The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1893-05-23
ALONG THE wHARvEs.

The steamer Scotia will sail from
San Francisco this morning with 6
miscellaneous cargo of merchandise fol
Astoria
The steamship oregon sailed for Sar
Francisco yesterday morning. From
this port she took 2770 cases Of salmon
1859 bundles of shocks, 1856 sacks OF
oysters, and considerable quantity OF
miscellaneous merchandise.
The steamship Columbia arrived yes
terday from San Francisco. She had a
large number of passengers and some
400 tons of freight for various Astoria
merchants.
The steamer Augusta is due to sail
for Tillamook this morning.
The Western Belle is still lying along
side Kinney's dock The spars which
are to be shipped to New York are con-
sidered the finest lot that ever was
shipped from the Northwest.
The British ship Torrisdale has ar
rived in San Francisco from Newcastle,
N. s. W., after passage Of 81 days.
She brings cargo Of coal. The trip OF
the vessel to this port will be remem-
bered by quite number OF the crew.
Twelve Of them refused to do duty,
and Captain Buchanan ordered them
put in irons. The trouble occurred
March 1st. 1t was with difficulty that
the men were ironed, but the job was
successfully carried out. Six Of the
crew were left in irons for three days,
five of them suffered confinement for
two days, and one gave in after the
first day
The new Eckley propeller has been
demonstrated to be a grand success,
and the inventor Is more than pleased
in consequence. A contest was had on
Friday last in San Francisco between
two boats, one furnished with the new
propeller, and one with the old, and
the result was a great victory for the
recent invention. The contestants were
the Pacific Mail Company's launch and
the Onyx, the latter only "a feet long,
4 feet, inches BEEN, and feet
draught. She is driven by a tiny en-
gine with cylinder A inches in diam
eter, and 5-inch stroke, and her pro-
pellor is 20 inches in diameter.
The Mail Company's launch is a far
larger boat than the Onyx in every
way, with q larger boiler and cylinder,
and 2S-inch propeller. There was no
comparison between the boats as far
as size and power goes, and the crowd
were inclined to think Mr.. Eckley had
overestimated the value of his new in
vention.
While waiting for the Pacific Mail
launch, the Onyx gave an exhibition
of her ability to stop and back while
going at, full speed ahead. Several
trials were made, and in each the boat
stopped in less than her own length
and would turn from full speed ahead
to full speed astern in nine seconds.
When the Mail Company's launch ar
rived the two were hooked on stern to
stern, the tug began, and for a couple
of minutes neither had any advantage.
The engineer of the Onyx then left his
engine and moved further aft, thus
sinking the propeller deeper into the
water, and giving it a better hold.
This move settled it, and slowly the
big boat was towed across the dock
amid loud cheers from the crowds on
the wharves. The boats were then
hitched bow to low for a stern pull,
and the Onyx again proved more than
match for the largerboat, towing
her clear across the dock. In speed,
the Onyx likewise proved her super
iority, and in spite of the fact that she
has very poor model, ran clear around
her opponent and beat her back to the
dock in a race of half mile. The
merit of the new propeller lies in he
fact that both slip and drag is re-
duced to almost nothing. No matter
how fast the steamer may be running,
there is hardly ripple behind her,
With the old propeller she made six
knots, but with the new one she makes
over nine knots.