The San Francisco call., 1898-01-08
A Fleet of Overdue Coast CTS Reached Port
 Yesterday.
Some of Them Encountered Heavy Weather and Several
 Were Damaged.
Arrival Of the Torpedo-DestrOyer Sparrowhawk on Her Way
 to EsQuirnalt.

Light WlnQS anu CdIulS nave kept u big fleet of coasters outside for over a week. Yesterday, however. the clerk of the weather turned things around somewhat, and at noontime a steady breeze was blowing from the north at the rate of twenty-four miles an hour. Early in the morning the wind came from the west, but at a. m. it chopped around to the north and blew a forty mile breeze; at noon it was only twen- ty-four miles an hour, and at p. m. there was almost a dead calm.
 The change in the weather was a godsend to the coasters, and over twenty of them seized the opportunity and made port. Several of them are the worse for the storms encountered, but all are still in the ring. Among those that got in were the ships In- vincible and Yosemite, barks Gatherer and Harry Morse and the schooners Volante and Lily. The ship America took Pilot Alex Swanson, but the cap tain would not accept tow. Conse- quently when the bar was crossed and the wind fell light the ship had to be put about, and Captain Swanson head ed her out to sea again. The Morse, Yosemite and Gatherer, all of which made unusually long passages from
 
 anchorage early in the day.
 The captain of the Yosemite reports that on December 30 he spoke the schooner Wing and Wing with her rudder-head gone. She was then be- ing steered by means of a log, which was being lowed astern. The schooner was in no immediate danger. and her captain said he required no assistance, but wished to be reported.
 The ship 1nvincible encountered a succession of southeast gales, during one of which she shifted her cargo of lumber to starboard.
 The schooner Volante took nineteen days to make the run from Tillamook. and ran out of provisions. Dur'"G a heavy southeaster her deckload of lumber was carried away, and H. Jan sen, one of the sailors, went overheard with it. Luckily he reached some of the lumber that had formed itself into kind of raft, and it kept him afloat until boat was sent to his rescue. During the same storm the main boom broke, so that the schooner had to work her way south under short can vas. Provisions began to run short and on January 5, when the Lily was sighted, the captain of the Volante signaled her. The Lily gave them all the goods they wanted, and then both started for San Francisco, arriving the same day. The Volante could not beat her way in without the mainsail, so she had to anchor off the North Head until the tug Vigilant came along and lowed her in.
 The old monitor Camanche Is to be returned to the navy yard tomorrow steam but will be conveyed by the State tug Governor Markham for fear of any accident. Owing to the illness of Governor Budd the sloop-of-war Marion, that is to be the new home of the naval battalion, will not be brought down until the opening of the golden jubilee. She will then come down un- der her own steam, and on anchoring in the stream will fire a salute in honor of the occasion.
 Captain Debney of the City of Puebla went out in command of the steamer Queen yesterday. He has not been very well of late and he Is going to see whether the Southern route will bene- fit his health. Captain Jepsen of the Queen has taken command of the City of Puebla and will take her out on her next voyage to Puget Sound ports.
 When the crew of the steamer Moana and the men employed on the dock learned that the steamer would be delayed several days on account of the non-arrival of the mails they formed a football club and every day,
 
 practice game on Pacific street wharf. This will be their last day in port and the game on this occasion is to be for a dinner to be paid for by the losers on the arrival of the steamer in Sydney. When the ball is kicked overheard it Is nothing unusual to see two or three of the players go in after it and con- tinue the game in the water. On this occasion men, armed with buckets, will be stationed along the stringers so that the ball can be fished out in a minute. Yesterday Freight Clerk Fulger gave
 The British torpedo destroyer Spar rowhawk ran away from her convoy, the cruiser Phaeton, and arrived in port yesterday unexpectedly. She made the run from San Diego in twenty-nine hours and then covered the 4S2 miles at only half speed. The Phaeton is not expected to get into port until some time to-day.
 The little steamer Yosemite, em- ployed by the Government as a light house tender, broke down off Lime Point yesterday afternoon. The cap tain set a distress signal and anchored until the tug Vigilant came to his re- lief and lowed the vessel in to the Pa vuh If