The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-07-06
ALL THE CREW RESCUED,
Captain Nielsen and His Men
Reach Land in Open
Boats.
BURNING COAL IN THE HOLD.
An Explosion of Gas Causes the
Ships Destruction After the
Flames Are Under Control.

SAN DIEGO, CAL, July 5.-The fate of
the Norwegian ship Field has been settled
at last. 1t burned at sea and the crew of
twenty-six men escaped in boats, and after
drifting at the mercy of the wind and
wave for fourteen days, were picked up by
the ship Centaur, bound for the United
Kingdom.
The news was brought by the British
ship Marion Frazer, Captain Wall, which
arrived to-day from Newcastle, Australia,
after passage of eighty days. Captain
Wall reports fine passage as far as Pit
cairn Island, making the distance, which is
almost three-fourths of the voyage to San
Diego, in only twenty-seyen days. From
that time on his run was tedious, with
continuous light, contrary winds. When
at point about twelve miles off Pitcairn
Island, and almost past, Captain Wallis
attention was called to signaling from
three boats approaching from the shore.
He brought his ship around and awaited
the approach of the occupants, who proved
to be islanders and who brought forty-three
letters from survivors of the Field, di-
rected to relatives. From the islanders
Captain Wall learned the story of the loss
of the Field and the escape of the crew.
The Field, loaded with coal from
Grimsby for San Diego, was sighted Janu-
airy 10 off Cape Horn. AS she approached
the equator fire was discovered in the hold
and gallant attempt was made by Cap
tain Nielsen and the men to save the ship.
There was one passenger on board, and he
also did shift of work. Every ventilating
hole and all the matches were battened
down and completely closed, and the fire
at one time was thought to have been
mastered and smothered.
On March a tremendous explosion of
gas occurred, blowing the matches open
and giving the coal plenty of air for COM
bustion. Then it was seen that there was
no chance of saving the ship, and prepare
tons were made to abandon her. Captain
Nielsen directed the operations of lower
ing and slowing the three boats, and, after
thorough preparations, they were showed
off and the ship left to its fate. She drifted
about, and was last seen, on March 30, in
latitude 10 south, longitude 113 west.
At that time her masts were down
and her deck warped out of shape, and
she presented every sign of speedy separa-
ton and sinking.
There were good sails in the boat taken
by the Fields crew, and they fortunately
had time to load the boats well with pro-
visions and water. They took advantage
OF the steady southwest trade winds and
sailed almost due north. 1t was evidently
the intention of Captain Nelson
to keep in the track of the Aus
tralian and coastwise vessels rather
than make for land. His nearest
land was Pitcairns, 800 miles or so to the
southwest. Fortunate no storms were
encountered by the frail craft, and after
drifting in the open sea for fourteen days
they sighted the British ship Centaur,
Captain Isbester, from San Francisco for
the United Kingdom. They signaled the
ship and it bore down upon them and took
them on board.
The Centaur made for Pitcairn Islands,
as Captain Isbester had fears that his food
supply would not be sufficient for the in
creased demands. No food was found
there, however, with the exception of
fruits, and after leaving letters and a short
note or two in the logbook kept by the
islanders for that purpose, the ship pro-
ceeded. Captain Isbester told the island
ers that he had food sufficient for $50 days
on board.
The crew of the Field was in the best of
health at last accounts, and duly thankful
for their escape. The Centaur is now due
to arrive in one of the British ports.
The Field, though flying the Norwegian
flag, was built in Glasgow, and was first
class iron three-masted ship. Her master,
Captain Nelson, was an experienced navi
gator, and it is no doubt due to his GOODNESS
and judgment that the crew was saved.
The Field was in this port in 1898 and re-
turned to the United Kingdom with
cargo of grain. Its cargo on the last voy-
age was consigned to the Spreckels Bros.
Commercial Company.