The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1895-09-19
BELGIC ON THE BEACH.
Second Officer George Beckman is
Drowned.

| ala EpeClal CdOIe rom 1 OkOnama
says: The steamer Belgic of the
Occidental and Oriental Steamship
Company, bound from San Fran
cisco for this port, went ashore this
morning at Susaka.
SAN Francisco, Sept. 1O.-A dis
patch received by Secretary D. D.
Stubs of the Occidental and ORR
entail Steamship Company yester-
day confirms the earlier telegraphic
report of the accident to the Belgic
now ashore on Kings Point, thirty
five miles from Yokohama.
According TO the latest cable
gram received at the Office of the
company, Second Officer George
Beckman was drowned. All the
passengers were safe at Yokohama
with the mail and specie.
The vessel was rounding the
point, which is a sharp strip of land
running out into the bay, prior to
entering Yokohama harbor. Yes
sells sometimes, but not always,
hug it closely going in, and Cap
tain Walker must have been mis-
led as to his land bearings by the
coast fog, which hangs thickly over
the mouth Of the harbor at this
time of the year.
The first dispatch contained the
news that no lives had been lost
and all had been safely landed.
The company's agents were at the
scene Of the accident and it was
thought that there would be no
great difficulty in getting the
steamer of. She lies easily on the
sand and in no immediate danger,
as it is not believed that any of her
plates have been sprung.
At the Office of the Occidental
and Oriental Steamship Company
there is no apprehension that any
loss will be sustained either to the
vessel or cargo.
"Our agent at Yokohama went
to Kings Point" said Mr.. Stubs
yesterday, "and we do not expect
any word from him till his return
to the city, and there is no wire
from the place where the Belgic is
No doubt a number of
steamers and tugs and even assist
ance from war vessels in the har-
Dor, if needed, are on the ground.
Of course we cannot account for
the accident, as Captain Walker is
an old Japan coast seaman and
must have been on the bridge of
his vessel entering the harbor, as
he was"
Among the steamship people |
along the water front it is believed
the vessel will be foated without |
loss and that the accident will not |
reach the Importance of a disaster. |
The Belgic left this port August |
Oath for the Orient upon her forty |
ninth voyage. She was command
ed by H. w. Walker, who brought |
out the steamer from Liverpool in
November, 1885, and has been in
her ever since.
SAN Francisco, Sept. 11.-Late
last evening D. D. Stubs Of the
Oriental and Occidental steamship
line received a dispatch from the
company's agent at Yokohama
stating that the stranded Belgic
would be foated. The hull was
unipjured, and all the assistance
necessary to get the steamer off the
sandspit upon which she lies was
at hand.
1t is believed the second officer,
George Beckman, lost his life by
falling overheard either from the
high deck of the Belgic or from a
boat alongside Of the vessel while
N the discharge of his duty.
All the treasure, $129,5S5 in
Mexican coin and $69,OO5 in gold
and silver and the mails were safe
y landed at Yokohama.
The Belgic's sailing dates are
Leaves Hongkong September 2Sth,
7 okohama October Sth and arrive
1t San Francisco October 22d, not
calling at Honolulu.
All the officials of the company
leplore the death of Officer Beck
nan, who was an intelligent, brave
md skillful seaman. They think
lis loyalty to what he considered
lis duty caused him to expose
himself to the danger that lost him
lis life.