The Hawaiian gazette., 1902-06-13
TO SEhACH
FOR KERR
MikahaIa Will Be
Sent Out at
Once.
rrom weane.aay.s aoIlyl

With every provision Cor % days at
ses. the Inter Island steamer Mikaha'a
will sail Thursday morning FOR q cruise
about French Frigat~ shoals. f1t the
purpose OF cndeavoring TO locate and
TOW into port the hulk Of the coal shin
Fannie Kerr This decision was rcach-
ed At A meeting of The directors Of the
cs~rpany yesterday afternoon. and the
rich salvage In sight made the action
unanimous
The decision o. make the run was
reached after statement to the mem
bers of the board by captain Haglund.
lie stated that after carefully taking
the statements OF Captain Gibbons of
the Kerr. he thought the vessel was IN
latitude 26 longitude 16S west. This
would mean that the vessel was aban-
doned at distance OF 700 miles from
this port. At the time the ship was
last seen there was n current setting
west-northwest. having a rate OF three
fourth- mile an hour. This IL Is argued
should have carried the vessel 20
French Frigate shoals by the time the
Mikahala reaches that point. which
should be about sunday morning
The Mikahala will be under command
of Captain Haglund. and he will have
an advisory staff OF Captain Gregory
and perhaps one other captain. II is
the intention OF the company to make
every arrangement for the success of
the salvage expedition. The vessel Will
carry close TO 800 tons OF coal and
plenty OF provisions. The coal supply
will be sufficient to take the little ship.
for the Mikahala is Of only 35i tons
burden. all through her prospective
cruise and will enable the towing back
to land of the hulk In any event.
The Aikahala is Of IL knots speed
and has sufficient power to tow the
chip. The only danger would arise In
the event OF heavy weather. when the
towing lines would be cast off and the
steamer would content itself with
standing by and looking out for her
own safety and keeping watch upon
the prize.
The time set for the trip is sufficient
to permit of six days cruising about
along the line OF the current from the
spot where the Kerr had to be aban-
doned. This is enough time In the
opinion of every seafaring man who
knows that portion OF the ocean. IL is
the belief that tho ship will be found
close to French Frigate Shoals. III in
deed IL has not been cast upon the reefs
there. The ship could not drift far In
the current which was noticed by the
captain before he abandoned ship and
after. but would be hampered in her
movements with that current by the
winds. The current when noted was
running three-fourths knot an hour
The direction was to the west-north'
west. but the winds were not in accord
and the ship would not make great
progress. When the Mikahala reaches
the spot where the Kerr was aban-
doned there will have elapsed Is days
and during the more than +30 hours
there might have been travelled sew.
eral hundred miles.
IL is the universal opinion that there
will be something like $50. 900 In the
salvage proposition IL the ship is
found. which would give to the com
pany substantial profit
Alexander Watson has been organiz-
ing a company on the basis of 40 sub
scribers at 800 each. but II has not
reached the status OF securing a ship
TO search az yet