The Hawaiian gazette., 1897-08-17
CHINA HAS SAILED
Under Extension Of Sea Letter
By the Government
TESTIMONY TAKEN SATURDAY
Col. Macfarlane and Capt.
Seabury Questioned.
Interesting Answers on Owner
ship OF the VesseI-Hearing
Begins To-Day.
From Mondays Daily.)

Who owns the Chins2 II takes very |
little time 10 ask the question II took
less time for Colonel Macfarlane, the
nominal owner. 10 say. Saturday,
that he did He made the same reply |
70 the same question several times last |
week The statement was made by
the officers OF the steamship, on the
ships papers presented al the Custom
House, the Colonel himself made the
statement 10 the Cabinet when they
interviewed him On the subject and
offered 10 allow the China 10 sail under
the provisional sea letter, in order that
her passengers and the freight might
not be delayed He made il again be
fore Judge Perry o. The Circuit Court
Saturday. when his and Captain Sea-
buryS dispositions were taken
The writ Of mGndsmus 70 compel
Colleetor-Gsreral Castle 10 issue the
register Was made answerable today.
As part OF the proceedings, il was
likely that the testimony Of both Col
ocel Msctarisre and Captain Seabury
would be wanted so IL was taken Sat
urdzy- The Coptic was due TO sail for
San Francisco yesterday. and the Col
oneI wished 20 return On her; il WAS
tine that the China should proceed on
her regular trip 70 the Orient
As the controversy was being held
over the fate OF the China. she was
tied up az The dock or swinging idly
with the tide. out beyond the reef. The
dancing waves flashed gay checkers
across The Honolulu. H. L" painted
On her stern. the coIors Of the Repub-
lie Strengthened out smartly in the
breeze But her coal bill was steadily
climbing up The black columns OF
smoke that occasionally wreathed ont
Of the tops Of the tunnels were evil
tecce OF that The passengers were
making raids On the ships Iarder with
2ppeCites ~hetted by Honolulu sight
seeing
The China sailed yesterday under
the sea letter. which her nominal
owner at first refused, because ne con-
sfGe-ed be lacked sufficient authority
&C accept Colonel MacfzrIane sailed
On the Coptic for san Francisco at u
o'clock Before he went he spent an
interesting hour on the witness stand
-
Ques-ions- They were adroitIy put
They were nearly all Of them on the
sane topic. Who owns the China2'
each differing somewhat from the
other Sometimes Colonel Mscfarlane's
counsel General HartweII. objected,
but the questions were nearly all an
sEered- They brought out some in
reresIirg facts. Colonel MsefsrIane Is
the nominal" owner OF the China, but
he didn't pay & cent for her. He is TO
receive none OF the profits, he is 10
pay none OF the expenses. or stand any
OF the losses. provided there are any
He allowed his name TO be used as the
owner out OF pure friendship for some
q the members Of the Pacific Mail
Steamship Company, and the eonsid-
Grafton Of perhaps Esq" as he put il
He didn't ask for 1t; they offered IL :"
Captain SeabuTy was first On the
witness stand He told what he knew
about the China, her present owner
ship, who her former owners were and
what the vessel was worth He was
not sure about the last His opinion
was based on the hearszy evidence Of
the uessurer in San Francisco. who
placed her value st 800 600 Outside
the Court ruom the Captain stated that
the China cost $40 600. On the wit
ness stand he said he could not tell ex-
sEtly What she was worth today. He
was Of the opinion that she would not
bring much Of anything. unless some
one wished 70 buy her for old iron or
on speculation" Lots Of good steam
ers sold for small SUMS in San Fran
cisco, because they were worth moth
ing % any one except the steamship
company.
Colonel MsCfzrlaue was examined
first 5y General HarJEeIL Z an the
whole owner Of the China he said
there is 10 other part owner. I an
the owner by bill Of sale made July
ID Did you pay any money for the
steamship No, I did not pay any
noueT. He was asked how the bin
Of sale came 70 be made He replied
that he took II IN pursuance OF the re-
quest Of President Huntington Of the
Pacific Nail Steamship Company and
q Fles-PTesidelt SehEeTia- He said
he had been net on the street BY the
Fles-Prssident, who told him that
President Huntington wished TO see
him II his once and asked him if he
would allow the use OF his name in the
transfer Of the ownership Of the Chi
IA This was about May 18th He was
already making preparations to 20 70
Lo1d0n On private business He went
there. took the bill Of sale and secured
the provisional register Of the China
from the Consul
What did you do On receiving the
bill Of szlez7 As previously arranged
- What did you do on receiving
the bill Of sale2" The Colonel replied
thar he secured the provisional reg
lister ard proceeded TO disfncorporste
the China Steamship Company. This
was On July ID, AZ which time the
China was presumed TO be at sea He
said that h arrived N San Francisco
On the night Of the Cd Of August with
the provisional register. He delivered
II, together with the other papers re-
lzting to the China. TO Mr.. SehEerin.