The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-03-26

Not Water-Tight Compartment.
When the news. of the sinking of the
Pacific Mail Steamship City of Rio de
Janeiro was received in Honolulu the
Advertiser made reference to the fact
that she was not equipped with water
tight compartments, and that nothing
could have saved her from sinking
after a hole had been made in her bot
tom. This statement was contradicted
here, and it was stated that the Rio
was supplied with water-t1ght COM
partments.
The New York Maritime Register,
than which there is no better author
ity, dealing with the matter editoriany
in it's issue of the 9Th instant, shows
the Advertiser to have been correct as
follows:
Referring to an editorial paragraph
in our previous issue, replying to
questions from several subscribers in
regard to the sinking of the steamship
city of Rio de Janeiro, regular Pa
cific liner of the Pacific Nail Steam
ship Company, while entering San
Francisco harbor on. the 22d of Feb
ruary in a fog, We can now furnish our
readers with a few additional details
Her seven bulkheads, mentioned in the
Record of American and Foreign
Shipping cannot be considered synon-
ymous with the 'water-tight compart-
ments, on vessels of modern construc-
ton, and have therefore not been in
strumental in keeping the vessel affoat
after she struck and received her fatal
injuries The; fact, that she had not
been furnished with double BOTTOM,
had also a great deal to do with her
immediate sinking. The actual re-
sponsibilities for this awful calamity
must be decided by a proper court; the
coroners jury In San Francisco which
investigated the. death of the 131 vic
time, however, held that the disaster
was caused by criminal negligence on
the part Of both Captain Ward and
Pilot Jordan The management of the
Pacific Mail Steamship Company ayers
that according to their Instructions
the captain of each of their vessels
remains in actual command even after
the pilot boards the vessel and that
the latter acts only in advisory
capacity. The pilot. Captain Jordan,
stated under oath. that he gave orders
to proceed slowly when the fog lifted,
but almost Immediately ordered the
vessel stopped when the fog was fall
ing again; that Captain Ward, how
ever, ordered him to proceed. The
clearest testimony was given by Sec
Ond Officer Coghlan. son OF Captain
Coghlan. of the Raleigh, who declared
that the whole fault lay in trying to
steam into the harbor in a fog so thick
that no lights could be seen, and the
=
side of the Golden Gate The Pacific
Mail Steamship Company is also cen
Sured by the coroner'S jury for en-
ploying unfit Chinese Seamen. The
testimony thus far adduced seems
clearly to indicate. that captain as well
as pilot have been criminally negli-
gent: the management of the Pacific
Mail Steamship Company should also
be held to the strictest accountable
ity."
sh,pping Notes.
The transport Meade is due today
from San Francisco. ~
The Kinau does not sail today for
Hilo. Her departure has been post
poned until tomorrow at 10 a, m.
The bark Irmgard. Captain Schmidt,
sailed for San Francisco yesterday af-
terpoon with load of sugar.
The schooner Defiance, Captain
Bloom, is expected to sail this morn
ing for. the Sound, in ballast.
The Claudine sails for Kahuiui and
way ports this evening at 5 o'clock.
The transports PAX Ling and Penn
sylvania are due here within the next
few days. -@2 60 'E''~.- ~ b.
The coal supply at Bermuda was re
ported as completely exhausted on
February, % =. >.,.4 49,, -
Mr.. David .Jardfne has, been. elected
chairman of the Cunard Steamship
Company. In succession to Lord Inver-
clyde, who died on February IL
The British Admiralty Court has
awarded to the British steamer SOM
erhill and to certain tugs R10.S72 for
assisting the Red Star steamer West
ernland In December last.
A tariff war has commenced at King
ston. jamaica, between the Royal Mail
Line, Of London and Elder. Dempster
& Co., of. Liverpool, on freight between
England and Jamaica. Both lines are
cutting rates heavily.
The British steamer Darlington,
which arrived at New York on Feb
ruary rs from Stettin, brought in the
first cargo of Russian sugar since the
countervailing duty was placed on that
special commodity. Some Of the con-
signees have paid the duties under
protest, while others have stored 1t In
bond, and will dispose of 1t to Cana
dian customers. -'
Seven years ago the American Ship
Windlass Company, of Providence, sent
one OF their No. 10 Providence" mes
senger chain capstan windlasses to
Great Britain for a large sailing ship
building there, to handle 2 1-16 inch
chain, and this week they have re-
ceived an order for another similar
windlass of a larger size, to handle
2Ss-inch chain. This ship. which is
building on the Clyde, is also to have
four No. f Providence" hand cap
STAINS. This is considered quite com
pliment for the Providence windlas,
and capstans, built by the American
Ship Windlass Company of Rhode ISL
and.