Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-11-10
How a Wreck at Honolulu Proved a
Prize.
HAPPY PHYSI0GRAPHICAL FEATURES
Another Reason Why Hawaii
Should Be Annexed.
PECULIAR A AGES
,ecial Correspondence of The Evening Star.


the strangely pacific character OF this
part Of the ocean, This with you is the
period of ''equinoctiar' storms. We have
none. A few days ago; along your south
ern coast, there prevailed a hurricane of
unusual violence. Here there were only
some gentle oscillations of the barometer,
and slight wind disturbances but not even
as much as marines call a stiff breeze"
and lanGsmen gale" Through it all a
large vessel lay unhurt on a reef Eight
days ago the stranded bark was pulled
safely off, after lying on the coral thirty
six days, from August ~ to October t.
On almost every other exposed coast in
the world she would have pounded her
bilge open in a week, and become a hope
less wreck. The Gainsborough, an iron
bark of 200 tons, loaded with !, 45O tons
OF COAL and making for this port ran
ashore in the night upon the windward
side OF the coral reef. which stretches
out from Diamond Head. five miles east OF
this harbor. There she lay for five weeks
in fourteen feet of water completely ex-
posed to the fullest force of the waves of
whatever amount Of sea was tossing in
these island channels.
There never was sea enough to make
her pound on the rocks as size lay. The
waves broke over her decks more or less
violently. Had any gale arisen. such as
are common in winter months, she would
inevitably have been thoroughly steven
i'll by lifting and pounding. AS 1t was the
parties who had bought the wreck en-
speculation for $1,000, stripped off the
spars and leisureiy took out 300 tons of
coal. She was full of water. but after
on the pumps could lower the water A
donkey engine was put aboard to pump
more coal was thrown overheard. and a
tug finally hauled the vessel off and
hrN, ,rrht l.o,, .,,f1
has been unloaded at wharf and the
bark is about to go upon the marine rail-
way and have all her dents and holes put
In order. She makes handsome prize for
her buyers. At almost any other port In
the world she would have broken up on
the rocks.
Two or three years ago a similar case
was that of the steamship Miowera, which
had been carelessiy stranded on the west
reef of the harbor entrance. where she
laid for six weeks exposed to what in
case of storm would nave become a de-
structive sea. She was safely pulled Off
however leaking but little. owing to
double bottom, the outer skin of which
was badly torn. She went home to G!as-
cow and was thoroughly repaired then
made trip to Norway, and again got on
rock. Once more repaired. she returned
to her old line from Sydney to Vancouver
where she has gain been running for over
year She had another piece of ilI-luck
last winter off the stormy Oregon coast
She fell In with the disabled steamer
Strathmoir. and undertook to tow her
back to Puget sound Pulling against
furious gales the hawsers parted many
times: After a weeks work. when near
the Strait of De Fuca. she lost her tow
again IN the night and storm, too near
shore to make searching safe. Luckily the
Strathmoir drifted to somewhat pro-
tected anchorage and was lowed in the
next day by a passing steamer. The Mo
vera now has new captain. and her ILL
tn ha a1f
Seafarers' Luck.
1t is curious how much belief there is in
luck and ill-luck. This Gainshorough was
the third ship to take cargo of coal from
a newly opened mine at Westport, New
Zealand. Before she was loa led the loss
of the two previous ships was heard from.
In consequence.the under writer's declined to
insure the Gainsborcush as being in an
unlucky trade, and now she has been
wrecked. a total loss To her owners, while
the insurers rejoice in their belief in ILL
luck. That Westport mine lies under sus-
picion of being "hoodooed,'' and will prob
ably have trouble in finding ships 10 carry
it's coal. The coal itself is of very SUI
perior quality. The Gainsborough's cargo
was bound to San Francisco. She sought
to call at Honolulu for needed supplies and
went ashore in fair wind through sheer
carelessness. There was Il good moon,
though clouded. and the bold GiDraItar-Iike
Diamond Head lowered close at hand a
plain warning. light house there has
been considered quite needless, on account
of the bold promontory, and total absence
of fogs. a light is maintained on BARRIERS
Point, fifteen miles west of Honolulu, where
the land is low.
1t may not be quite easy conclusively
to account for the total absence of de-
structive hurricanes in this part of the
ocean but such is the fact. Once per-
haps in four or five years occur here what
may be classed severe gales, but never
such as to involve serious danger to ship
ping. Ships never in danger among
these islands through stress of weather,
unless caught at anchor off a lee shore
through neglect of precauton. Owing TO
numerous abrupt mountain formations such
gales occasionally draw violently around
mountain angles. or through passes, SO as
to produce hurricane effects in very lin
tied. areas. These are very rare, and less
of life seldom occurs from them. Else
where IN the Pacific hurricanes of the
greatest violence are often experienced, as
in the noted hurricane at ADia, where the
harbor. and the Nipsic was barely saved.
Few islands of the South and West Pacific
escape such vlsitations longer than one
generation.
1t is obvious, however that Hawaii is
not only wholly devoid OF hurricanes. but
is far less subject to serious storm Gis-
turbances than are the ocain regions to
the south and west! Japan gets her ty-
kuro-Siwo rushing northward and meet
ing cold currents from the Okhotsk and
Boring seas Cold and warm strata of at
moSphere, in consequence, meet and gu II
rel, and violent temDests naturally epsue,
as they do on your own Atlantic coast. So
again, all through the tropical South Pa
cihc especially to the west, lies much
heated ocean, and consequently a heated
atmosphere prevails. But Only 1000 miles
to the south is an ocean loaded with Ice
bergs. and 500 miles farther an unnroken
continent Of ice. Thus, In near propnquity
lie vast belts of frozen air, and oe r,Grky
tropica! atmosphere. These collide and dis
turb equilibrium. Thus are generated the
terrific hurricanes which so frequently
devastate the South Pacific.
Cool Ocean Region.
Wholly different Is 1t with this ocean
tract around Hawaii. Here is a cool ocean,
and, therefore, cool atmosphere above 1t.
Our ocean waters drift gently down to
us from the vast gold current which skirts
your Pacific coast from Alaska TO Cape st.
Lucas. Sea and air with us are habftually
ten degrees cooler than IL most other
tro pical iatitudes. On the otftr hand, there
is not in our northern vicinity any intense
ly cold region like that antarctic one In
such near propinluity to the southern
tropics. There are no iceBergs in the North
Pacific, and icetioes are found only be-