The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1895-12-25

The schooner Barbara Hernster, from
San Pedro for Bowens Landing, lost her
flying jib off the Farallones and put in
for a new one, says the Examiner. II
was sent on board and she proceeded on
her way.
The Italian ship Salvatore Ciampi ar
rived from Swansea yesterday in the
smart time of 1873 days. She has beaten
five vessels from the same port which
left before her. The Falls of Alton, now
out 1853 days; Dundonald. 147 days: Vera
jeau, 146 days; City of Madras, las days;
and Glenbank, 1879 days. The voyage of
| the Ciampi was an uneventful one.
There was a narrow escape from fatal
collision between the Vallejo steamer
Monticello and the state tug Governor
Markham yesterday afternoon 1t was
only to the great presence of mind of
Captain Randall that the catastrophe was
averted. AS 1t was both steamers were
considerably damaged. The Monticello
had her guard cut through and her up
per works smashed in, while projecting
piece of timber drove hole foot square
through the bow of the Governor Mark
ham. There was a great cry on the
passenger boat when she was struck and
several of the female passengers tainted.
They soon came to, however, when all
danger was passed.-Call.
The old barkentine Wrestler got in
from Hiogo Japan, yesterday after a
very quick passage of twenty-four days,
says the Chronicle. She brings a cargo
of tea, which will get quick dispatch.
The Wrestler was well known in San
Francisco several years ago. She was
built by W. G. Hall sixteen years ago
and was at first commanded by Captain
Schnaurr, late of the ship John Ena.
Two years ago she went ashore on Van
couver island and the wreck was sold
for $3.50. She was purchased by some
British Columbia capitalists, repaired and
placed under the Nicaraguan flag, and Is
now one of the smartest looking barken-
tines afoat today.
The recent completion of the Kiel canal
has brought all sorts of projects for ship
canals to the fore. A contract has just
been executed for the construction of a
canal to make Brussels accessible to Ves-
sells of 1000 tons. The project has been
under discussion for more than four CEN
turies 1t is now likely to be realized
There is at present waterway for ocean
junction of the Ruppel, near Willebroeck,
from whence a canal already permits ves-
sells of 800 tons to proceed to Brussels.
1t is proposed to widen this canal, the
length of which is nineteen miles, and to
construct a new harbor between Brussels
and Lacken. At the end of ninety years
the canal is to become state property. The
cost is estimated at f1,4OO,O0O, to be divided
between Brussels, the state, the suburbs,
and provinces, in proportion to the inter-
ests NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Register.
The little refinery at Vancouver, says
the Commercial News, is laying in good
supplies direct from Java. Recently, the
John Gamble arrived with cargo of 1,5OO
tons, the first direct importation since
last July The Inch Keith Is now 81 days
out on a similar voyage. and the Cum
berdoon has just been chartered TO fol-
low for account of next year. The voy-
age between Java and Vancouver Is
long one, and is always attended with
more danger than on some other routes,
owing to the frequency of severe stoNms
off the coasts of India and China. Since
the establishment of the refinery at Van
couver a few years ago, at least two car
goes of sugar destined for that plant have
sweetened the waters of the ocean. The
wonder has been expressed that the re-
finery at that point did not go to the Ha-
waiian islands or Central America for its
supplies 1t is said that Seattle Is try
ing to establish a refinery to take Ha-
waiian sugar.
Mail ad .ces from Port Townsend state
that on the 18th inst the British bark
Kilmory, 42 days from Acapulco, arrived
with the second officer and six men down
with the Mexican fever. The voyage
was full of suffering and danger, and az
times there were only two men in eacl
watch able TO stand duty, the captaii
himself several times being compelled tC
go aloft to furl sails, with two-thirds OF
the crew incapacitated from duty and In
the midst OF "a violent storm. The bark
ran wild before the southerly gales and
at times became almost unmanageaDle.
Northwest of the Columbia river the YES
sci ran into a dense snowstorm. Those
of the crew who were not confined U
their hunks, though weak and partially
disabled, experienced frightful sunerings
that the Kilmory might be navigated
safely to port Down In the straits the
weather again became bitter cold, and the
Grey " ere unable to manage the ship and
she drifted to within few hundred yards
of the rocks on Vancouver island and
anchored. Fortunately the wind changed
and the tug Boyden came along anu
towed her to port.
IT'S all nonsense talking about ships OF
the enemy coming up the river and at
lacking the city. An attack from that
direction could be prevented in "a hours
by sinking scows, loaded with rock or
coal, In the channel, and no vessels for
midable enough to be menace to the
city could pass such an obstacle. Even
with the highest stage OF water, the chan
mel could be so blocked that 1t would be
practically impossible. The risk, too, OF
sending powerful vessels up such tor
tuous and uncertain channel in time OF
war would not warrant an enemy In max
Ing such a move, for mines could be laid
and the channel fortified with torpedoes,
so that no hostile ship would hardly
risk the trip on the other hand. If any
powerful ship did succeed in getting up
here, she could be cooped in the river and
rendered practically useless for the future
by sinking some hulk in the stream at a
point below."-Oregonian
But where Is the necessity Of sinking
hulk in the stream? II any foreign
men-of-wer start to get up the river to
Portland. there win be no need TO sink
Obstrbctions or use guns. The '25-foot
channel" VIII settle the business without
any assistance from the outside.