The San Francisco call., 1896-05-05
Expected Changes in the Ship.
Owners Association Have
Been Made.
SECRETARY wALTHEw oUsTED
Lieutenant.Commander Sturdy of the
Cruiser Olympia Suspended
for Two Years.

place. and Secretary George Walthew,
Shipping Master A. G. Way and Assistant
Shipping Master George Murphy are out
in the cold.
Walthew lays the blame for his dismis-
sal at the door of the Pilots Association,
but those who know the inside facts say
that all three men lost their heads because
they were constantly antagonizing the
sailors and ship captains. Be that as it
may, ali three are gone, and it is said that
Charles E. Naylor of Alameda will succeed
Walthew on the first of next month, and
Captain John Sage and John Cain have al
ready taken the places of Way and Muir
ply. Walthew was very active in the
movement started to reduce pilotage and
he says he will still continue his agitation
as member of the committee on COM
merce appointed by the Cham Der of Com
merce unless he is dismissed from that
committee.
The United States cruiser Philadelphia
arrived from San Diego, via Monterey,
yesterday. The run up from the seaside
resort was made in ten hours. Admiral
Beardslee has been q very sick man, but
is now on the high road to recovery. The
Philadelphia viii 90 to Mare Island for an
oyerhauling and while she is there some
of her officers will serve as a trial board in
the battle-shlp Oregon.
News comes from the Asiatic squadron
that Lieutenant-Commander Edward W.
Sturdy of the cruiser Olympia has been
court-martialed and suspended for two
years and also ordered to lose ten numbers
in his grade. The Navy Department pro-
fesses to be ignorant of the matter, but it
is confidently stated that full information
of all the causes that led up to the court
martial arrived here IN black and white on
Washington. Lieutenant Commander
Sturdy is well known in San Francisco.
He has been here several times and last
year was navigating officer OF the Balti-
more. The next steamer from China will
probably bring full particulars of the
trouble.
The new steam-launch for the light
house service at Goat Island is now in
commission, and the children of Keeper
Lennie come and go in it every night and
morning. Before the new launch was built
the youngsters, in order to get to school,
had to row themselves over in a small
boat, and when the tide was against them
it was long pull. frequently they
would have to head up the bay as far as
the Mail dock in order to overcome the set
OF the tide that might otherwise carry
them down as far as Alcatraz.
Some years ago the Lighthouse Board
had q launch called the Perriwinkle,
and in it the children came to school.
One night the little craft mysterlously dis
appeared, and from that day to this it
has never been seen. The general impress
sion is that it was stolen, and after being
altered and repainted was put into COM
mission again somewhere along the coast.
Work on the Blairmore progressed
slowly yesterday. The broken tops have
all been cut away from the masts, but it
will take long time to remove the stand
I'M ~ riT1c ao hn6
plish this Job and the masts are removed
Wrecker Whitelaw THINKS it will not take
long to raise the hull.
The Merchants drydock was moved
from Spear street to Little Main street
yesterday by the tug Sea Witch. 1t did
not take long to get the unwieldy affair
into position, and to-day it will be ready
to take on ships again.
The tug Reliance has her old propeller
on again and will go into commission to-
day. The new patent auger-shaped pro-
peller that was fitted on her proved to be
failure, so John ID. Spreckels ordered it
removed and the old one replaced.
Bill Waffels, the old-time boatman, had
narrow escape yesterday. He took
boatload OF provisions out to the cruiser
Philadelphia. While alongside the man
of-war some one threw an empty beef
barrel out through a chute. 1t knocked
Waffels overheard, smashed one of his
oars, broke OF two of the rowlocks and
started two of the planks in the boat.
The provisions were got out in hurry
and Bills boat was patched up, and he
finally reached the wharf again. No one
offered to pay the old man for the damage
to his boat.
Trade with the Amoor River is growing
and more vessels have sailed from here for
Russian territory than ever before in the
history of the port. The wilma is now
loading at Mission-street wharf and she
will take away 100 tons of flour, besides a
large consignment of salt and beef in
barrels.
The owners of the schooner Chetco now
think they will be able to save the vessel.
The crew arrived here yesterday, and as
the result of their report the managing
owner has decided to float her off, load her
with lumber and tow her to San Fran
cisco. The Chetco was on her way up the
coast when she ran on sunken rock, and
in order to save the vessel Captain Olstin
beached her near Crescent City. As soon
as she is patched up and loaded the steam
schooner Cleone will bring her down.
The British ship Ross-shire, that left
here about two months ago with a cargo
of wheat, was on fire in Sydney harboI
yesterday. The fire was put out, but the
extent of the damage has not vet been
ascertained.
Consul Merry of Nicaragua has received
word that the port of Corinto is now open
for shipping. Some time ago it was in the
hands of the rebels, and no steamers oil
sailing craft were allowed to enter. In
consequence an immense quantity OF
freight accumulated at Panama, and the
opening of the port will be joyful news tc
the Pacific Mail Company.