The San Francisco call., 1898-06-11
DECKL0AD OF COAL
 WASHED OVERBOARD
So the Monitor Monterey and Collier Brutus Put Into San Diego for
 Fresh Supply.

ON BOARD THE MONITOR MONTEREY IN SAN DIEGO HARBOR, June 1o.-The United States monitor Monterey, which left San Francisco on Tuesday afternoon for Manila in company with the collier Brutus, came to anchor in the harbor here this afternoon with most of her deckload of coal gone and her bunkers about half empty. The monitor. after she passed the lightship off San Fran cisco harbor, squared away in the regu- lar steamer course for Honolulu There was fresh northwest breeze blowing and a moderate beam sea running when she passed out that kept her deck fore and aft awash, but she steamed along at a good clip, and her officers were jubilant at a prospect of making the Hawaiian Islands in less than ten days.
 Shortly before dark the Brutus began to show signs Of distress. She was well astern of the monitor, and at times she would swing from her course until she presented her full broadside to the Monterey First she would swing to port, then to starboard. and once she made a complete circle She was too far distant for her signals to be read, and on the monitor 1t was-thought that she had become disabled The Monterey was turned back and headed for her, and just when darkness was setting in the two vessels were near enough to use the wigwag signal, and then 1t was in ferred that her steering gear had given way. An hour later the Brutus flashed a signal that repairs had been made, and again the two vessels stood away on their course to Honolulu.
 During all this time the wind was in- creasing in violence, and by midnight it was blowing half gale. Big green seas were rolling and tumbling from starboard to port across her decks. and on several occasions huge combers washed over the tops of her turrets Every sea that came aboard her had a most destructive effect on the piles of sacked coal that were lashed about her turrets.
 At midnight several sacks on each pile on the starboard side had gone over the side, and with their departure the lashings that held their companions were weakened. The vessel was put under slower speed with hope of sav- ing what was left For couple of hours all went well and the storm showed signs of abating. Just before daybreall of Wednesday, however, when Captain Leutze was congratulating himself on having saved the deckload from the storm, a huge wave, seemingly greater than any during the night, thun- dered at the vessel and broke squarely over the side Amid the tumult of wa ter that washed over the deck there came a snapping of ropes and wire cables, and when. the steamer lifted from the sea her starboard side from stem to stern was clear of its deckload.
 The vessel was swung with her stern to the seas and all hands were called to secure what little was left on the port side Scarcely third of her deckload remained, and it was estimated that about 125 tons of her coal supply had been lost.
 Captain Leutze decided that his wisest course then lay in running before the seas to San Diego, there recoal and make another start for Honolulu
 Although more than ninety miles fur ther from Honolulu than when he left San Francisco, the commander finds consolation in the thought that by talk ing the southern route to the Hawaiian Islands the vessel will be less apt to meet with unfavorable weather and at the same time fall in with the north east trades sooner after clearing the land.
 On the way down the coast, and when in the Santa Barbara channel, an ex- pertinent was made with the Brutus as towboat. The collier hauled the Mon terey during the greater part of Thurs day afternoon at little over seven knots an hour, and as result. of the ex- pertinent the Monterey's officers were of the opinion that the coast defense vessel would have no difficulty in reach ing the Philippines in a shorter time than was anticipated and in good condi- tion,- The Monterey will sail from here tomorrow afternoon.
 ALFRED DIXON.