The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1900-05-26
SIGNALS WERE NOT OBEYED
CAUSE OF AN ACCIDENT TO THE
MARIPOsA.
Captain Houdlette in Charge-After an
Order Full Speed Ahead, Steamer
Sent Full Speed Astern.

On account Of the failure of the Mari
posa's engineer to obey the signals sent
to him from the bridge last night as the
steamer was leaving the Oceanic dock,
she backed into a navy scow that was
lying at the railroad wharf. The acct
dent was witnessed and the crash heard
by a large crowd of people on shore,
and It. was thought at first that the
rudder or propeller must be injured, but
on investigation the Mariposa was
found to be uninjured and proceeded on
her journey. The scow was badly bro
ken.
Captain Houdlette was in charge of
the Mariposa at the time of the collis-
ion. 1t is his custom to do the docking
of his own steamers and to move them
from the dock himself, turning them
over to the pilot when they are ready
to head for the, channel He brought
the Mariposa around last night till she
was almost ready for Pilot Cameron,
who was on the bridge waiting to take
charge, and then gave the signal to
go half speed ahead. A moment later
he observed that she was still moving
astern. He telegraphed a signal for full
speed forward, and the engineer made
it full speed astern. Then Captain
Houdlette stopped the engines alto
gether, but it was too late to prevent
the accident. The stern of the steamer
CIdSIeu lIllO lDt SCON anu lIt SledIleI
came to a stop. An anchor was imme-
diately thrown over on the port side, to
prevent her swinging around on to the
reef, and lines were run out with which
the steamer pulled herself away from
the railway wharf.
There was a good deal of eXcitment
among the passengers on board, all of
whom crowded to the stern to see what
had happened. Captain Houdlette said
he did not want to go to sea without a
full investigation, and Alec Lyle was
| sent for to dive around the stern and
see if things were all right. He re-
ported no damage to the steamer.
The system of signals in vogue on the
Mariposa, as on other steamers, leaves
no room for errors in transmission. Or
ders are telegraphed to the engine room,
where they appear on a dial and they
are Immediately repeated back to the
bridge, so that the man in charge there
knows that his signals have been re-
ceived and understood. Captain Cam
eron, who was on the bridge with Cap
| tain Houdlette, states that he saw the
signals given as before stated, and saw
them repeated back to the bridge,
i though the contrary course was
taken. When he came ashore after
taking the steamer to sea, the pilot
made an entry in his notebook. giving
an account of the affair, so that he
Woulu not nave W rely oil MS IiieAiol y
in case of an investigation. The fol-
! lowing are his notes:
IS. s. Mariposa left the dock at about
/ 4:40 in the afternoon, Captain Houd-
/ lette backing the engines very slowly
| for a short space of time until the
steamer was in a good position to pro-
ceed. Then the order was given ahead
half steam In a moment Captain
Houdlette discovered that the ship was
going astern. Then the order was given
full speed ahead instead of which the
engineer on watch put her full speed
astern. The engines were stopped and
an anchor let go, previous to which the
steamer collided with a large scow al
the railway wharf. 1t was found by
divers that the steamer had sustained
no damage. She let go her lines and
proceeded in charge of Pilot Cameron
Pilot left the steamer at 6:1O p. m"