The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1902-06-11
TO SEARCH
FOR KERR
MikahaIa Will Be
Sent Out at
Once.
PLANS FOR LONG
CRUISE MADE
Will Be Sent to French Frigate
Shoals and Then Out
on the Hunt.

| With every provision for IL days a.
sea. the Inter-Isiand steamer Mlkahals
viii sail Thursday morning for a cruis,
about French Frigate Shoals. for the
purpose OF endeavorins to locate and
tow into port the hulk OF the coal ship
Fannie Kerr. This decision was reach
| ed At n meeting OF the directors OF the
company yesterday afternoon. and the
rich salvage In sight made the action
unanimous.
The decision to make the run was
bers OF the board by Captain Haglund.
RE stated that after carefully taking
the statements OF Captain Gibbons of
the Kerr. he thought the vessel was in
latitude 2s. longitude 1ss west. This
would mean that the vessel was aban-
doned at a distance OF 200 miles from
this port. At the time the ship was
last seen there was n current setting
west-northwest. having a rate OF three
fourths mile an hour. This IL is argued
should have carried the vessel to
French Frigate Shoals by the time the
Mikahaia 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. 1t is
the intention OF the company to make
every arrangement for the success OF
the salvage expedition. The vessel win
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 Mikahala Is OF IL knots speed
and has sufficient power to tow the
ship. 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
10 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. 1t Is
the belief that the ship Will be found
close to French Frigate Shoals. IL 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 $50 hours
thara might have been travelled sew
eral hundred miles.
II Is the universal opinion that there
will be something like $4,000 in the
salvage proposition II the ship is
found, which would give to the COM
pany a substantial profit
Alexander Watson has been organic
ing a company on the basis OF 40 sub
scribers at 800 each. but II has not
reached the status OF securing ship
TO search as yet.