The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1893-01-25
IS SHE A PIRATEP
Sensational Talk About the New
Hawaiian Steam Sealer Alex
ander,


The fitting out of the Hawaiian
sealing and trading steamer Alexan-
der is being pushed as fast as posi-
BILE and it is expected that tho YES
sci will sail for Honolulu by the end
of the week. Rumor has it that
bow-chaser and couple of rapid
firing guns will be mounted on deck.
An extra supply of coal is being put
on board and slowed away in sacks
in the cargo-hold. A good deal of
rock salt, such as is used for preserv-
ing sealskins, is also finding its way
on board. The steamer will have a
complement of sixty men when she
leaves here. Nothing further of
definite nature is known about the
steamer and her projected cruise
s. +. Chronicle, Jan. 18th.
The following items about the
Alexander are condensed from re-
port in the Chronicle of the 18th:
1t is claimed by those who think
they know that the steamer is going
on a half-piratical and regular free
booting cruise, with the intention of
raiding the Copper-island seal rook-
cries, and trading with Alaska ma
tives and Russians, whisky, or any
thing else that may be handy, for
furs.
The Pacific Trading Company, in
corporated with a capital stock of
S250,OOO, has been formed and osten-
sibly is the protector of the enter
prise. The two principal men in
the company are l.. r. Fulda and A.
P. Lorentzen. The latter is the
credited agent of Herman Liebes
the furrier, who is largely interested
in the North American Commercial
Company.
The captain of the Alexander is
no less parsonage than Alexander
Mclean. one of the most daring and
skillful sealers that ever sailed out
of any port. He is a native of New
Brunswick, about 40 years of agt
and a handsome man. A long, heav,
reddish mustache gives him fierce
appearance.
While in command of the sealing
schooner James Hamilton Lewis ;
year and half ago the vessel wa
seized by the Russian cruiser Zabi
aka. When Mclean found he coult
not run away from the cruiser h'
decided on bold plan, he ran th'
Zabiaka down. The bowsprit of th'
schooner struck the iron cruise
amidships and knocked a good-sizet
hole in her. The intention was t.
sink the Russian cruiser. When h,
found that he had failed, McLeal
had the American flag nailed to TIN
masthead of the Lewis, and the Rus
slams had to tear it down when the.
hoisted their colors.
The Alexander will take ava
from here sixteen seal-hunters ant
an extra large crew. The hunter
are asking $500 advance before the
start. The cost of fitting out tn
| steamer will not be much less tina
, $4,000.
Among most of those who are il
terested in sealing the cruise of th
Alexander is not looked upon in
very pleasant light. why shoul
f Liebes, through an agent, fit out tn
, Alexander for wholesale slauShte
= | VI ScUlS! dShStt tii oNiiS VI q SouI'i
: of small schooners. The Alexande
{ was under the Russian flag whe
she was purchased by Lorentzen
month ago. Immediately it Wa
changed to Hawaiian. That wa
queer. If the steamer was to be use
in legitimate work there was no nee
for a change of colors. The Hawa
ian flag is nobody's colors, and
just as good for pirate as a scale
"McLean has sworn vengeanc
against the Russians, and if he cam
in contact with a war vessel h
would rather fight than eat. In tn
|. way of seals the Gulf of Tartary an
the Copper island rookeries ope
large inducements. The Russia
!, Sealskin Company succeeded tn
5 Alaska Commercial Company a col
r pie of years ago in lease of tn
Russian seal islands. Last year tn
company only got half catch OWN
t to poaching by British and Amer
: can schooners. If the Alexande
: has really been fitted out to raj
e these sealing grounds with fore
of men and slaughters seals wit
clubs there would be howl fro
certain persons in this city"