The San Francisco call., 1898-03-05
Got No Further Than Meiggs Wharf on Her
 Way to San Diego.
Her Boilers Leaked and No Head of Steam Could Be
 Held on Them.
10 China on the Steamer City of Picking.

The United Sta, es gunboat Pinta did hot get away for San Diego as expect ed yesterday, nor is she likely to leave port inside of two weeks. This Is rather hard on the companies of the naval reserve at Santa Barbara and San Diego, as they prepared to give the vessel fitting reception next Sunday and Monday.
 The Pinta was turned over to the State last week h-- the commandant at Mare Island for the use of Los Angeles naval reserve. She was thoroughly overhauled at the navy-yard and dur ing her dock trial everything worked satisfactorily. Thursday last she was taken alongside Mission-street wharf and coaled for her voyage down the coast. About D. m. Captain Louis H. Turner and his officers went aboard and an hour later the gunboat was given a preliminary trial on the bay. Everything seemed to work well, and 8 start was made for the Golden Gate. When the engines were opened up it was found that the boilers were leak ing, and that they could not hold enough steam to drive the gunboat a knot an hour against the tide. She was accordingly anchored off Meiggs wharf, and yesterday she drifted and steamed down with the tide to her old anchorage off Folsom street.
 Having accepted her from Uncle Sam the State will have to foot the bill for her repairs. These will take about a fortnight, and then another attempt will be made to get the gun boat to San Diego.
 Talk about taking coal to Newcas- tle," the steamer City of Picking, which
 e. Io-& !, yF3raxr took away over forty tons of tea for China. The anomaly Is easily ex- plained. The tea was shipped from Hongkong here for use in Chinatown. It did not come up to the Government standard, and was ordered exported or it would be destroyed. The Chinese in sisted that the tea was what their Countrymen liked and appealed the matter to Washington. Uncle Sam s Appraisers replied that no matter how much the Chinese liked that class of tea, 1t was detrimental to health, and being below the standard it must be disposed of inside of two months. The stuff was worth in bond here nearly $14 900, so it's owners thought it better to send it back to China and pay a second freight bill than have a total loss on their hands.
 Besides the tea the Picking took away a valuable cargo, among which was 2450 bales of cotton, valued at SS3,0O0.
 Owing to the heavy fog that hung over the bay yesterday the ferry boats were only able to make hourly trips up to l o'clock. There were no casualties.
 The coast survey boat, Patterson's launch, ran amuck yesterday morning. While making a landing at Folsom street wharf the engines stuck on the center and would not reverse. The launch was going full speed and came within an ace of cutting down the gas oline launch Athlete. She ran between two piles, which stopped her progress. The awning was torn away and the sides of the launch scraped, but other wise the damage was slight
 The Southern Pacific's big ferry steamer Solano broke down yesterday morning. and for several hours the passenger trains had to come around by way of Martinez. The steamer was repaired during the afternoon and re- sumEd her usual run.
 The schooners Nettie Sundborg and Reliance, inward bound, were in collision off the Heads yesterday. The wind fell light and they drifted together, so the damage was slight.