The San Francisco call., 1899-03-11
COLLIER EMPIRE
IS DISABLED
UP THE COAST
Towed Back to Port
by the Luella.
SUBSIDIZED FRENCH VESSELS
ELEVEN OF THEM ON THEIR
WAY TO THIS PORT.
Helen N. Kimball Overdue at Pana-
ma-Lunrber Vessels for South
Africa-Sale of the May
Flint.
SUBSIDIZED FRENCH VESSELS
ELEVEN OF THEM ON THEIR
WAY TO THIS PORT.

The steam collier Empire returned TO
port Yesterday in tow of the steam
schooner Luella. The Empire leLt mere
for Coos Bay last Thursday and ali Went
well until Point Reyes was reacheu' "heh
the crank shaft broke. This left the YES
sci helpless as far as the engines were
concerned, but Captain Nelson soon got
sail on her and headed for San Francisco.
When off Duxbury Reef the sea became
rough and a head wind was encountered
so the vessel was anchored. One of the
black stack tugs went to her assistance
but a bargain could not be struck.
Early yesterday morning several steam
schooners hove in sight and the Luella
bore down on the disabled collier Inc
two captains came to an agreement and
the Luella took the Empire in tow. she
was brought through the Heads without
any bother, and when off Lime Point the
tug Sea Queen came along and relieved
the Luella of her tow. The Luella went
to Third and Berry streets wharf to dis
charge her cargo of lumber and the En-
pire was docked at Vallejo street wharf.
1t will take a couple of weeks to repair
the collier, and in the meantime the Coos
Bay Coal Company will have to secure
another vessel to take her place.
The owners of the schooner Helen n.
Kimball are wondering what has become
of their vessel. She left Eureka on De-
cenber last in company with the schoon-
er Esther Buhne. The kimball was bound
Tor Panama WlIl d lOdQ OIL IuIuDtI anu
the Buhne for Honolulu with similar
cargo. The Buhne arrived at Honolulu
December 30, discharged and loaded and
was back in San Francisco on February
g A week later she was on her way to
Puget Sound and two days ago she sailed
again from New Whatcom for San Fran
cisco. The KimbalI has not been heard
from since she left Eureka ninety-eight
days ago. Panama is about 1900 miles fur
ther south of Eureka than is Honolulu,
but the Esther Buhne has covered three
times that distance since she left Eureka
in company with the Helen n. Kimball.
The owners of the schooner are not
may have reached Panama and that Cap
tain Guttormsen has failed to notify them
of her arrival. Still, none of the mail
steamers. mention having spoken her. The
Kimball is a stanch schooner, Splenddly
found, and If anything has happened to
her it must have been in an exceptional
blow. She was built in Cuffeys Cove in
1881, and is 1SS tons net burden. She is
Il lI23 1 feet ee lppg, Ion So:S feet ct beam and - feet
trade since she was built.
American lumber is in demand in South
Africa and number of grain vessels not
liking. the outlook for next season are
Delagoa Bay, The Kennebec arrived at
Cape Town on March 2 from Puget Sound
with a load of lumber and the ships
James Nesmith and John A. Briggs and
barkentine John Smith are now out
eighty-two, seventy-two and sixty-siX
days respectively from points on the
to these the British ships Olivebank and
British General and the American ship
M. P. Grace, now in this port, have been
chartered to go to the Sound to load for
South Africa.
Including vessels loading at the islands
there are now siXty-tive American vessels
there are forty-f1ve British vessels. eleven
French, three Italian, two German, four
Hawaiian one Norwegian, one Japanese
and one Chilean on their way here
The above figures given show
what a subsidy will do for the mercantile
marine of a country. A short time ago
to her sailing vessels. At that time it was
a very rare thing to see the French tri-
color IN the port of San Francisco while
at this time last year only two French
there are eleven and the chances are that
many more will be seen in these
waters before the year is out.
Flint &, Co. of New York have decided
that there is nothing in sailing vessels
Some years ago the British ship Persian
Monarch was wrecked on the American
coast. She was purchased by Flint &, Co.
who spent considerable money in repair
ing her, after which she was placed under
the American flag and renamed the May
Flint. Ever since she has been sailing in
and out of ports in the United States but
now her American owners have resoId her
to an English firm and the stars and
stripes are to be hauled down and the
cross of ST George hoisted in its stead
The name May Flint is to be effaced and
the old name Persian Monarch replaced
She is now under charter to carry coal oil
from New York to Japan.
Three tugs for use in Manila Bay and
among the Philippines have been pur-
chased by the United States Government
in Hongkong They are the Kar Shun,
Lee Fat and Kun Hing at present but
the chances are that Admiral Dewey will
rechristen them as they are handed over
to him. Each tug is 100 tons burden ST
feet long. IA feet Z inches beam and feet
draft. They were built and engineered
by Chinese and were especially prepared
for the trip to Manila. They will be used
to transport troops from point to point
when necessary.
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