The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-11-11

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r. APTAIN RODGERS. the master Of
the transport Fitzpatrick, all the
pilots and many shipping men of
this port are much incensed at the un-
provoked attack which a morning pa
per made upon Captain Rodgers in yes
terday's issue. II is especially the fol-
loving p. ragrephs which makes the
seafaring men hot under the collar:
The reckIessless of the master Of the
United States Army transport Kilpat-
rick in anchoring the big vessel with
hundreds of souls aboard right in the
lee OF the reef on the Waikiki side of
Diamond Head last night was the cause
of the utmost alarm TO the people
ashore.
The big human-target carrier arriv-
ed off Diamond Head about 10 o'clock
last night. from San Francisco, and,
for some reason hardly evident to any
one who has the slightest experience
with this coast or harbor, undertook
10 drop her mud hooks close in-shore,
off waikiki dangerously near the reef.
To be sure, the Fitzpatrick lay inN fif-
teen fathoms of water, but only few
ships lengths from where she lay there
were only seven fathoms. and from
seven fathoms she would have climbed
up on the reef without any warning
whatever"
These statements are erroneous ac-
cording to the stories told not only by
Captain Rodgers himself and Captain
Saunders, the pilot who boarded the
transport. but also by other seafaring
men here who have an intimate knowl-
edge of local waters.
Captain Rodgers, when seen yester-
day. said that he could not offer any
explanation for the Republicans con-
duet except that the reporter who |
wrote it must be off his base" He mad |
been particularly careful about anchor |
ing. as the night was dark and as there |
we're so many lights from sampans and |
canoes. that it was difficult to dis
.inguish between these and the lights
which mark the channel. He therefore
lrOpped his anchor at a safe place al
hough he was able to proceed further.
The anchor was dropped at fifteen
athoms of water and the Fitzpatrick
My draws twenty-four feet. When the
not, Captain Saunders, boarded the
essel about an hour or so afterwards,
e said that the anchorage was all
light
Captain Saunders tells the following
tory:
har II n trick I
found her already anchored off Wal Z
Xxi. She was then and had been in s
afe anchorage grounds. Her master :
ad anchored in fifteen fathoms of wa /
ar. with twenty-one fathoms on each r
de OF her. and she was nowhere near q
lie reef There was not and never had b
cen any danger for the vessel where il
ne was, and it was quite surprising to s
ee the tug when she came out to as il
ertain whether the Fitzpatrick was in L
'ouble.'' O
Major w. w. Robinson. Jr., L. S. a
uartermaster for Honolulu, states that
is connection with the matter began y
hen he was telephoned by the authori- v
es at Camp Mckinley. 1t was stated a
!, him that Diamond Head Charlie had a
eported the Fitzpatrick to be in a dan S
erous locality and probably on the I
eef. The message stated also that I
n attempt had been made to get him '
arlier. while the Major was attending Y
ne theater. Having no other informa- h
on Major Robinson Immediately sent +
n order TO have the tug Fearless got e
ut with all haste to the Fitzpatrick and S
scertain whether she was in need of z
ssistance. He procured a conveyance I
nd went out to the beach. where a de- s
achment of the artillerymen had also t
cen sent in readiness to pick up any
tray swimmers from the transport
.fter losing half a nights sleep and
-orrying over the situation as first re- 9
orted to him, he was finally apprised
the fact that the fitzpatrick was in f
% danger and had not been during the l
light
Captain Cameron, another old and eX- :
pilot in these waters, stated E
that he himself took the ex-
ct bearings of the Fitzpatrick in the !
morning from the tower of the pilot
Ouse. He found that the transport was
n n good anchorage with plenty of safe
7ater around.
The Fitzpatrick came into the harbor
bout 7:30 a m. and steamed for Naval y
Dock No. .. When opposite the little
teamer Mokolii which is lying off the
4dIAIt railway Snt tlCOunLeTeu Il Iluu-
ank which swung her bow around in
he direction of the Honolulu Iron .
Works. A bow line was sent over to +
he dock and soon Strengthened her out /
or the slip. The vessel was drawing
/ the time twenty-fOur and half feet f
TT and twenty three and half feet 5
onward. The presence of a mudbank $
n such close proximity TO the naval Y
'harf at a maximum of twenty-five feet
epth shows that the dredging of the +
arbor has become imperative 2
The fitzpatrick carries about forty cab 2
4 passengers and IFS recruits. of whom 1
fty-four Will remain at Camp McKin-
~. Among the passengers are also a r
lumber of nurses. horseshoers, wheel :
rights and others on their way 10 Ma s
lila. Mrs. W. W. Lawson. one of the ;,
abin passengers. is going 10 Manila to
pin her husband. to whom she was mar
led very recently.