The San Francisco call., 1897-01-23
NEARLY LAY ON
MUDDY BOTTOM
Narrow Escape of the
Coal Laden Ship For
farshire.
She Came Very Close to Re-
reating the Tragic Incident
of the Blairmore.
NV Regulations for Engineers Now
in Effect in Aus.
tralia.

But two hawsers and q quick witted
chief officer stood between the Forfarshire
and the bottom of the bay yesterday. 1t
was almost a repetition OF the Bairmore
incident.
The Forfarshire arrived few days ago
from Sydney, laden with coal, and she
docked at Union street. Before all her
cargo was discharged, the steamer Mono
wal, which arrived here from Australia so
heavily laden with merchandise that she
could not carry coal enough for the round
trip, took what was left in the ships
hold, and the Forfarshire was moved
round beside the Monowai at Pacific
street wharf, and commenced to discharge
what remained OF her cargo into the
steamer direct.
The Monowai wanted about 300 tons,
and by the time that amount was trans
ferred the Forfarshire was floating like a
cork. Then as soon as the tide COM
menced to run it caught her, and she
commenced to heel over.
The men in the hold rushed on deck
aud scrambled over the side on to the
Monowai. The bow and stern lines,
which were of steel, snapped With reports
like pistol, tearing out the bits on the
slowly but steadily settled over OH her
side.
Chief Officer Graham of the Monowai
saw the danger and he at once set all
hands on two big coir hawsers, and, max
ing them fast on the Forfarshire. he taut-
ened them up on the steamers winches.
This stopped her list and she rested until
the tide turned. This was on Thursday
night Yesterday ballast was dumped
irfa ha hnI 70
gained an even keel and grew steady
enough TO resist the sweep of the water
The haWsers were made fast before the
ship was well started over, otherwise
nothing would have held her off the
bottom.
Chief Engineer McKaig of the Monowai
brings news of the fact that the Australian
Government has adopted a new standard
for engineers. They will have to serve
five years in a foundry and will have to
show the certificate of a machinist. Ma
rine engineers will also hive to serve one
year as oiler, one year as third assistant ;
one wear as second assistant and one wear
as first assistant, before they are passed as
chief engineers. The new law holds good
through all Australia.
1t Is understood that the Harbor Com
missioners will soon abolish the positions
of superintendent OF urgent repairs and
assistant superintendent of urgent repairs
The new plan is that Chief Engineer
Holmes shall have charge of ell repair
work.
The following notices have been issued
by the photographic Office:
Oregon and Neutrality-suspicious. River
New dikes and bridges - New survey-Im-
provements by the corps of engineers United
States army, have resulted in the following
additions TO the improvements in the Colum-
bia and Willamette rivers: Two new bridges
across the willamette River from East Port
land to Portland. A dixie from the west bank
of Willamette River, beginning near the
southeast end of Guilds Lake and running to
Swan Island. dixie on the east side of the
river cutting off the bite between Wauus
bluff and Saint John. Two small dikes on the
east side of the river, one-half and one mile
respectively, below Cations Creek. A long
dixie beginning on the east shore opposite
Willamette Slough and running to the upper
end of Three Tree Island shoaL A dixie in the
Columbia River across the head of Oregon
on the west bank of the Columbia River
from Deer Island to Deer Island shoal
A dixie on the shoal beginning opposite La
Du Landing and running to the head of
Walker Island. The dlkes in the vicinity OF
Woody Island channel to contine the water to
this channel. A survey by the corps of en-
gineers, United States army, made in June
1896 shows extensive changes in the hydrog-
and the b1oys marking the channel across the
bar have been shifted accordingly. (See No.
tice to Mariners, Nc. 4S (l074) of 1860 These
changes will next be shown on the next edi-
tions of the Coast Survey charts.
Oregon-siuslaw River entrance-New sur
vey-A survey by the corps of engineers
United States army, in June, 1898, of the en-.
trance 10 Siuslaw River, shows sucn extensive
changes that the present edition of the coast
survey chart is no longer reliable, and vessels
should not enter without local knowledge or a
pilot. The changes will be shown on the next
edition OF the charts.
Washington - Willapa River-New dikes-
Changes in ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS by
the corps OF engineers, United States army.
have resulted in series of dikes in the vi.
cinity OF South Bend, Willapa River, which
have materially Increased the depths and
be shown ON the next editions of the Coast
Survey charts.
Washington -Swinomish Slough-Dredged