The herald., 1894-10-07
The ADVENTURES OF A SHIP
The Varied Career of the
Steamer Sirius.
A Daring Young Owner Liked
Excitement.
Some of tho Incidents of His Career
of Commercial Ventures, and
Subsaquenu Interesting
Adventures.


colliers plying between Santa Monica
and British Columbia coal ports is to be
increased by the addition OF the steam
ship Sirius, now lying in Oakland creek.
The vessel has had career since coming
into Pacific waters, few years ago, as
Barnard Castle, which figured as Chill.
ian man-of-war, then degenerated into
a collier and afterwards found resting
place as the bottom OF the straits of San
Juan dc Fuca, after having fouled Race
rocks, outside the entrance to the Gulf
OF Georgia.
The Sirius sails under the ensign OF
England. and the federal courts OF this
country have been playing shuttle cock
with her for upwards OF two years past.
A scion of one Of Englana's representa-
tive families made and lost several for
tunes with the Sirius since she left Eng
land.
That the vessel is not now bearing
gold and diamond hunters to South
Africa ia due to the fact that adventure
GUS Cslifornians did not have the neces-
sary coin to pay passage, ad it ia only
few months since that the newspapers
throughout the coast contained an
nouncements that 1.-The A l Britiah
steamer Sirius was loading at San
Francisco and would have quick dis
patch to the gold fields OF South Africa"
The announcement aleo set forth that @
few passengers could be taken at $500
first cabin; $l25 steerage. The passsn-
Fa,l lnd 70 AL.
abandoned and the vessel was tied up
waiting for charter OF come kind.
George Albert Meeks, who ia not un-
known to many of the bloods of this
city, was the managing owner of the
Sirius when the vessel, after passing
through Magellan etraits, stuck her
nose into the Pacific. This was during
the insurrection in Chilli few years
ago.
George Albert Meeks had been wild
boy at home and his father, the senior
member of the great English chip build
ing firm OF Meeks & Son, decided to
give him new start in life The Sir
ius, which had been in the Baltic coal
trade, was hauled out on the dock and
retitted from stem to stern and truck to
keelson. A general cargo was put on
board, and, with George Albert and
competent commander in charge, the
steamer left England. She piled in Pa
cific watera quite little while without
meeting with any special adventure and
young MeekH found the business OF run
ming a steamer IN opposition to the Pa
cltc Mail company quite profitable.
Adventure No. occurred when the
Sirius, while idle in San Francisco.
learned that Spreckels Brothers were
preparing to put out feet OF sailing
vessels to take provisions to Pelu, the
army being at the time threat
ened with famine. Potatoes were
then glut on the San Francisco
market. the valleys throughout the state
having flooded the city with spuds, and
they were selling at 10 cents sack.
Youngs Meek, who had been rolling 'em
high'' during the tieup of his vessel,
saw chance. He pulled himself to-
gether, and soon the Sirius was along
side dock taking in potatoes. He also
took a goodly quantity of -four and pulled
out of can Francisco ahead OF Spreckee'
wind jammers," heading direct for
Iquique.
On arrival off the port. Meeks found
the situation serious. Admiral Mott,
now president of Peru, and seven of his
ships were tied up in harbor with Bal
maoeoa and big gunboat at the en-
trance to see that they did not get away.
1t was q case of run the blockade.
Hosting the English colors, young
Meeks had the Sirius headod in and went
by the aoatlng fortress at full speed.
Once inaide the harbor, anchor was
dropped and word passed around among
the crews OF the Imprisoned vessels that
the Sirius was loaded with -four and
provisions, and then came the crush OF
small boats, and before the crew OF the
Sirius had broken cargo the deck was
crowded with half-atarved people ready
to buy potatoes and -four. The vessel
had clean hold inside of two days, $5
o sack being paid for 'spuds" and So a
hundred for -four. On this venture
young Meeks cleaned up between $50 900
and $4,000.
Then came troble in getting away
from Iquque. Balmsceda, while he
had hesltated about firing on the Sirius
because OF her colors, did not purpose
letting the vessel sail out with immuni-
W. On the contrary he sent word to her
commander that he looked upon him
the same as ii he bad carried contra
band OF war into the harbor.
Young Meeke was not to be bluffed,
however. He adopted the tactics of
Midshipmsn Easy, and argued the mat.
ter with BalmRceda's representative.
This was done 30 effectively that at the
end OF about two weeks he Was able to
leave Iquique.
From Iquique Meeks took the vessel
and his barrel Of Peruvian coin to
Callao. Then he dropped anchor and,
with the captain and chosen few, went
went up to Lima TO see the sights and
have good time. 1t was revel. Wine
flowed like water, so to speak, and there
adventure No. 2, which came near ter
minsting seriously for the young man
and his com paniona, occurred.
While at Lima Meek net the daughter
OF the vice-preedent and fell deeply in
love with her. The young lady, it ap-
pears. reciprocated his affection. bat
her iather objected and Meeke and hia
companions were ordered to leave town.
This the daring young man was not dis.
posed to do. By the use OF money he
got word to the lady and an elopement
was planned. 1t was nearly successful,
but at tho eleventh hour the watchful
father got word OF the affair and
laid plans TOR the capture and
slaughter of this Englishman. His gold.
however, had made him iriends among
the presidents suite, and he learned
of the plans to capture him in time to
escape. This he did between dark and
dawn.
In escaping from the jurisdiction OF
the irate father young Meeks did not
ovarlook chopaa IN N, Ha nona p,opau