The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1896-09-18
An Hawaiian Helped Build and
Launch it.
STORY BY CONSUL J. 6. SWAN
The Building of the North West America"
Wonderment and Rejoicing Origin of the
Chinook Language = The Undertaking by
Captain Meares Was a Great Success.

In 1888 Capt John Meares, lieuten-
ant of the royal navy in command of
an expedition from China to the north
| west coast of North America. sailed
from Canton on the 22d day of Jan
uary, with two vessels, the Felia of
230 tons, commanded by Capt. Meares,
and the Iphigenia of 200 tons, in COM
mand of Capt, Douglas, who had been
with Capt. Meares in a former voyage
of the ship Nootka, as first officer. The
vessels were bound to Nootka, on the
west coast of Vancouver island, B. c.,
to esta blish a trading post.
The crew of the F'elia was composed
of English sailors and Chinese carpen-
ters and smiths, as well as European
artisans, and numbered fifty men. The
Iphigenia had crew composed of the
same necessary and useful classes of
people, and numbered forty men. They
had also as passengers Tianna, prince
of Hawaii, and a native of NOotka
King Georges Sound named Comeka-
la, both of whom had been taken to
China by other vessels, and Capt
Meares was now returning them to
their native lands.
The head carpenter of the Felia was
a young man of much professional
skill who had served his time in Lon
don. By direction of Capt Meares he
made the model and got out the moulds
all complete for vessel of fifty tons to
be built Immediately on the arrival of
the Felia at NoOtka, to be used as
tender to collect. furs and to trade on
the coast. The Chinese carpenters had
not the least idea of our mode of naval
architecture, but they were skillful
workmen and willing to do as they
were directed.
The ship had long and tempestu-
Gus passage from China, and finally
arrived in Friendly cove, on the west
coast of Vancouver island, on Tuesday,
May Is, 1888. Much to the joy of Co
mekela, who was brother of Maquilla,
the chief of King Georges sound, and
his relative Calhoun, who stood next
in rank. Wicananish was powerful
prince of a tribe to the southwark,
and resided at Clyoquot.
The carpenters were sent into the
woods to cut timber for the frame of
the new vessel, and on the 4th of June,
1888, the keel was laid, and all hands
eyinced the greatest interest. The yes
sci was finished and launched on Sat
urday, the Goth of September, 1888, and
the event is thus described by Meares
in the following graphic manner:
''On the goth at noon an event to
which we had so long looked with
anxious expectation and had been the
fruit of so much care and labor, was
e., ho
was then waiting to quit the stocks,
and to give all due honor to such an
important scene, we adopted as far as
was in our power the ceremony of
other dockyards As soon as the tide
was at it's proper height the English
ensign was displayed on shore at the
house and on board the new vessel,
which at the proper moment was
named the North West America, as be-
ing the first bottom ever built and
launched on this side of the globe.
ct was a moment of much eXpec
tation. The circumstances of our sit
uation made us look to it with more
than common hope. MaQuilla, Cali
cum and a large body of their people
who had received information of the
launch, were come to behold 1t. The
Chinese carpenters did not very well
ness in which they themselves had been
so much and so materially concerned.
Nor shall we forget to mention the
chief of the Sandwich Islands, whose
every power was absorbed in the bust
ness that approached and who had de-
termined to be on board the vessel
when she glided into the water. The
presence of the Indians ought also to
be considered when we are describing
the attendant ceremonies Of this i'm
portant event, which from the labor
that produced it, the scene that sur
rounded it, the spectators that beheld
it and the commercial advantages as
well as eivilizing ideas connected with
it. will attach some little consequences
to it's proceeding in the mind Of the
philosopher, as well as in the views of
the politician.
but our suspense was not of long
duration. On the firing of a gun, the
vessel started from the ways like a
shot Indeed she went off with so
much velocity that she had nearly
made her way out of the harbor, for
to this business, we had forgotten to
place an anchor and cable on board
to bring her up. which is the usual
practice on these occasions. The
boats, however, soon towed her to her
intended station, and in short time
the North West America was anchored
close to the Felia and Iphigenia.
''Tianna, who was on board the yes
sci at the time of her being launched,
not only saw, but may be said to have
felt, the operation as if it had been the
work of enchantment. and could only
express his establishment by capering
about, clapping his hands and exclaim-
ing 'Maikai! Maikair good, handsome
beautiful a word the most expressive
in the language of the Sandwich ISL
ands, to convey wonder, appreciation
and delight The Chinese carpenters