The San Francisco call., 1898-12-29
TROP|C BIRD
 CAUGHT IN A
 SOUTHEASTER The Chitose Departs on Her Trial Trip. TWO VESSELS IN HARD LUCK REPUBLIC IN AUSTRALIA AND
 F. M. SMITH HERE. Ship Eaton Hall Had Her Decks Damaged and Boats Swept
 Away in a Storm Dur
 ing Her Voyage.
TWO VESSELS IN HARD LUCK
REPUBLIC IN AUSTRALIA AND
 F. M. SMITH HERE.

The barkentine Tropic Bird arrived from Tahiti Tuesday night with the French mails after long passage of forty days She was scheduled to sail again on the first of the year for Papeete, but as sne will have to go on the drydock and be overhauled she will be late in getting away. Captain Jackson says that he hac an exasperating passage until the coast Of California was reached. It was a sue. cession of light winds and calms through. out, and fifty miles day came to be looked upon as a good run. On December 2l and 22, in latitude 34 degrees minutes north, longitude 13S degrees 10 minutes west, a heavy southeast gale was TUT into. There was a nasty northeast sea on, and wave after wave broke aboard the barkentine. Sail was shortened dowr to topsails, but before that could be done the topgallant sail was blown out of the gasket. Christmas day on the TropiC Bird was spent in latitude g degrees Il minutes north, longitude 1S0 degrees 2 minutes west. The sea was as smooth as glass, and there was not capful ot wind.
 The only passenger on the Tropic Bird was H. Hoppenstedt, German Consul al Papeete; He Is up here on business trip The barkentine's cargo consisted of cocoa nuts, copra, vanilla and vanilla beans, and ffty-tive toa logs.
 A couple of San Francisco vessels are having a hard run of luck. The ship Republic is following hers up in Aus tralian waters, while the river steamer F. M. Smith is having hers right here in the bay. The Republic went from here to Puget Sound and loaded lumber for Aus tralia. After leaving port she was caught in a heavy storm and had to put, in here in distress She was leaking badly. and had to be thoroughly overhauled be- fore she could proceed. She reached Aus tralia, and after discharging her lumber cargo was sold and put under the Chilean flag She then went to Newcastle, N. $. M coal Honolulu soon after putting to sea she sprang a leak and had to put back to Sydney. For months the underwriters and owners have been squabbling over the insurance, and yesterday the Merchants Exchange received word that the cargo of coal had to be discharged and the vessel dry
 The F. Nj. Smith was formerly the H. c. Grady. She came here from Portland and went into the Sacramento River trade, carrying fruit and vegetables for pay, and the vessel was soon plastered with libels and tied up. She was sold by the United States Marshal and pur- chased by F. M. Smith, who fitted her out for the Klondike trade. When the bot tom fell out of the boom she was put on the Alviso run. During one of her runs she got caught across the creek, and the tide leaving her high and dry, she nearly broke her back. In spite of one or. two other mishaps she was doing well, how ever and was a favorite with the travel ing public, but her bad luck had not for saken her. Last week while moving from Washington to Jackson street wharf she backed into the latter structure and not only broke her fantail, but cracked the shaft She was moved to the south side of the Mail Dock and there beached for repairs. Yesterday afternoon fire broke out in the galley, and at one time Ii looked as though the steamer was doomed The Fire Department was called out and after some trouble the fire was put out.
 The British ship Eaton Hall arrived from Swansea yesterday after long pas. sage of 1S0 days. During the latter part of August the ship ran into terrific storm. The waves broke aboard in such a volume that the decks were damaged and all the boats were washed away Captain Lourison decided to run for Rio de Janero, and arrived there on Septem- Der 3. It took fortnight to make the necessary repairs and then the Eaton Hall made another start for San Francisco.
 The Japanese cruiser Chtose made an other start for the Santa Barbara chan mel yesterday morning. It is blowing a gale of wind behind her, so she should make a record run down the coast If all goes well and the gale has blown itself out, she will probably. have her trial trip tomorrow, but if anything has to be done to ship or machinery 1t will be Sat urday before she has her race against time.