The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-01-17
THE FRENCH IN
TAHITI GOT A
GREAT SCARE
Thought a War With
En- gland Was On.
PREPARED tn DIE FIGHTING
AUBEs GUNS LANDED AND
SHE WAS TO BE SUNK.
Arrival of the Transport Ohio From
Manila With Sick Soldiers.
Rough Passage Of the
Cleone.
PREPARED tn DIE FIGHTING
AUBES GUNS LANDED AMI
SHE WAS TO BE SUNK.

There We're scenes Of wild excitement in
Tahiti when the French mail boat City
of Papeete sailed for San Francisco. A
mail steamer from New Zealand had ar
rived with the news that war might be
declared at any minute between France
and England, and the inhabitants of Pa
peete did not know but that an English
man-of-war might arrive at any minute
from Australia. They fully expected to
be beaten, but it was their firm determi-
nation to die fighting.
There are about 200 regulars on Tahiti
and about 400 able-bodied men were
pressed into service. These were all
given three months rations and stationed
in the valley of Fatahua TO hold the fort
until reinforcements arrived from France.
Acting under instructions from Governor
Called, the guns and ammunition were
taken out OF the armed transport Aube
and the vessel got ready for scuttling at
moments notice. The Aube carried four
513-inch three 313-inch and four magazine
guns These were mounted on the hills
overlooking the harbor, and in the hands
of experienced gunners were expected to
do good service.
The Aube is 1850 tons displacement, 210
feet long, "a feet inches broad and Is feet
deep. She was to be sunk across the en-
trance to the harbor. A large quantity
Ol pOWueT was TO ne SUNK with ner ana
this was to be connected with a battery
ashore. With this. If the British war
ships only came quickly enough, it was
hoped TO do some damage.
When we sailed" said Captain
hiti were satisfied that war had
tralian squadron would make a de-
scent on the French possessions in the
Pacific. 1 suppose they know by this time
that the war cloud has blown over, but
while it lasted the suspense must have
been very great. The Frenchmen would
have died fighting. 1t would look like
folly to oppose an armored cruiser, but
they were determined to do it, and the
Aube would have been sunk and the val
ley defended to the last had the worst
come to the worst"
The City Of Papeete was thirty-two
days coming here from Tahiti. She brings
a cargo of copra, cocoanuts, pearlshell
and vanilla beans. She brings the news
that the Polynesian Steamship Company
organized in New Zealand to trade among
the South Sea islands will get no trade
or passengers at Tahiti Word was re-
ceived from Paris to have nothing to do
with II, as a French line would shortly be
in operation. The only passenger by the
barkentine was Mr.. Atwater, ex-United
States Consul TO Tahiti. He also expected
to hear on his arrival that France and
| England were fighting, and was agree
ably surprised to learn that such was not
/ the case.
The United States transport Ohio ar
rived from Manila via Nagasakisyester-
day, after passage of twenty nine days
+ She brought up ga soldiers, distributed
| as follows: Nebraska 1874. Pennsylvania
! 30, California Is, Oregon 10, Michigan g..
! Colorado 3, South Dakota 3, and five in
valids. The following came up as passen-
| gers: Lieutenant J. A. Barbour, U. S. A. !;
W. w. Bill, Colonel ]. H. Frederick. Cap
tain Vickers, v. Lady, L. A. Crowther,
R. Kibble, Lieutenant B. Holcomb and
Lieutenant Stanworth, u. S. N; Lieuten-
ant o. II. Jones, U. s. A.; Surgeon c. L..
Mullins, Lieutenant j. M. Wiley, r. burst,
Red Cross Society, and j. Heiss
geant Thomas of the Signal Corps, Cor
poral Menzel and Private Ferguson. They
have been very sick (ThomaS lost ninety
pounds in weight, but are now almost
we'll again. Only five of the soldiers are
still on the sick list, and they will go to
| the Presdio hospital Some of the men
came ashore in small boats but the Ohio
will dock at Harrison street to-day, when
all the passengers will be landed. Captain
c. J.. Mullins of the First Nebraska Regi-
ment was in charge, and the following
hospital stewards looked after the sick:
r.. S. Miles, George l.. Blanchard, w. D.
Wight, c. Harris and c. Dolph.
The steam schooner Cleone had a hard
time of it during the southeaster. She
took on half load of lumber at Crescent
Eureka While on the way down two of
her boats were washed away, some of her
railing was smashed and other minor
damage was done. She arrived at Eureka
on Sunday.
the Alviso trade, and the F. M. Smith
now has it all to herself. The steamer
Zinfandel is to be laid up for repairs, and
the Alviso, one of the opposition boats,
will take her place, while the San Jose is