The San Francisco call., 1896-01-22
The WATER FRONT,
The Officers of the Steamer Coptic
Blew Up a Derelict at
Sea.
TROUBLE ON THE MNEAR.
Louis Williams Lost Over board From
the Schooner James A.
Garfield.
TROUBLE ON THE M'NEAR.

The Occidental and Oriental steamship
Company's steamer Coptic arrived from
Hongkong via Yokohama and Honolulu
day ahead of time. She made the run from
the Hawaiian Kingdom to this port in
days IL hours, beating the best previous
record. At Honolulu 1850 tons of cargo, $50
Chinese and 270 Japanese were discharged
in fifteen hours and the steamer was ready
to sail six hours before her advertised time
The Coptic only brought 80 cabin pas
sengers and IS Chinese and Japanese for
San Francisco. Among the former was ].
Remusat, an attache of the French con-
sulate at Shanghai.
About the only excitement of the run of
the Coptic from Hongkong was the blow
ing up OF q derelicI. In the China Sea the
hulk was sighted, and the captain of the
ocean liner thought it dangerous. a boat
was called away. and when the steamer
had come to stop Chief Officer Sealby
was instructed to go and blow up the
derelict. On closer examination it was
found to be the remains of a three-masted
wooden ship, but there was nothing to
show its name or nationality. A charge
OF dynamite was lowered into the hold,
train was laid by the men, and when
Officer Sealbv fired it everybody pulled for
their lives. A few seconds later there was
a dull explosion, small fountain of water
sprang into the air, and when it subsidized
the dereict was gone.
The bark McNear, which arrived from
Departure Bay yesterday, had a lively
time of it outside, and her owners are go
ing TO have an equally interesting time in
port. From Pu ct Sound it took the YES
sci thirty-four days to get to San Fran
cisco, and during that time she has been
in almost every storm that has ragged
ainnp the since Ia Sf DoPnpo hpr ho
was driven back again and again, and had
1t not been for Captain Peterson the men
would have taken command and run the
vessel back to Port Townsend.
Now that the bark is safely in port there
is liable to be some litigation as to who
will control her. G. H. Thompson is the
managing owner. but Captain Peterson
holds the controlling interest. The former
has chartered the vessel to r. D. Chandler
10 carry coal from Vancouver Island
while Peterson has agreed with Seattle
parties to take load of lum Der to Aus
tralia. Thompson SAYS he has befrlended
Peterson, ana the latter says Thompson
not only wants to run the ship but the
master as well. In the meantime the Nc
Near will discharge her cargo and the
question of the charter will be settled in
court.
The British bark Sharpshooter, which
was wrecked in the Gulf of California and
lONSu ltIS Uf Gu0 LUS I6dIieSS, WAS SOIQ
at public auction Yesterday by the United
States Marshal. Bidding was lively and
finally the hull was knocked down to j.
Johnson for $2260. 1t is understood that
the purchase was for A. P. Lorentzen &
Co., and that the Sharpshooter will be re-
fitted and put in the Hawaiian trade.
The schooner James A. Garfield from
Grays Harbor lost a man overheard during
the gale that proved SO disastrous to the
steamer Noyo. 1t was in latitude 40 deg.
10 min. north, longitude 125 deg. Is min.
west, and heavy sea swept over the ves-
sci and carried Louis Williams overload.
An attempt was made TO lower boat, out
1t was smashed into small pieces against
the schooner's side.
The cabin passengers by the steamer
Coptic were:
P. NJ. Blanchard, Dr. T. H. Clark, Mrs G. NJ.
HaileE, H;I, bishop bishop A; E. Medicott, J: Remusat,
Miss Daniels, ]. S. Hays, Mr.. O'Brien, B.
Rosenthal, George B, Swayne, C. D. Weldon,
Miss Belle Garter, Miss Chatfey. Mrs F. Kalp-
Ter, j Vocklander, Rev; G. Brathw wart, Z.
Edison, NJ. H. R. Harris, J. J. Oswald w H
Shearer, DR.. w. P. Turner Mrs. n. W. Utley
child and infant, Mrs. Fauhurst, Mrs. Loisette
The steamer Czarina has put into Rio de
Janeiro with her machinery out of order.
She was purchased by the John d.
Spreckels Bros. Company to carry coal
from Marshheld and was on her way here
from Pensacola, Fla.
Owing to the delay in getting papers
and the risk of seizure on their return to
port nearly all the American sealers will
go out under the British flag this season.
Among those now fitting out and which
will fly the Union Jack are the schooners
Emma & Louise, Lily L and Edward E.
Webster. Their owners say that they are
not going to risk seizure on their return to
port and be put in the same box as the
Bowhead and Sophie Sutherland.