The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1893-10-03
THE STRANDED STEAMER.
PILOTS LARGELY TO BLAME IN
THE MATTER.
The Captains Statement-Present Sit
uation Of the Miowera- Jetti
soning Coal.

Just to leeward of the outer channel
buoy on the EVA side, where she went
aground last evening at $40.
The steamer was sighted at 1880
P. NJ. off Diamond Head, and in
little less than an hour she struck the
rocks, where she now lies hard and
fast, Notwithstanding all the efforts that
. have been made to get her off.
No one ashore knew at the time
just when the vessel grounded, or
whether the pilot had her IN charge.
Captain Fuller went out to board her,
as is his duty with all incoming vessels,
and when near her he discovered her
perilous position and hailed the steamer
to ask if they wanted the tug. The
answer came back in the affirmative
and the Harbor Master FASTENED back
to the tugs berth and ordered the
fires lighted at once, telephoning for
Captain Rice and others. o
As soon as steam could be got up
on the tug Captain Rice started for the
vessel in distress, and after good deal
of trouble got line aboard by the aid
of large sugar boat, which Captain
Fuller accompanied in his smaller craft,
directing the work.
A new nine-inch bawser was run out
and then the little vessel began long
eight-hour battle to save the larger one.
The tug kept up a ninety-pound head
of steam and did fine work, pulling so
hard that twice the hawser stranded
and the tug had to back up to allow
the damaged parts to be drawn aboard
the steamer and a new blight taken.
At about midnight Attorney General
w. o. Smith and Minister King, &C
companied by the newspaper represen-
tatves on hand, left the tug and
boarded the Miowera. Up to that
time the tugs work and the steamers
propeller, which from time to time
backed at full speed, only succeeded
in preventing the vessel from going
further on the reef, and it was well
understood by those on both vessels
that nothing more could be accom-
plished before the high tide at 10 o'clock
this morning.
When asked if he desired to make
any statement as to how the disaster
occurred, Captain Stott said eyes, sir;
l most certainly do desire to make a
statement. | wish to say that the first
land l saw was the hill directly back of
the town, which | took for Diamond
Head, as that was entirely covered by
clouds, and there being no light upon
it, l naturally took the land farthest
to windward for Diamond Head.
"We took our bearings by the sun at
noon, and later on also, and reckoning
our speed from the last sights, thought
we were several miles further off than
we were and should have been If the
speed had been correctly. registered.
There were no lights on the buoys, and
there was absolutely nothing to warn
me of any danger. l came along at
slow speed until picked up the red
light and, little later, the green. AT
that time | was long way to wind
ward of the line of the lights, and, OF
course, knew that when | had them in
line | would have leading light.
Consequently, l came very slowly to
leeward, and while yet to windward OF
the leading light, the green light sud
denly went out. l stopped the engines
and just then man in the
bows sang out that there was
buoy on the starboard bow,
and close aboard. took sounding
and found six fathoms of water, and
while l apprehended no danger l be-
lieved that that was little enough water
and rang to back slowly 1t was Their
first learned that we were aground as
the screw would not move her. We
had drifled aground bow on, and thu
rollers had swung her around until she
rested where she does now, broadsdt
on the rocks.
I" No sir, there was no pilot aboard
and saw no pilot boat till after WI
were aground, and then he was lighting
the lamps on the buoys to show u
where we were when it was too late
In any other country the pilot would
have been outside, and not in thu
mouth of the channel lighting lamps to
show stranded vessel her position"
Seeing that the Miowera was tele
phoned at 1880, and did not reach thu
harbor entrance till an hour later, tn,
justice of the Captains remarks is OBJ
vious, as the pilot must have had tint
to get further than the outer buoy
after being telephoned
Soon after the STAR reporter stepped
aboard of the Mlowera the big hawse
upon which the tug was strainnl
stranded again, A wire cable was ruI
out in its place and the tug again re
sumed the labor Of holding the vesse
where she was. This was kept up I'll
a A. NJ.
The steamer was listed far over t.
windward, and as long as the tug KEEP
a strain on the hawser she lay yer,
quietly, there being no humping o
jolting. But as soon as the strain wa
released the big steel ship was seen t.
be thoroughly at the mercy of thu
waves, which lifted her stern, lettin!