The San Francisco call., 1896-10-04
HAVE DESERTED
THE L|NL|THGOW
England and the United
States Cannot Rescue
Her.
Neither Has a War Vessel in
the Pacific for the
Purpose.
STATUS OF TWO FLEETS.
Meanwhile the Broken. Down Steamer
With Her Valuable Cargo
Is Drifting.
STATUS OF TWO FLEETS.

The British tramp steamer Linlithgow
is drifting helplessly in the ocean, and
neither the English nor United States
Government has a ship in the Pacific
available for the disabled vessels rescue.
The Iuckless tramp, which left this port
July 81 with a cargo OF wheat bound for
England, broke her shaft and since that
time has been at the mercy of wind and
wave.
The propeller jammed aft hard up
against the rudder-post and hangs in that
position in danger OF going to the bottom
of the ocean. When it does the ship will
begin to make water and may follow the
propeller down below.
BY Captain Petrie's letter, brought from
Acapulco by the San Bias, it was learned
that the Linlithgow was at the writing in
the vicinity Of latitude deg. IL min.
north, longitude 108 deg. q min. west.
He stated that it was impossible to
make any repairs and all they could do
was to keep the water out OF the ship. The
sea was so rough that the crew could not
even secure the propeller hanging under
her counter and could only wait to be
picked up by some rescuing vessel and be
towed either south to Callao or north
ward into some Mexican port. The COM
munication was conveyed from the
ste amer to Acapulco, a distance Of $40
miles, by Chief Officer Yell in a small
boat with FIVE men.
t Upon reaching the port the owners of
the Linlithgow were advised OF her pre-
dicament and the British Government
asked to serd one of the British cruisers
now ir-the Pacific to her rescue.
The request came at an unfortunate
time as the feet on the station is small
and two of the vessels are ashore them
selves-Pheasant near Vancouver and the
Wild Swan near Callao. Consequently
the answer was that there were no British
gunboats available for that purpose. Out
of England's vast feet not vessel for the
rescue of an English ship and crew, and so
the Linlitngow drifts helplessly witn her
two or three thousand tons OF cargo on the
ocean.
Yesterday the San Francisco Chamber
of Commerce telegraphed the following
request to Washington:
To Il. a. Herbert. Secretary of the Nary: British
steamer Linlithgow hence to Europe is broken
down in latitude 8 deg. 13 min. north, longi-
tude los deg 81 min. west. Can you on basis
or humanity and interna tional courtesy send
Government vessel to tow her to Acapulcos
HUGH CRAIG,
President Chamber of Commerce.
The Navy Department answered
promptly as follows:
WASHINGTON, D. c., Oct 3, 1896.
To President Craig, Chamber of Commerce, San
Francisco: Department regrets that no vessel
is available for purpose required.
WILLIAM MCADoo,
Acting Secretary Navy.
So Uncle Sam is short of ships also in
the Pacific. There are number of ves-
sells repairing at Mare Island, and the rest
of the Pacific Coast feet, with the excep-
ton of the Ranger, somewhere in Central
America, and the Adams at Honolulu, are
up north. The Monadnock is at Eureks
attending the fair and the Philadelphia is
at Portland. They are all expected home
soon ior repairs. The Thetis is at the
navy-yard. but she is probably booked for
repairs. The Monterey, which was run
into by Seattle steamer and had Que OF
her plates dented, is undergoing extensive
repairs, The Corwin is in port, but as
revenue cutters do much work and sell
dom need repairs, she might be dispatched
to the relief of the helpless Linlithgow,
drifting in latitude north and longitude
108 west, her propeller threatening to
drop away and her pumps keeping the
vessel clear OF water.