tug Relief
and the two brigs as singular way of trans
acting business.
THE CoRwIN HEARD FROM.
Captain AL White received a letter yester-
day from one Of the officers Of the United
States revenue cutter COrwin, in which it is
stated that she had not gone and did not in
tend to go to Behring Sea. 1t was supposed
in this city that the COrwn was actively en-
gagged in pursuing sealing poachars. and
would return with q number of valuable
prizes.
According to the letter mentioned the Cor
win left Port Townsend on August 10Th and
arrived at Sitka on the 9th of the same
month. She Then cruised south among the
Islands as far as Port Simpson in search of
The Corwin then returned to Sitka and again
leftthere on September 18th, going to juneau,
Alaska, and will probably next proceed to
4okatok TO pick up party of Government
surveyors. All on board were reported in
the best of health.
A dispatch was received at the Merchants
Exchange from London yesterday stating
that the British ship Ardmillan, from San
Francisco June 9th, arrived at Queens
town slightly damaged and reports having
jettiSoned portion of her cargo.
The steamship Gaelic left for China and
Japan yesterday with 800 Chinese passengers
in the steerage.
WEATHER-BEATEN VESSELS.
AT Green-street Wharf there are three YES
sells which have gone through remarkable
trlps-the Gretna, which was 204 days out
from Liverpool and was given up for lost;
the Yorktown which made a voyage from
Cape Horn with her rudder gone, and the
Ventura, which, after being 45 days out
from this port, experienced one of the most
violent hurricanes ever known on the Pa
ciic, her starboard steel bulwarks having
been carried away Repairs on the Ven
tura were commenced yesterday, and it will
be twenty days before she will be ready for
sailing.
The British ship Glenalvon arrived in.
port yesterday, 107 days from Calcutta Ac-'
cording TO the log she experienced a very
heavy gale on August 10th in latitude 3Oo
north, longitude 1920 east, during which
there was much thunder, lightning and rain,
lasting four days.
Yesterday being a very bright day after
the rain of the first part of the week the
majority of the ships in the harbor employed
their crews in drying sails.