The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-10-01

-: -. =: =,
q Coast Chart a Hundred
81. :. !. Years Old. .:=:....
What May Result: From the Inquiry.
{. Into the Grounding of the =
-: II. r. Adams-Busy Times. = !: /:

-.
:: VALLEJo, : Sept.::3 1s94.-The: United
.States ships Yorktown and Alert bave-arrIved
at the navy-yard during the; past week from
the Bering Sea. and within the next few days
the Mohican, Ranger: Albatross and other are
expected; TO arrive: Each vessel VIII require
more or less repairs, and: TO do ibis a larger
force OF, mechanics will have to:be taken ON In
tbe~various departments. :,
:. The ships that: are already here are Ia re-
:markably fine condition: Torelurn as theydo
with comparatively. little damage is worthy. of
commendation aud reflects much credit on the
officers OF the American navy. No person that
has never: been North has the slightest idea of
the great amount of skill required, especially
In the Berlng Sea; to avoid disaster. =: ::
-*One result of the inquiry into thefcause of the
grounding of the Adams, now going on at the
: navy:yard.~will undoubtedly be the securing OF
an appropriationfor buoysahd lighthouses on
the Alaskan coast: =. :;
:. The Navy Department.: 1t is said. ought: to
have anew chart and soundings made along
the coast ana around the islands. Practically
the onlv chart in use. ar this time is .one made
by. Navigator Boring more than hundred years
ago. The currents have changed such an
extent that one cannorrely on them from day
to day. AN officer. who returned from there a
short time since said that the cure nts. for in
stance. between ST. Georges and st. Paups
ISLANDS are such that one day he found them
running three knots due east; the following
day in the same spot and same hour running a
four-knot speed due west. and the nextd day the
current was SHIFTED due south at n mile-knot
speed. The fogs are so dense that at times the
for castle OF ship cannot be Sc from the
poop deck. Ii Is relat that some years ago
Captain Healey OF the revenue cutter CorwIn..
who had been up in the Bering Sea scores of
times cruised about for days and days in the
endeavor 10 find the island of ST. Paul. and yet
he felt sure II must be near as the barking of
the seals could be heard. but the fogs were
so thick that nothing could be observed. All of
a sudden 1t lifted and looming right up before
him was the great mountain OF rocks. Ii was
providential. be backed astern and the danger
was averted.
1t was something like the above. though the
fog did not rise TO allow the officers of the
Adams to see the hidden dangers. The lead
was being continually cas-, but as the reefs are
bold and precipitous nothing was known until
the ships bottom struck. Ev ry one on board
behaved in asplendid manner. and from pres.
ent appearances, as far as the court oil inquiry
has reached, it looks as though only an act of
providence could have prevented The Adams
from grounding.
In front OF the naval hospital OF the navy
yard Is little old brass cannon OF Russian
manufacture presented to Captain Franklin at
the time OF the purchase OF Alaska, brought to
Mare Island and Kept as an ornament 1t was
cast at ST. Petersburg and made over 100 years
ago. 1t Is quite study In comparison TO the
large guns In our present cruisers.
The usual large forces of men are busIly en-
gagged on the Boston, Philadelphia, Benning-
ton and other ships The u W electric light
plant being placed In the Boston is Of the latest
design and shows what strides the science OF
electricity has made during the past eight
years or so. At that time the Boston was fitted
with what then was considered the very best
electric-light plant. 1t has all been removed
from the ship and will be classed as obsolete.
The of1cers at the yard speak In the highest
terms OF praise OF the manner In which the
electricians are performing their work on the
ships at the island. aud Ii Is OF such different
Class OF work than the men have heretofore
been accustomed TO that The commentator is
well merited.
An officer recently from the East, who is well
up IN electrical matters, expressed himself as
being more than pleased with the work be
found being done on the ships here and pre-
tn workmen. He did not hesitate to pro
nounce them as general rule much more
emclent and attentive TO duty than In he Ea ST.
he attributes IL partially 10 the fact that there
Is but one hayward on the coast, and but Sa1
francisco TO go to 10 s elk employment In the
classes OF work usually done at Mare Island
hence they take more pains 30 hold their posi-
lions and 10 please the officers In charge OF the
different departments.
Ii In also deemed that 1t Is an urgent neces
sity mat another drydock be built, and strong
Inducements viii be presented to Congress al
It's next session TO bring about the building OF !
new one.
Wednesday evening next the officers OF the
bennington Will give hop In The sail-lo In
vltatioDs are out aud il Is expected 10 be one o.
the most swell affairs Of The season.
Inc wife of Medical Director John NJ
Browne, U. 5. N, on The retired list, who was
taken quite LII In The City Of Mexico while on
visit ~ her brother, Daniel Turner. agent TO-