The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-09-05
MCLEAN IS HERE.
So Also Is the Steamer
Alexander.
GENTLE AS A SPRING LAMB.
The Reputed Floating ArsenaI's I'm
eventful Cruise-lt Was Not
Financial Success.

Six weeks ago telegraphlc announcement
was made that United States warship
had been attacked and disabled by the
sealing steamer Alexander, and the world
next morning was talking about the ex-
traordinary event.
But il was not an event.
II was lie
Still everybody here remembered the
story, and yesterday afternoon when the
Alexander steamed into the bay the entire
water front recognized her instantly by her
tall masts and yellow smokestack and be-
gan to chatter about the famous episode
that had not taken place. Passing Market
street, she made great circle 10 the south,
and swinging around gracefully, returned
and docked at Howard street. A crowd of
800 or more had assem- bed to greet her.
sac was in command of that blue-eyed
mild voiced, peacefully disposed thor
oughly companionable skipper. Captain
Alexander Mclean. whom an enterprisng
hut very untruthful Port Townsend cor
respondent. aided and abetted by part of
the San Francisco press, had transformed
iuI0 m"dern Captain Kidd.
The Alexander, which is sixteen days
from Copper Island, brought in the same
crew of hity-tw0 men that she left here
WIN January also ZbO SKINS ana no
news Of startling interest.
From a financial point of view the ven
ture Of hunting seals with a large steam
craft has not proved 4 success. Her catch
IA Jaly ], rs previously reported. was 1921
skins. : nee then the ratcL was 26S,
total % $3.50 which is only little better
I'd the more fortunate and less expensive
schHoners.
II is understood that the cost of fitting
out tie Alexander aud the outlay for the
voyage was over 1900. Within ten
nluu,es from tls time she landed half
t"Z'n partners in The enterprise came TO
tie wharf and made no secret OF their
disappointment at the result since July 1,
when the steamer left Hako datP.
One reason, and ir0bably the main one
J. the Eight catch Is the unpropltiuus sea-
sna. Inc weather was bad for a greater
art of the time and the conditions unfa-
t"rable for hunting. 1t LEAKS out also that
some If the hunters were not so sklllful as
They shnul1 have been. The star marks
man was Grin Simons, who killed $50; the
next best Fred Johnson with $40, and
third Charles Lambert with 323
The Alexander got only the edge Of the
gale OF May f. She picked NJ two boats
which had got lost from the Rosie Sparks,
and restored them and their crews after
ten days
After she had coaled on July al Hako-
date the steamer proceeded to COPPER Isl
and, and con fined her operations off the
roast until she headed for home On July
% she caught glimpse through haze of
IL Russian man-0f-war which was very
anxious 10 see her, but the Alexander had
TWO miles the start. and showed her heels
TO the Cars cruiser.
Dick Albright, able seaman, came into
port under confinement lie is a sea law
yer and bad organized a small-siZed mu-
tiny. On July IS he refused to go out in a
boat, saying he would b. blessed if he
risked his life with nothing in sight. The
hunting had been discOuraging and almost
barren Of results, so it was easy for AL
bright TO breed a little dissatisfaction But
Captain Mclean promptly put Albright
Into irons for two days and KEEP; him a
prisoner .wnen he removed the shacklos
TWO days later. That quel!ed the incipient
mutiny.
Captain Mclean has no plans for the
immediate future, His vessel viii prob
ably remain here some months 1t is not
likely she Will attempt second venture at
seal-huntiDg.