Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1900-08-03
Chinese Crew for
Yankee Troop Ship

SAN FRANCISCO, July 25.-rac
work Of getting the transport Hat
cock away for China Is going on day
and night. Strange to say, the Chinese
who form her crew are the most eager
Of all aboard to hurry up the sailing
day. They are anxious to get the
American troops to Taku as quickly as
possible, In order that the Boxers may
receive q lesson and peace and order be
restored IN China. II seems an anomaly
to see Chinese crew on an American
transport that Is to sail July 2S with
soldiers who may have to wage n Bit
ter war against the Chinese surround
ing Picking. But such Is the case, aud
flremcn, coal passers and sailors on the
Hancock are doing everything in their
power to expedite the sailing of the
vessel.
Tho officers of the Hancock have
nothing but good words to say about
their Monaghan crew. The Chinese are
Obedient, sober and Woodworking. and
TO be depended upon In an emergency.
On June 10, when the transport was
only a short time out of Manila, Pri-
vate J. Gavin jumped overheard. II
was raining hard, ana a heavy squat
brought all hands on deck. II was 6
o'clock In the evening and so thick
that an object 200 yards away could
not be seen from the bridge. \ boat
was lowered, and although IL was in
constant danger of being swamped, the
crew of five made a diligent search for
the missing man, but no trace of him
could be found.
Three days after this episode Pri-
vate Joseph Sullivan jumped over
board. This was at 10 o'clock on the
night of the ed, when IL was pitcn
dark. There was not a star in the sky
and the moon had not risen. As soon
as the cry "A man overheard" WAS
raised flare" buoy was dropped
from amidships by order of Captain
Harry Strive. This kind of a buoy e.
so constructed that when 1t reaches
the water 1t rights itself and the I'M
pact with the water ignites two flares
that are fixed to the buoy. These throw
glare for a great distance, and not
only enable the drowning man to see
where he can reach a support, but also
guide the boat that Is out on the
search.
\ few minutes after the fare buoy
was thrown over It was nearly a
mile astern of the ship but in that
| time a boat had been lowered and was
| being rOwed back to the scene. For
/ thirty-fOur minutes the men of tho
| Hancock kept up the hunt, while the
! searchlight on the bridge followed III,
boat in all its wandcrings. Not trace
of Sullivan could be found, and once
more the Hancock had to stand on hcr
course.
| On June 81 Private Gus Morse tool;
| 1t into his head to jump overheard,
| aud then was seen as smart piece OF
scamanship as has been recorded In
many a day. At 2:O9 y. m. the signal
was given TO the bridge and a second
! later the eingnes were reversed. The
| Hancock was going through the WAGER
at the rate of seventeen knots an hOu',
| yet at 2:l1 p. m. boat was In the wa
| ter, manned and on the way to the
rescue. At 2:lS p. III. Morse was picked
up and secured In the bottom of tic
boat and at 1925 p. m. the cutter wac
back In the davits and the HancOcR
was once more going full speed ahead
This Is a performance that the officers
and crew of the Hancock have every
reason to be proud of.
On June 10 both wind and weather
were against rescue. On June % til,
darkness prevented the rescue OF {
man determined to die, but on June q
both officers and men could see wha
they were doing and the would-be sui
eide was rescued. The Hancock vii
dock at Folsom street wharf on Sua
day and will sail for Manila this dal
week.