The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-07-04
A SPECK OF WAR.
BritOns Pull Down the
American Flag.
WHEN DISCOVERED
The Police Act as Mediators Between
American StevedOres and Eng
lish Jack TarS.

At the Pacific-street dock Is the steamer
Wellington, collier engaged IN unloading
coal consigned to R. Dunsmuir d Son.
On the Wellington is crew. Every
vessel carries a crew, but the Wellington
has a very select crew. 1t is select because
its members are picked from the choicest
of the choice of British seamen that for
tune casts up on our republican shores.
r. Dunsmuir & Sons vessels are all
repaired in the north British possessions.
and nearly every man that draws dollar
from the institution must know how to
recite the "Charge of the Light Brigade"
and GOD Save the Queen" before ne Is
Justly entitled to his salary.
u nder these circumstances 1t is perhaps
not strange that the crew of the Yelling
ton objects to seeing the stars and stripes
waving from the peak of any vessel bearing
the reputat ton Of being built exclusively
by the English.
On the Pacifc-street dock and recently
engaged in unloading the Wellington was
gang of stevedores. They are Americans.
The British crew of the collier has never
been IN love with the American stevedores
and the American stevedoreS were never
overcome with admiration for the British
sailors. But there was little said between
the two factions, and the hosting Of
bucketsful of English coal went merrlly on
until o'clock last evening.
The Americans had invested in several
flags Of onr country and determined that
the gaffs attached to the Wellington's lore
and nam masts-which are part OF the rig
belonging to the Stevedores' Union
should be decorated with the national
cOlors.
Accordingly American flags were strung
ND in the gear; the stevedOres gave one
proud glance at the fiuttering col0rs and
then adjourned to an djacent Iefrsshment
place.
Hardly had the last "steam" been drawn
and set beside its numerous companions on
the long. tempting looking bar. when one
of the Americans noticed that change
han come over the WellingtOn's rigging.
Our flag was not there!~
He wasted no breath on rising foam but
let it escape his lips in these stirring
words:
Them flags are DOWN."
Nine beers were pointed heaveuward
with a precision of file Of soldiers at the
command Of "Carry arms"
Nine glasses came down on the bar with
a crash and nine good ard true Americans.
naturalzrd or to the manner born. flew
across East street with the self-Same pat
riotism inspiring them as caused Washing
ton to cross the icy waters of the Della
ware.
On the Pacific-street dock lay all three
flags while on the Wellington bold Britons
paced the decks and swore Vengeance on
any one who should dare hoist any except
the flag of England at the steamers
mastheads.
but the hoisting gear belongs to us"
argued the steved0res, land we have a
right to decorate it as we choose"
"And your gear is attached to one of her
Maiesty's ships" replied the WeIlingtOn's
mate. ave will decorate the vessel to
suit ourselves.
BY this time more Americans had ar
rived on the dock and sundry Britons
castle or the Wellington until war ep-
peared inevitable and arbitration i'm
practicable.
A burly stevedore grasped an American
flag and prepared to board the enemy.
Two or three dozen men followed in his
wake, and but for the interference of the
police there might have been trouble.
1t took some time to strsighten out mat
tiers and effect an amirabJe arrangement.
The first officer of the collier finally
mended matters by saying that his steamer
would be properly draped with bunting
In tine morning and that the stars and
stripes would reign supreme.
The irate American congregation &C
cepted this apology temporarily, saying
that they would wait until to-day and see
what occurred.
IF the fngs are not up them" they de-
clared, look out for trouble"
But in the intervening hours the British
steamer Wellington will flaunt no banners
to the breeze.