The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-02-18
SEA AND SHORE.
The Knight Commanders Run of
Bad Luck.
Operations at the Union Iron Works-Repair-
ing the 0rissa-D Departure of the China.
Lumber for Milwaukee.

The British ship Knight Commander is
regarded as one of the most unucky vessels
atloat. Since she was launched twenty
eight years ago she has not made more
than half dozen voyages that Melted any
profit for her owners, SO the present run of
bad luck is nothing out OF the common for
her. Her first voyage was to Calcutta, and
1t took her nearly two years to make the
round trip, Dysentery was raging in CAL
cuta at the time she arrived. and almost
every ship in the river lost from one to four
men. The Knight Commander lost no less
than seventeen men, including nearly all
her officers. She has been totally diSmasted
four times and has lost Spars on every trip
she has made, and seldom reaches port
without having lost nearly all her sails.
Among sailors she is regarded as a good
SHIP to steer clear of, and the captains who
nave been in her have always had trouble in
shipping their crews.
In one voyage in 1870 she lost five men
overheard; one was killed by fall from
aloft and another had a fight and was
stabbed to death. Owing to the bad name
borne by the vessel, she has had more mas
tiers than any vessel aflOat the owners
changing captains in the hope of finding
oNAAN OliO budb COulu uIdhO buC OiA oAAp pHJa
On her present voyage she left Antwerp
over year ago and has not yet come around
Cape Horn on her way to this city. Twice she
was forced to put into Port Stanley for re-
pairs to her rudder and then, when the third
start was made, the crew became drunk by
DrOaching cargo, and broke out in open
mutlny. Once more Captain Murdoch was
forced to put back, but he had his revenge.
Cf b, 3 f,I CT
months and the remainder were discharged.
As he could find no men at Port Stanley
he was forced to 90 to MOntevideO, leaving
the ship in charge of the mate. He found
men scarce at MOnteVideO and could only
obtain them by paying nearly five times as
much as he expected. After a weary wait
OF over three weeks a new crew was shipped
and Captain Murdoch returned to Port
Stanley only TO find that one OF his appTen-
tees had died during bis absence. Should
he reach San Francisco without further
miShap he will find more unpleasant news
awaiting him, as he is consigned to \. Car
peniler and the prospects are that the firm
VIII have ceased to exist long before his ar
rival here. The ship has changed owners
several times and now belongs 10 w. Low
den IL Co. Of Liverpool
AT THE UNION IRON WORKS
There are nearly 1850 men employed at
the Union Iron Works, The work on the
three war vessels is being rapidly carried
out. and several hundred additional hands
have recently been employed. Cruiser 8
has been plated as far up as the arm or
deck, and good neadway is being made on
the battle-ship Oregon.
The new lighthouse steamer will shortly
be ready for launching, and work on the
new steamer for the Pacific Mail Steamship
Company is being pushed rapidly forward
There is a probability that it will be named
in Of 20 al twin haro 10
being built. The boilers ofbthe mail
steamer Rio JaneirO have all been taken out,
and new ones will soon be placed on board.
Dispatches from London state that the
British ship SOudan, bound from Tacoma
for Antwerp has been wrecked on Ascen-
sion Island. in the South Atlantic. A sur
vey was held, and it was decided TO aban-
don the vessel. All Of the crew were saved.
he CHOSE HIS MEN.
There was Il row IN the old Exchange
building on Battery street yesterday morn
ing, and it was caused by the Captain of
the British ship DeSdem0na taking all the
men lie required from the Sailors Home
instead Of taking man from each of the
sailor clearinghouse keepers that were
present Captain Warren claimed the right
to take what men he pleased, and he took
them.
A large gang Of men started work on the
Orissa at NJ issiOn street yesterday morning.
e few days the fore and nam mast Will also
be taken out The ship presents sorry
appearance as she lays at the wharf, and 1t
Will cost S25.000to prepare her for sea again.
The mail steamer China left for YOkO-
hama and HOngkong via Honolulu, yesteT-
day afternoon. She carried a fair list of
cabin passengers and about 100 Chinese In
the steeTage.
The weather outside the heads yesterday
was f0ggy, with an eight-knOt breeze from
the south. The barometer stood 301l.
FOR PUGET SOUND PORTS.
The Pacific Coast Steamship Companys
steamer Walla Walla will leave for Puget
Sound ports to-day. She will take large
cargo for the East via the Canadian Pacific
Railroad. Among it will be $4,000 feet Of
lumber for Milwaukee and 400 tons of sugar
for Boston. The lumber will be used in
erecting a large factory. 1t IS the first ship
ment Of that kind By this route, but viii be
followed by others.
The tramp steamer Grandholm locked at
Howard No. l yesterday afternoon, and
while doing so had one of her boats and part
of the rail on her port side smashed by com
ing In contact with the wharf.
Scuryy broke ont on board the British
bark Lord Lyndhurst, bound from Santa
ROsalla for Falmouth, and she has put into
Monteyideo for medical treatment.
MOVEMENTS OF VESSELS.
Arrivals were the steamers Whiteso6ro
from Point Arena, Truckee from Tilla-
nook, Laguna from Greenwood Grand
holm from Nanaimo, with coal for John
Rosenfeld's Sons, the barkentine Monitor
and schOoners Helen Kimball and Jennie
Griffin from coast ports.
Movements were the County of Edinburgh
TO Long Bridge. Orient from Port Costa to
the stream, Drumcliff to the seawall and
the Den DOurau 10 Beale street. To-day
the Bengfell will 90 to the Roling-mils,
the steamer Santa Rosa to the Union Iron
Works and the Fanny lows to sea-
Departures were the Pomona, Celia and
North Fork for Eureka, the Caspar fol
Caspar, the British ship Samantha towed to
sea, bound to Bristol, and the whaling
schooner Alton sailed on cruise
LATEST CHARTERS.
Among the latest reported charters are
the folowing
British ship DrumclfT. 2i6S tons, wheat
and merchandise to Liverpool-ChaTtered
by BafOur, Guthrie Il Co.
Ship Alaska 1916 tons coal from Seattle