The San Francisco call., 1898-06-01
OLD GLORY
 FLIES AT THE
 MAIN PEAK Zealandia and China American Vessels. IMPROVING THE COLON. SHE IS BEING FITTED WITH
 ELECTRIC LIGHTS. A Strike Among the Carpenters on the Zealandia Caused Some Delay
 in the Work on the Troopship. *'-
SHE IS BEING FITTED WITH
 ELECTRIC LIGHTS.

The steamers Zealandia and China
 were passed by the United States Board
 or Inspectors yesterday and at noon lhe Hawaiian flags on both of them
 were hauled down and Old Glory
 thrown to the breeze instead. In the case of the Zealandia the Jack was set
 at the end of the bowsprit and the stars
 and stripes were flown from the fore and mainmast and the gaff The flags
 at the fore and the gaff were brand
 new, having been made for the occa-
 sion, While the. one at the main was
 part of the steamers bunting In
 honor Of her admission to the Ameri- can: merchant: marine the China flew almost the same flags as the Zealandia
 There was no ceremony in either case and the stars and stripes had been fly
 ing over each vessel for nearly an hour before the general public along the front were aware that the change had been made. In future the China and Zealandia will appear in Lloyds and the American register as "Ameri- i can steamers" and not Hawaiian" This will mean big diminution of the fees earned by the Hawaiian consulate and will detract considerably from the importance of onsul-General Wilder on sailing days. M
 The work of getting the Zealandia, China and Colon ready for their trip to Manila with troops is being rushed to completion. temporary stop was put to the work on the Zealandia early yesterday morning. The trouble was overcome, however, and everything went along as usual. w. Boole, the shipwright, engaged a lot of men to do the work required in putting in extra berths in the steamer. All of them, with the exception of four, were union men and they threatened to quit work unless the non-union men were discharged.
 Mr. Boole was angry, but power less, and had to give in, so the non union men were discharged. Boole said that had 1t not been that the work had to be done in a hurry he would not have given in, but would have sought and secured non-union men. The Zeal andia, like the Australia, Is to be fitted with 491 of Turner's patent hunks. These 'when not In. use can be trans formed into 2931 feet of settees on which the men can sit and lounge in comfort.
 The Colon Is having a new electric plant put in and she will be the last of the fleet to get ready. While on the Panama route the Colon was lit with oil lamps, but now that hunks have to be placed in the tween decks it was not considered safe to extend the coal oil system that far, so cleo tricity was substituted. The change will greatly improve the steamer and will be a blessing to the soldiers when the tropics are reached.
 Work on the China is progressing The quarters for the men in both her and the Colon are to be vast ly different from what they were on the City of Picking and the soldier boys who will sail on those vessels can de- pend upon having at least 8 little com fort
 The boys of the Naval Battalion are angry. They say the naval authorities are fooling them and there is a move ment on foot to form a light battery | a hundred strong and offer their ser vices to the army. Last week they were given years leave of absence by the State and told to report at the naval rendez- vous for enlistment in the service of l the United States. Saturday last they for examination, but were told to come again on Sunday. Sun day the office was closed. Monday they | received a notice to present themselves | Tuesday, and yesterday they were in formed that Admiral Kirkland had sent l