The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-06-01
THE BRIGHT SIDE.
There Is Still Hope for
the Senegal.
BLOWN OUT OF HER COURSE
Sand Ballast That Has Caused
Discussion.
MANY THEORIES BY SEAMEN
ImposSibiIity of the Wreckage Seen
by the Swanmore Being From
the Missing Ship.

Marine insurance men have had their
say about the overdue British ship Sene-
gal. and every proof of her having met
with misfortune has been advanced, az
gued aud set aside or accepted as conclu-
sive after many discussions pro and con
of the total loss" theory.
When the Senegal was so far overdue
that the preponderance of testimony from
persons we'll versed in nautical lore was
such as to Justify its publication, an article
was printed exclusively in THE CALL
bringing atten ton to the big ship.
Since the appearance of the article in
question all manner of stories. absurd and
otherwise. have come into circulation
Mate Naylor of the ship Swsnmore tried
to establish some connection between a
piece of floating wrsckage and the missing
vessel, explaining that the bit of fotsam
was the after part of a ship. with
Sanctions painted black" etc. Mr.. Nay
Tor undoub iedly made the statements ac-
credited 10 him inadvertently, but his
words have given rise to a new theory,
Which threw the local marine insurance
men off the right track and nearly caused
one gentleman to cable a wrong impress
sion 10 London.
Before proceeding to speculate further
on the whereabouts of the Senegal il is
only justice TO the public to state that sea-
farng men look upon the story of tue
wTeckage sighted by the Swanmore being
the remains of the ship as ridiculous. Il
might just as well be said that an iron
mast will float. The Senegal is an iron
ship from trucks TO keel. II is not neces-
sary to say more.
Dispensing for a short while with an
omnuuS outlook and giving the pOssibili-
ties of the safety of the Senegal some con-
sideratOn it Is found that the chances for
the vessel being eventually brought into
port are fair 1t is not a very easy matter
10 lose flrSt-caSS iron ship, and as in the
case Of the SOmali the Senegal is likely to
| have been blown far out of her course
Being ballasted with sand and compare
lively light her opportunities for working
north against a stiff northwest blow were
greatly decreased.
The Somall was practically given up as
| lost, but came into port none the worse for
1 her long journey. Fears were entertained
! for the DFumblair, but trailing weeds had
! detained her. otherwise she was as sound
! on arrival here as when she left the docks
! a Liverpool! A NUMBER of other in stanc- s
! might be cited where a dozen ships have
! been as many days overdue as the Senegal.
! Should the Senegal have experienced
/ adverse winds, light as she was and with
| a tendency 10 drift, it is more than pro a-
bic that she was blown steadily off shore.
/ losing several hundred miles each week
on the course originally mapped out by her
commander.
The most plaus BILE theory Of the present
position OF the vessel is that she is about
4 1900 miles in northwesterIy direction
from Tacoma, having been driven there
IN working north from Sau Francisco, after
leaving San Diego, by head winds and an
on-Shore current, In the event of the