The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-06-01
LONG OCEAN RACE
Two Ship Owners to Battle
For a $1,000 Purse.
Indrani and Sikh Matched For a
Run to Singapore.
THE RUN TO PORT SAID
Will Be Made Without Stopping
For Coal.
Each Skipper Took on Fuel at
New York.

New York, June 1.-Two thousand
dollars is to go to Captain Trotter of
the steamship Indrani or Captain Row
ley of the steamship Sikh, whichever is
the first to bring his vessel into the port
of Singapore The money has been
put up on a wager by the captains For
the next forty days it is certain that full
steam will be kept up on the steam
ships.
The Indrani and the Sikh sailed from
this port yesterday morning. The YES
sells are owned by rival companies. The
Indrani is commanded by Captain Trot-
ter and registers 1925 tons. Funch,
Edge & Co. are the agents. Captain
Rowley is the skipper of the Sikh, which
registers 1877 tons. Barber & Co are
the agents. The steamships arrived
here about a month ago from China and
Japan ports, and it was Known 10 the
captains that their destination on the
return voyage was to be the same.
When the two captains met on land
each maintained that he was the skip
per of the faster craft, ana II was
agreed, if it were possible for them to
get away together, to have a race in
order to settle the dispute. The Sikh
was loading at the East Central pier,
Brooklyn, and the Indrani was at the
South Central pier. close by
The vessels finished loading cargo on
last Saturday, and the two captains
went TO the custom mouse, where lL6y
cleared for China and Japan ports. 1t
was agreed by the captains to start on
the voyage about a. m. yesterday.
Just about that time Captain Trotter
leaned over the side of Indrani as it
was pulling out, and called to Captain
Rowley of the Sikh: Skipper, I think
I've got you. 1 am going to Port Said
without stopping to COAL,
ROwIey understood the sarcasm, but
only smiled, as TrOtter called to some
of his seamen and gave them some or
ders in low voice. Immediately they
hauled off the tarpaulins from the for
ward deck, and Rowley saw that the
Indrani also was carrying a deck load
of coal, in order not to have to stop
on the way for recOaling.
well, 1 guess you're not so warm"
yelled ROwley. I've got coal to burn
myself"
Then he gave orders to some of his
crew, tarpaulins were hauled off the
forward deck, and another deckload of
coal was brought to view. The sight
of it almost caused Captain TrOtter to
fall overheard. AS the Indrani was
turning around the Sikh backed out
from her pier and headed down the
stream, with the Indrani by her side.
The two vessels passed quarantine
abreast of each other at 1850 a. m
About that time the smaller craft, the
Sikh, seemed TO be making better head
way, and she crossed Sandy Hook bar
thirty minutes ahead of her rival.
Ordinarily vessels passing through
the Suez canal coal at AlglerS, and 1t
was for the purpose of avoiding any
delay at that place that the captains of
the vessels carried the decklOads of
coal, which is a most uncommon thing
for freight steamships to do. What sur
prises shipping men is the fact that
coal was loaded on the deck of each
vessel without the skipper of the other
craft knowing of it.
Captain ROwley of the Sikh expects
to reach Singapore IA days ahead of the
Indrani.