The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-04-30

| lucky craft, and she sails and sails where
winds are always fair, and where surf
beaten leeshore never looms menacingly
near. Green old age comes gently down
on her and her s.ill-sound frame rests in
peace along some ripple-lapped beach.
In other cases an uncanny and unseen
passenger boards the vessel ere her launch
ing, and an ever-presenJ fatality follows
her wandering. Untoward gales bump her
through the seas, and the wake she makes
in her distressful wallowings through an
angry ocean is strewn with her own wreck
age. There comes day when she sails
away and is seen no more, and fear
stricken mariners on other ships tell of a
pallid specter craft they have seen driving
alec before the bowling storm.
Even in a man-of-war, which is popu-
larly supposed to be proof against the
uncanny influences of a darker day, a
darker sea, when and where mischievous
Ariels and marine demons haraSsed the
luckless craft. this freak of fate is mani
fest. The old United States frigate Chesa-
peake was launched under gloomy auspices
and her maiden cruise demonstrated how
unfavorable were the stars that shone at
her birth. Coming into harbor she lost a
topsail yard with all the men that were
furling the sail. She was finally captured
by the British warship Shannon, notwith-
standing lying Lawrence, her commander,
plaintively cried Don't give up the ship"
No less than five Bostons have met disas-
ter, and the present cruiser of that name
lost large number of her crew at Mare
Island several years ago at an explosion in
the magazine.
Several Washingtons have sailed into
unlucky waters, and there is disposition
70 civ nth n INIT hat
honored title. The war vessel Trent sailed
from Panama years ago and disappeared
from the ocean, leaving not a floating waif
to tell the tale. She was an unluoky ship,
and her end was strangely in keeping with
her life. The overhauling by a United
States vessel of British steamer of the
same name bearing Confederate commits
sioners came near bringing the war dogs
of John Bull barking over the sea.
But the most singular and newest case is
that of the cruiser Olympia. Instead of
the proverbial ''little cherub" there seems
to be pronounced and large-sized hoodoo
''sitting up aloft" in her fighting top. Her
first cruise was short one, but three
deaths and the manning of one of her off,
GERS have occurred in connection with her
name.
Naval Constructor G. w. Street, U. s. N,
came from the East to superintend the
building of the Olympia, and died soon
after arriving here. While the vessel was
being docked at Mare Island a few months
ago, Naval Constructor s. w. Armstead
was struck in the face by the end of
broken hawser and instantly killed. John
Johnson, gun captain, was killed at San
Diego on the oath inst. by the recoil and
dismounting of five-inch rifle, while at
target practice. Ensign George Madison
was struck by the flying end of an I'M
shackled cable while anchoring the vessel
at Sausalito last Sunday and his leg torn
off.
spirit of unrest and dissatisfaction ap-
pears to have taken possession of the crew
and they are clamoring in the public
prints. complaining that they are INSULT
GENTLY fed, and that their general privilege
ashore with their own money has been
Ger. The executive, Lieutenant-C Com
mander Sturdy, emphatically contradicts
the charges of his men, ana ceurteously
invites all visiting newspaper representa-
| tives to question the crew regarding the
matter.
Gentlemen" said the affable officer to
several reporters, ''the White SLAYER as
they call her, is yours. The new terror of
the seas is at your command, unlucky and
! fated as she is. Don't believe anything I
| say, but go forward and examine the
men one by one and give us all fair
| play. Make them talk; free speech is not
denied to sn Olympian sailor, though it is
| to the officer. He knows the press carries
| too many guns for him, and the golden
prize of silence is the only thing he may
hope for"
The newspaper men ayailed themselves