The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1893-11-13


days the Canadian australian steam
ship Miowera was iioated yesterday at
I'D In the morningy She now lies
safe in the harbor, in good condition
considering the battles she has fought
with wind and wave, and the hard
knocks that she has received from all
sides.
1t has been expected that the strand
ed ship would be fiOated soon, but that
she would come off yesterday was a
surprise to everyone. Captain Met
calfe, to whom too much praise for his
method of handling the wreck cannot
be given, has not been very taikative in
regard to his methods, but he has ac-
cemplished his object, quietly and I'M
ostentatiously, but in a manner high
~ creditable to his reputation.
Friday morning the strain on the
three anchors that had been placed to
staTbOaId of the vessels bow, was
Commenced and the bow swung around
distance of fifty-eight feet. Satur-
day, under similar strain, sixty-siX
foot swing was accomplished, and yes
terday, after a very few pulls, the
stranded ship slid gently off her berth
on the coral reef and was once more
Mt home in her native element.
AS soon as Metcalfe found that his
object had been accomplished, he came
ashore to make arrangements with
the tug to take the Miowera to safe
anchorage. y few minutes after the
Eleu was on her way to the big steam
er, which had been anchored just off
the reef The tug took hold, the an
Choir was raised, and at 9:15 the once
stranded steamer was at anchor again
in deep water, and safe from all the
trouble that has been her lot for over
month.
All that remained then was to bring
the steamer into the harbor, and ar
engagements were at once made to
that effect. About l o'clock the
Claudine, BIikahala and G. r. Bishop
started for the Miowera's anchorage,
to help her to the dock. The Claudine
soon returned, however, as her cap
tain insisted on doing the towing and
nothing else, and Metcalfe wished the
Mikahala To- do it; the work was done
by the latter steamer, the Bishop and
the tug.
The Bishop was fastened to the port
side of the ship, and the tug to the
starboard. The Miowera having no
rudder, it was very ticklish job To
through the channel. Captain Hag-
Iund, who was in command OF the
Bishop, managed to steer his ship and
his big consOrt in without the slight
est hitch in the proceedings, and with
her tow line fastened to the Mika-
hala's mast, the Miowera came into
the harbor, footing her whistle, and
Ian IN
dock, where she now lies, to all APP
pearances as good a ship rs she was
the night she struck.
The wharves, the decks, and even
the rigging of the ships in the hatbor
were crowded with people all day,
watching the proceedings OF the
steamers. As the Miowera came
down the harbor, many cheered her,
and Captain Metcalfe, who was on the
bridge, was wreathed in smiles, and
looked as jolly rs sandboy at his
success.
az will send divers down tomorrow
to ascertain the extent of the injury
To the Miowera's hull said he
last evening. 1.-THE ship Will
not go on the marine railway at
all, but a cOffer-dam will probably be
built alongside the Philadelphia, and
the steamer repaired in that way.
The rudder and stern frame will be
replaced by the Honolulu Iron Works.
al expect to have the Miowera in
condition to leave for San Francisco
inside of six weeks. Her engines are
reported tie be in fairly good condi-
tiOns, and there is no reason why In
that time we cannot be ready to
leave"
The method used by Metcalfe in his
work of saving the wreck was eX-
planned by one of the LOugee brothers
last evening. He said:
Captain Metcalfe's first work was
to find out just how the steamer lay
on the reef and what the condition
of the ocean bottom was in her vicin-
ity. He found that she lay on gen
tie slope to the westward, and that
comparatively near her, in that direc-
ton, was water deep enough to float
her.
'That slope of the bottom was what
spoiled McDowelPs chances of getting
the steamer Off He tried to pull her
up hill instead of down, and of course
failed. If Captain Metcalfe had not
been certain of McDowelps failure he
would have allowed him more time,
but it was not possible TO move her in
the way he was trying
GAS everyone knows, three anchors
were placed at different angles to
starboard of the ship. By the use of
these the steamers head was turned
around so that her bow pointed down
the slope of the reef, instead of up it,
as when Mcdowell tried. We moved
her 50 feet the first trial, 66 feet the
second, and at the third attempt we
lwere successful and the Miowera was
saved.
tOf course we were helped a great
deal by the splendid weather of the
past few weeks. But more of a swell
would have been help instead of
hindrance, as it would have lifted the
steamer a trifie, and we would not
have had to use so much power. The
result shows the difference between
the work accomplished when man