The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-07-18
FIRED ON MICHIGAN.
Seal Poacher Alexandria Puts Z
Hole Through Flagship.
STEAMERS ENGINE DISABLED.


Poxr TowxsKxD, July 17.-[Speciall +
The United States man-of-war xohican
vas fired upon by the seal poachipg
steamer Alexandra in Boring sea on May
3 and disabled. The Alexandria escaped.
Neager particulars Of the battle were re-
ceived tonight from Unalaska via Sitka on
the steamer Topeka
The Alexandria sailed from San Fran
cisco last April under the Hawaiian dag
on . hunting and fishing voyage in the
North Pacific ocean. She Vas commanded
by one Of the Mclean brothers, who BE-
came notorious of late years on account OF
having raided the seal rookeries OF the
Japan coast. When the steamer sailed
from San Francisco she carried IN I'M
usually large crew and was well
armed with rides and small
cannon. II is generally believed that .
raid on the Russian or Boring seal rocker
les vas contemplated and the American
patroliIng fleet was warned to look out.
Atsdayiieht on May 25 the Alexandra
was observed by the Mohican coming out
from under the lea Of an island, where
seals usually congreeate in large numbers.
The Mohican, which il the dag ship Of the
squadron and commanded by Nichol Lud-
iow, signaled the Alexandria to heave to.
which was disobeyed and couple Of shots
were fred across her bow. The Alexan-
dria put on ali steam and returned the
FIRE with a small six-pounder. The shot
struck the Mohican amidship and disabled
her engines. The man-of- war sent couple
of shots after the fleeing poacher, but they
dew wide OF the mark.
The Aohican laid to six hours repairing
he hA
dria escaped under . fog which was set
days searching for the vessel, and returned
TO Ounaiaska just as the steamer Crescent
City was leaving for Sitka. The Mohican
visited the island where the Alexandria had
been, and found ample evidence that war
ranted the assumptian that . large mum.
Der Of seals had lately been killed.
The schooners Alexander, Of San Fran
cisco. and st. Paul. Of Kodiak island, were
seized near Sannakh islands, eighty miles
southeast Of Kodiak island, on July 1, BY
the revenue cutter Richard Rush, Capt.
Hooper. The former vessel had sixteen
seals and the latter six. The captains Of
the schooners claimed they were after
wood and water. The lieutenant Of the
Rush visited the st. Paul after boarding the
Alexander. and the skipper Of the former
vessel, thinking they were under SECURE.
complained about the officers not seixing
the Alexandra. He made . statement
which clearly implicated both vessels Of
violating the modus vivendi and they
were accordingly seized. Prize crews were
placed aboard and the schooners will be
taken to Sitka. Few sealing vessels have
called in the, ports along the coast of
Alaska for water. The sealers are keep
ing clear Of Boring sea and there il an evil
dent disposition to obey the law.
The wreck of the whaling bark Sea Ram
ger. of San Francisco. was sold to Capt.
G. c. Barrett, Of the North American Com
mercial Company, for $40. He recovered
and brought down on the Topeka 1900
pounds Of whalebone. When he left, on
July 3. hardly any fish had been taken in
the vicinity Of Karluk. Down in Prince
William sound the catch WAS unusually
large.