The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-08-04
Dirigo Arrives From Shanghai.
After a Fast Bun,
IN A SOUTH SEA TYPHOON.
Nervous Sailing In Spanish Waters
In War Times with an unprotect-
ed Ship and Cargo Worth q Half
Mfllion-The Dfrlgo Is the First
Steel Sailing ship Built in
America-Her Mag nincent Fittings

One OF the finest American shiDs &1oat
built in this country. the Dirigo. of Bath,
Me-, Capt. George A. Goodwin, command
ing. was towed into port yesterday after
noon by the tug Tyee. The Dic;go arrived
at Port Angeles July %. thirty ore days
out from Shanghai, which is the fastest
passage of the year Had it not been for
a terrible typhoon squall in the Yellow SEA
and subsequent gales she would have made
a record breaking run OF twenty-five days.
Capt Goodwin had no trouble getting
charter from the Pacific Coast Conl'an,
to load coal for San Francisco and came
here accordingly.
On the memorable Sunday that Admiral
Dewey was defeating the Spanish fleet 81
Manila, the D.rigo, with every sail set.
was Keeling or the knots in the sunny,
southern sea almos: within hearing Of the
bark of the American eight-inch guns. She
was not two hundred miles away. Every
one on board was on the watch for the
appearance OF suspicious smoke CT the
horizon. A week before an English tramp
steamer had gone out of her course to tell
Capt Goodwin that the war was on. He
said that two American ships had already
been taken. The las. words yelle1 by the
British captain from his bridge were:
Look out for Manila
There was an anxious consultation or
the Dirigo. The vessel had A cargo of
1900 barrels of oil. Ship and cargo were
worth at least half million dollars and
would be a rich prize for a Spsn.ari. The
smallest gunboat could capture the big
Dirigo for she did not have a single gun.
The straits through which she mus. pass
10 reach Shanghai were narrow and there
was every chance of meeting one Of the
enemys vessels. There was nothing to do
but go ahead and trust to luck Forum
ately Admiral Dewey and his Jack Tars
gave MOntejos ships more than they could
take care of when the Dirigo was passing
and. she reached port In safety.
The Dirigo left Shanghai June % in
ballast. Foot after foot. of red paint, be-
low her drab load water line, showed up
and made the big ship very unsteady In
the water. Two days out of port the sud
den falling of the barometer no:ed the COM
ing of typhoon squall. usually of eight
hours or so duration, but much fercer
typhoon which usually holds out for twan-
ty-four hours. The barometer weE. down
so fast that Its moving could DE seen b.
the anxious walters. Everything was
made fast and officers and crew watched
Soon 1t was upon them, bringing with
II torrents of rain. flashing waves which
washed mountain high, and poured over
her high gunwales till the decks were sew
eral feet awasE, then ran out the scupper
holes as the ship rose on the crest of some
mighty sea horse. She rolled royalty and
plunged into the sea clean up to her bow
spirit. Officers and crew were thrown
about like ninepins when a good player
makes strike The galley was turned
upside down and inside out. The range
lost its bottom and landed In a mixed up
heap of scrap iron on top OF the Chinese
cooks cleanly polished pans. The storm
was too fierce to last, but was followed
by a series Of gales.
In an interval the hold was opened and
sand secured to make a dirt bottom for
the range. 1t had been gathered up anu
patched together till ii somewhat resen-
bled range.
After the storm came good sailing wea tn
er. In two days the ships log showed her
500 miles 10 the good. On one day a run
of 81 miles was made. She lay at Port
Angeles week before her charter was
finally determined.