The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-06-24

anu Hci 4oWtT deck was only a couple
or feet above the wharf. No sooner was
she near enough than dozens of men
sWarmed over her side and commenced
toshake hands in welcome with those TO
whom only the day before they had
said good-by. AS soon as the gangway
had been rugged more people followed.
men, women and children. To witness
the scene which followed one would
imagine that the vessel had come all
the way from San Francisco. and that
the people had not seen each other for
months or years
everybody seemed in the best of spir-
its, and no kicks We're heard at having
10 come back to Honolulu. The general
opinion seemed to be that when one was
forced to put back to port after start
ing on sea voyage there was no better
place in the world to which to return
than this one.
An expressman was on hand and took
numbers Of orders for the conveying
Of baggage from the steamer to resi-
dences and hotels up town. 1t seems
that few if any of the passengers will
remain on the vessel until she gets
away again for the Coast The proba-
up on the Sierra tomorrow if that
vessel arrives by that time.
While the majority of the passengers
did not seem to be greatly put out on
account of the ships return, there were
a few, business men principally. who
were greatly disappointed and some of
them talked of damages and similar
things.
When asked how they had enjoyed
the hri0f trim nf ha
made answer that they had been at
sea just long enough to be seasick, and
that now they would have to repeat
that disagreeable experience on some
other steamship.
At O'Clock on Saturday afternoon
the Zealandia sailed from the Oceanic
wharf for San Francisco. Chief Engi-
neer Keller had temporarily repaired
the starboard boiler, and was or the
opinion that he could take the vessel
up to the Coast without any trouble
All went well until about g O'Clock
Saturday evening, when il was noticed
that the tubes of the starboard boiler
were leaking little. Keller had had
these plugged. not being able to put in
new tubes during the short time the
vessel was in port. The boat was at
that time making about twelve knots.
After the leak in the boiler was dis
covered her speed was reduced to about
six knots. The leak got worse and,
about o'clock yesterday morning.
Chief Engineer Keller and Captain
Dowdell had a conference, when it
was decided that it was the
wisest plan to Immediately put
about and head for Honolulu OF
course the Zealandia might have been
taken on to San Francisco. but she
might have been two or three weeks In
making the trip. She could have gone
along at hardly more than five or six
knots an hour and, in the event of any
heavy weather, she might have been
driven way off her course. The prob
abilities are that had the captain de-
cided to attempt to reach the Coast
the passengers would have had any
thing but a pleasant time of it. They
would not have starved, although they
would undoubtedly have had to go
without a great many of the good
things which are always carried on the
boats of the Oceanic line. One thing
is almost certain, the passengers will
arrive in San Francisco q great deal
sooner, the vessel having put back,
than they would had she kept on her
course.
When the Zealandia put about she
was scarcely a hundred miles from this
port.
About O'Clock in the morning, when
y
some remark was made as to the slow
ness of the vessels travelling. Then
were the passengers informed that the
steamer was on her way back to Ho-
nolulu. She had been coming back for
a couple of hours before any Of the
travellers realized that they were not
going the way they had bargained for.
When Chief Engineer Keller was
seen aboard by an Advertiser reporter.
he said:
IF it had not been for the boycott
of the boiler makers in this port this
thing would never have happened.
When we arrived here from San Fran
cisco the starboard boiler was in need
OF repairs. Several tubes were leaking,
and it was necessary to put in new
ones We were promised men TO go to
work on the boiler the day after our
arrival The men, however, did not
turn up. and it was necessary, in order
TO take the ship out on schedule time,
for me to make temporary repairs. All
we could do was to plug the leaking
tubes This we did. Everything was in
good condition when We sailed on Sat
urday with that exception.
"A leak in the tubes of the Starboard
boiler was reported to me about 3
o'clock on Saturday night. 1t did not
amount to much at that time. Then
we were making about twelve knots,
Shortly afterwards the leak increased,
and the speed was reduced to six
knots. 1 reported the matter to the
captain, and about o'clock in the
morning we put her about and headed
for Honolulu, not deeming it wise to
keep on our journey. The Zealandia Is
all right except for the starboard boil
er. We will have 10 make the neces-
sary repairs ourselves, and II Will be
some time before we can get away
again. No; 1 do not like to say how
long it will take us, that is too much
of a speculation.
when the Zealandia left port on
SATURDAY. afternoon, said Fred Whit
ney. of irwin & Co., local agents Of the
Oceanic line, ''she was, as far as the
chief engineer was aware. in as good
condition as the limited facilities for
making repairs here could render her.
Had the engineer been aple TO secure
heller makers there would have been
no question as TO her condition ana
ability to steam ahead as usual and
everything would have been all rlght-
the fQillf dOAS