The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1893-11-28
A HISTORICAL BARK.
The OLD mEmNON HAS REACHED The
END or HER CAREER.

Famous Alabama-Story or the Race
History of the Bark Since the War-Con-
signed to the Flames.
The old bark Memuou. one Of the most
ancient craft on the Pacific coast, VIII
20 to sea no more. She has fought her
last battle against wind and water and
viii be towed TO the marine crematory
at California City. where she VIII be con-
signed TO the flames.
The Memnon was built in Boston in
1888. and when she started on her first
voyage was one Of thefnest vessels ahoct
of her size For several years she was
the pride of the western ocean and could
show her heels TO any craft in the trade.
She was one Of the very few American
vessels that when chased by the pirate
Alabama succeeded in making an es-
cape. The Memnon was on her way
from Liverpool to Boston at the time
and fell in with the Alabama when about
half way across the Atlantic.
The Alabama concealed her identity
until she got within half mile of the
Memnon. when the Confederate flag was
hoisjed TO the peak and the astonished
crew of the Yankee bark began 10 realize
the true character of the strange steam
er. The captain of the Memnon called
all hands aft, and III a very few words
told them that capture meant many long
months in prison, and that he proposed
to escape if possible.
The crew were no more anxious TO
visit a Confederate prison than the cap
tain, and when he gave the order 10 square
in a very short time.
1t was blowing a gale from the north
west at the time. and the bark was under
her topsails, but as soon as the yards
were squared the men ran aloft. and sail
after sail was loosed and set. The men
took no time to cast off the gaskets. Ev
erything was knife work, and in almost
less time than it takes to tell 1t the daring
Yankee was flying away TO the eastward
under a cloud of canvas that threatened
to tear the masts out of her every minute.
Captain Semmes of the Alabama had
no idea that the bark would try to es-
cape and was below when the pros
pective prize changed her course and
began to make sail. He was quickly oil
deck, however, and sent shot after shot
at the flying Yankee i'll hopes of Grip
ping her. At the same time the Ala
bama crowded on all steam and SAIL but
a stern chase is long one, and in
breeze like that the Yankee bark was as
fast as the Alabama and just a trifie
faster.
In spite of everything Semmes could
do the Memnon slowly but surely drew
away from her pursuer, and as the Ala
bama dropped further and further astern
the hopes of the Yankee crew revived.
The chase lasted until night, and then
the pirate steamer gave it up and hauled
off to hunt for something not quite so
speedy. But if the Alabama gave up the
race the Memnon did not, for she never
started tack or sheet until she had put
several hundred miles of ocean between
the Alabama and herself.
She then resumed her course for New
York, where she arrived after n rough
passage of 81 days.
After the war she was placed in the
East India trade and then was sent out
to this coast. She has traded to China
and the Australian colonies and when
too old for that was engaged III the coast
wise trade.
She has also made several voyages up
20 Alaska and has always made money
for her owners.
Many fine ship has ended her career
over in the marine crematOry at Cali
fornia City since Captain Boudrow be-
gan operations there, and somc of them
were once the pride OF the United States
navy.
Here the fine old steamer China of til"
Pacific Mail company went upin smoke.
as did the steamers Antelope and Barila.
The banks Frazer, Lady Bowen, Rosie
Sprague and the whaler Shooting Sta
also ended their careers there, and 50
did the old warship Cyane.
Captain Boudrow has been located at
California City about five years, and Cor
10 years before that he ran the cre1natory
at Tiburon. 1t was in the Iiburon yard
that the mail steamers Montana, Arizona
and Constitution were cremated, and
the torch was applied to the John l..
Stevens, Orifamme. Great Western, Bue-
Ma Vista, Maria Murana and Colorado.
Seven of Uncle Sans old fighting ships,
the Nyack, Saco, Tuscarora, Naragan-
sett. Alaska, Benecia and the old mon
itor Northumberland their careers
and yielded up the vast amount of iron
and copper in their hulls in the Tiburon
yard, and they made a grand bonfire.
The Monadnock, being constructed al
most entirely Of iron, was Of course
fireproof and had to be broken to pieces
with dynamite.-San Francisco Chroni-
Gle.