The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-02-03
Will Be in Commission
Again Soon.
COPTIC ARRIVES FROM CHINA
BROUGHT ARMY AND NAVY OF
FICERS FROM MANILA.
Sinking of thu Pritish Steamer Glen
alvon in CHI nese Waters - The
Steamers City of Peking and
Columbia in Collision.

The launch William D, sunk by the
ferry steamer Oakland two weeks ago,
was raised from the bottom of the bay
yesterday and is now lying alongside
Steuart street wharf. Ever since she
was sunk men in whitehall boats have
been trying to locate the wreck. but it
was only Wednesday night that they sue
ceeded in doing so. On several occasions
they thought they had the launch, but it
always proved to be a false alarm.
AS soon as the boatmen were assured
that they had located the wreck they Sc
cured the Wrecking schooner Catalina
and sent a diver down. He passed a
couple of sings under the William D, and
as soon as she was off the mud she was
toWed inshore. 1t did not take long after
that to raise her to the surface, and when
she was pumped out she floated as the
hull was not damaged.
Judging by the looks of the launch the
Oakland must have come up behind and
with one stroke of her paddle smashed
the after part of the deckhouse, sending
the William D to the bottom. The for
ward part of the William DIS deckhouse
Is uninjured, which goes to show that the
Iaunch did not run into the ferry boat.
repairs to the William d will not cost a
great deal, nor will they be hard to make
SO she should be in commission again in
a week or ten days.
The 0. and o. Company's steamer Cop
tic arrived from Hongkong via Yokohama
anO honolulu yesterday. The run be-
tween Yokohama and Hawaii was made
IN . days 8 hours, establishing a new rec
ord for the Company's boats On Janu-
airy Il the Coptic met the steamer Nip
25, and the next day steamer which was
taken for the transport Morgan CITY was
passed. The Mail Company's steamer
aztec on her way here from the Orient,
Among the Coptic's cabin passengers
were the following naval officers: W. S.
Barger, Lieutenant c. G. Cal1ins, Ensign
NJ. Lombard, Captain w Mclean, Lieu
tenant Commander c. P. Perkins, E. d.
E stro5o. Lieutenant ;d s; NJ. Strife, F. L.
3TTH-l9nng, lieutenant F. A. Wilmer, w. L.
the following from the army: r. C. Al
zen, +. Dohrmann Jr., F. A Healy. Colo
mel J. w Jones and E. NJ. Wilkerson.
Lieutenant J. T. Mcmillan, who was for
years IN the Branch photographic Office
ana went 70 Manila as navigating officer
OF the transport Nero, also returned on
me Coptic He says that in winter the
philippines are all right, but in summer
tney are no place for a white man. He
nked the country and had a pleasant time
while there, but is more than glad to get
back to San Francisco
Lord Charles Beresford was in Yoko-
hama when the Coptc sailed If his plans
DO not mlscarry he will arrive in San
Francisco February II on the new Japa-
neSe steamer America Maru
The British steamer Glenalvon, which
sailed from HOngkong for London Via
Shanghai. was sunk while the Coptic was
IN Chlnese waters. Soon after leaving
Hongkong she struck an uncharted rock
The captain did not think she was badly
damaged and as soon as he got the Glen
alvon into deep water he headed for
Hongkong. She began to fill rapidly,
however, and there vas barely time to
get the passengers and crew into the
boats before she went down Chief Dix
on and Second Steward Wilson and two
Chinese lost their lives. The Glenalvon
had on board 5000 tons of I a and silk
when she went down. The British man.
Of-war Rather had started from Hong
kong for Manila. but she was recalled
and sent to the scene of the wreck to see
what chances there were of raising the
vessel.
The Mail Company's steamer City of