The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1895-10-16
HARBOR NEWS.
Arrival of the Ship W. II. Como I
From Japan


From Japan
After $50 Days Passage-Light Winds
Mostly Till Off This Coast-Talk With
Capt. Pendleton About Japan--OtIier
Water Front Items.
At about II a. m. yesterday, the ship
William II. Conner was sighted off this
port and at about p. m. was towed in
to the harbor by the tug Belknap, which
had been waiting for her outside all
night.
The Conner is big, handsome black
ship of 1900 tons burden. She has been
expected at this port for some time. from
Japan with cargo of rags for the paper
mill at Westbrook. She was signalled OIL
Cape Cod few days ago, but was
delayed in her arrival here by the bad
weather.
By the time she was ready to ancnor
the fire boat with the health officers, Drs
Merrill and Cummings, and the news
paper men aboard, arrived alongside
There was some little expectation on the
mart of the doctors that this ship might
have come from an infected port, since
cholera had broken out in Japan during
the past summer.
They went aboard first, of course, and
nobody else was allowed to do SO until
they were satisfied that the ship brought
no inspector with her from the Orient
Captain Pendleton said that after leaving
Hiogo, the ship left the port of Kobi. At
neither of these places was there any
cholera or yellow fever, although there
was cholera within few hundred miles.
They left Kobi, May sth, when the war
was in progress with China and one of
the first questions that Captain Pendleton
asked was whether that war had ended
yet
1t seemed curious that he should have
come straight from China and didn't
know that but of course there was no way
for him to know, for since May 8th, a
period Of one hundred and sixty days he
has been on the ocean. They had storms
after leaving Japan and it was rough off
the Cap of Good Hope with splitting snow
and cold.
Across the Atlantic it was beautiful
weather, but very tedious for sailing
vessel. because of light winds. This
caused the long passage of one hundred
and sixty days, but that wasn't long
enough to cause any anxiety. On such
y %I,-% Sc 10 hn
anxious after two hundred days.
| When they passed the Bermudas,
Captain Pendleton said that they en-
countered north and northeast gales
which continued for twelve days. While
beating against these head winds they
met a good many schooners going south
and southwest, and just flying before the
gale.
The ship brings to this port $500 bales
of rags for S. D. Warren & Co., and has
besides q quantity Of curious Japanese
paper, etc., for New York.
Captain Pendleton said that while at
Kobi, the transports were continually
bringing the Japanese soldiers back from
China AS soon as these transp orts
arrived off the coast, all the furnishings
and fittings would be taken ashore and
burned. The Japanese were very much
afraid of cholera and small pox from
China. A physician told the captain
that there was no doubt that in time
cholera would surely come there. The
doctors found that the ship had clean
bill of health and that the crew of
eighteen men were all healthy. Two of
the crew were Japanese, shipped out
there on this voyage. They were able
seamen, and understood the ropes of a
full rugged ship. It has been seven Or
eight years since the Japanese govern
ment prohibited the building Of the
Japanese junks. These progressive people
now have sailing vessels like the civilized
nations and they are fast taking from the
foreigners the official positions on board
the many steamers that they purchase
from England.
Captain Pend1eton said he thought that
very soon all their steamers would be
differed by the Japanese He thought
that in a few years the Japanese would
have line of steamships to Japan.
Captain Pendleton's wife was with
him. She has accompanied him on all
his voyages since they were married, a
period of six or seven years.
At meeting of the Floating Society of
Christian Endeavor, held at the house of
Mrs Abby Leavitt on Green street, Mon
day evening, the subject of the floating
1iberaries founded for the Sai1orc ahoa nd
ship was considered. Mr. E. p. Pickett
said that Captain Hutton of the
Sarmiento, on his last voyage to Turks
Island, left his ships library at that place
where it was very much appreciated.
The schooner Clara Randall brought
within few days, to this port one of
these libraries that she had carried for a
year. 1t was returned to the society
The ferry boat Elizabeth City was
taken off the route to be placed in order
for the winter service She will return