The San Francisco call., 1898-02-20
The Ship Wentworth Arrives With Seven
 Hundred Gases.
A Revenue Cutter for the 4u- kon River to Be Built at
 North Beach.
Union Gas Engines for Use in Japan ese Launches Being Shipped
 on the Gaelic.

The American ship Wentworth fin ished a splendid run of 11S days from New York to San Francisco yesterday, beating the M. P. Grace by a month and the Benjamin F. Packard by forty-five days.
 On October last the Packard was in latitude "A north, longitude 40 west, while on November ' the Wentworth was in latitude 27 north 39 west The latter vessel has evidently made run away race since that time, as the Packard has not yet been reported The Wentworth was purchased from her British owners after the Port Costa fire and was rerigged as an American four masted bark. Handled by Ameri can sailors she has proved herself a clipper, whereas while she was under the British flag she was not considered a crack sailer.
 Part of the ship Kenilworths cargo is 727 cases of fireworks, torpedoes, flags and caps for the Fourth of July and as there are several other conSign- ments on the way, the small boys of this city will be we'll supplied on our nations birthday.
 The schooner Nellie G. Thurston, with a party of miners aboard for the Klondike, left New York nearly fort night ahead of the Wentworth, but then she has stopped couple or three times on the way. On December g she left Montevideo after a short stay, and seventeen days later she was spoken by the Cottage City while lying out at anchor in the Straits of Magellan.
 The French bark Marguerite Molinos and the Wentworth were in company Ia of 1fSid Frenchman took 11S days to get here from Cardiff, but slant of wind brought him into port few hours ahead of the American ship.
 Work on the new revenue cutter for use on the Yukon River Is to begin at once Yesterday Captain Hooper, on behalf of Uncle Sam, signed a contract with Birch & Go. of South San Fran cisco for the boat. The hull will be built at North Beach and the engines by Birch & Go. at their machine works. The sum of $40, 900 has been allowed by Congress for the building and equip ment of the boat. As soon as com pleted she will be taken to pieces and shipped to Unalaska, where she will be put together in order to be ready to go into commission when the river opens next June.
 The Pacific Steam Whaling Con- DanV : hanQS011le new Sltdllcl cia is being got ready for her initial voyage to the gold fields on March l next. Deck houses to accommodate 125 cabin passengers are being built on her, and an electric plant is being put in. She will take away about 400 pas sengers, some of them to mine ana some of them to go over the Valdez Pass to the Klondike. The Valencia will also go to Dyea and Skaguay, but aIcrlot nr1lV thnSa DOintS The same company's steamer Excelsior is expected to sail for Copper River, Dyea and Skaguay next Tuesday Every berth on her has been taken and she will only lie at Vallejo street wharf long enough to take aboard her pas sengerS and freight.
 The Pacific Coast Steamship Com pany's Cottage City got away last night for Dyea and Skuaguay via Se- attle with big crowd of passengers She will be followed by the Umatilia to-day, the Australia tomorrow and probably the Humboldt and Excelsior on Tuesday, so that the rush to the gold fields may be said to be now in full swing.
 Owing to the Maine disaster and the fact that the Marion's flag is now at half mast, there will be no reception aboard the sIoop-of-war next Tuesday. The dance to be given tomorrow night by the commissioned officers and men will take place, however A gang of men was busy all of yesterday put ting in electric lights and on the occa- sion of the ball the Marion will be lighted up for the first time by elec- tricity.
 The Japanese seem to have taken a linking to the Union gas engines manu factured here in San Francisco. The last steamer that went out took away quite number and six more have been shipped by the Gaelic, which sails next Wednesday. The engines are put into lanches on their arrival at Yoko- hama and are used on the canals and harbors of Japan.
 Chief Wharfnger Root and Assist ant Chief Wharfinger Scott started for Bolinas Bay on quail hunt last night. A delegation of 150 people will be down 1 to meet the boat that brings them home tonight. Each one of the 150 has been promised at least four birds, so Messrs. Root and Scott will have |