The morning call., 1893-10-18

first learned that we were aground as the
screw would not move her. We bad
drifted aground bow on. and the rollers
had swung her around until she rested
where she does now. broadside on the
rocks.
mo. sir, there was no pilot aboard, and
/ saw no pilot-boat till after we were
aground ana then he was lighting the
lamps on the buoys to show US where we
were when it was too late. In any other
country the pilot would have been outside
and not in the mouth of the channel light
ing lamps to show stranded vessel her
position"
Later in the night the hawser parted
again and wire cable was substituted.
All that the tug could do. however,, was to
keep the vessel in It's place and prevent it
from knocking hole in its bottom
by pounding on the coral reef. The
steamer was listed to the windward
heavily. but as long as the hawser from
the tug was kept taut she lay quietly
enough. As soon as that was released the
big steel vessel was seen to be com pletely
at the mercy of the breakers, which lifted
and relifted her immense stern and let it
frightful grinding and jolting effect.
At A NJ. it was decided to jettison as
much Of the 1900 tons of coal on board as
was necessary to tighten the vessel enough
to get her off at food tide. But 1t was slow
work and only about 100 tons had been got
overheard by 10 A. NJ, the time OF the
food tide.
At 10 o'clock COM ed effort was made
by the tug and the 1walani, small coast
ing steamer. to pull the vessel of. but
without avail. The Claudine arrived soon
after and lent the assistance of her power
full engines, but the Miowera still re-
mained hard and fast, and all efforts were
abandoned until the next high tide at mid
night.
At midnight on Tuesday. the Sd. another
effort was made to move the vessel, but,
like the preceding ones, it was of no effect
and further operations were postponed
until 80 P. NJ. of the 4th, the next high
tide.
At 2:SO A. NJ. the ships rudder post
went away, leaving the rudder hanging by
a few pieces of steel. In a short time
these gave way from the incessant pound
ing of the surf, and the big rudder disap.
peared beneath the waves.
On Wednesday morning the forty odd
passengers and their baggage was sent
ashore the first thing.
Offers of assistance, both from the Phila-
delphia and Adams, anchored about two
miles from the wreck. had been repeatedly
made, and after Captain Stott had got rid
Of his passengers and commenced to realize
the seriousness of his position they were
thankfully accepted and twenty-five men
from the flagship and the same number
from the Adams were soon aboard the
wreck. The swift steam launches of the
men-of-war now took the place of
the slow whalebosts and carried mes
sages from the wreck to the assisting
steamers. These had been increased DUR
ing the night by the 2500-ton Japanese
steamer Aikoku-msru. and Ii was hoped
that with her assistance there would be
little trouble in pulling the Miowera off at
1 P. NJ. Soundings taken the previous
morning showed that the Miowera was
drawing fourteen feet forward and eighteen
feet aft, and fresh souRdings showed very
little change. During the morning the
tug Eleu had towed out large
lighter, provided with a powerful wind
lass, for the purpose of carrying
out two heavy anchors dropped off the
bows of the Miowera earlier In the morn
ing for Use as Hedges. After the anchors
were let down the tug came In toward the
ships stern, between the cables of the
Claudine and the Aikoku-maru. She got in
little too close. and in attempting to
wear round to get out, the smokestack
ha n r,,ye
hawser. which resulted in unshipping the
smokestack and bending the whistle down.
Thus disabled the tug was compelled to
go to the iron works for repairs.
At noon the tide had raised enough to
place the vessel on a more even keel, and
on board the ship it was often thought she
was moving. A sight at the objects On
shore dissipate this hopeful idea. At 80
P. NJ. the two steamers, Claudine and
Aekoku- maru, made a combined effort
to pull the Miowera off. but after an hour
of the hardest work either vessels engines
ever did it was given up for the day. Dur
ing the morning orders had been issued to
have everything on board both the Phila-
delphia and Adams ready to go to
the assistance of the Miowera at moments
QOUce, anu dt T. NJ. 1uc udRoulp dCtu-
ally hove up her anchor preparatory to
starting when a message was received
from Captain Stott declining any further
assistance at present. At o'clock both
the Claudine and the Japanese steamer
returned to their respective wharves.
Ats o'clock on Thursday morning it was
found that the vessel had changed her po-
stion during the night in spite of every
effort, and her bow now pointed seaward
instead of toward Diamond Head. Dur
ing the night board Of survey had been
appointed by the underwriters. consisting of
Captain King, Minister OF the Interior !;
Captain Sorensen, one of the owners of the
Marine railway, and Captain Parry of the
British bark County of Merioneth. These
gentlemen made thorough examination
of the ship and her surroundings and
finally recommended that as all efforts
to pull the ship off by the stern
bad been unavailing further exertion
should be directed to pulling her forward
over the reef by the bows. the vessel only
lying about 70 feet from the main deep
channel. Anchors were accordingly
thrown over the bows and con-
nected with the steam winches on