The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1904-01-15
British Ship Cromartyshire Fails
to Save Duty on Big Car.
60 Of Coal.
OFF THE HEADS YESTERDAY
Duty Became Effective ut Mid
night and the Consignee
Loses 1851 by Fall
ure 10 Reach Port.

A three -masted shipsupposed TO be
the British ship Cromarthyshire. ar
rived of the Heads at noon yesterday,
and is still in the offing. The vessel, II
she really is the Comarthyshire,
comes from Newcastle Australia, and
brings a cargo OF coal. When she
showed up at noon yesterday she was
20 miles to the northwest and Ii was
impossible to get her in before dark.
The Cromarthyshire had on board
$500 tons of coal. consigned to the
Holmes Fuel & Ice Company, of Port
land. Just year ago congress sus-
pended the coal duty for a period OF
one year. and at IL o'clock last night
the duty again became effective. Had
the Cromarthyshire succeeded in reach
ing port yesterday she would have
saved the duty Of s. cents per ton to
the eonsignee. an item of 1854.
Mr.. Holmes head of the Portland
firm came down from Portland yesterl
day. He was satisfied the ship out
side fas the Cromarthysbire. and neces-
sarily he was anxious that she should
reach port before the law again be-
came effective. He made overtures to
severa! masters 70 so outside last night
and try and get the ship into port but
none would rick IL. The bar was not
az smooth as 1t might have been and
the night was dark. So the ship was
compelled to beat around of the river
during the night, but 1t is quite likely
she win get in this morning.
The cromarthyshire Ia a famous
ship, and has had more narrow escapes
from total loss, perhaps, than any other
vessel which ever crossed the Columbia
bar. She has been wrecked several
times and many Of her men have been
drowned, and once she was a party to
the loss Of 300 or 400 lives of the coast
Of Newfoundland. However. she lived
through II all, and today is the hand
some, staunch ship she was 20 years
ago when the firm Of Thomas Law &
Co. put her into the water. She has
made this port many times.
Captain Nichol is the present master
of the Cromarthyshire. He formerly
commanded the Sutherlandshire, an
other vessel well known at Astoria.
The Sutherlandshire was in his charge
when she was lost in the Java sea, and
at 1ha, time Mrs. Nichol and half the
crew were drowned. MIS-. Nichol had
been here with the captain in the
Sutherlandshire two years ago and was
quite well known.
Several years ago the Cromarthyshire
collided with the big French liner La
Bourgoyne, off Halifax harbor, and the
scenes which followed the collision
were the most terrible in the maritime
history Of the western world. The
French sailors fought the passengers
in the mad effort for salvation, and
those who were saved were picked up
by the ship. She vas then in COM
mand Of Captain Henderson, who had
brought her to this port twice. A long
legal fight followed the disaster, and
in the end the Shire line was award
ed handsome damages. After the suit
was settled Captain Henderson was
other OF the Shire carriers. Captain
Reed assuming command Of the Gro
marthyshire. The good ship was
wrecked of the coast Of Africa and
Captain Reed perished. The vessel
was not total loss, however,and Cap
tain Nichol was sent out to repair her
He yut her in shape and today she is
one of he finest clippers that plies the
seas.
While the Cromarthyshire has
missed the coal law by only one day,
she has nevertheless made spanking
run from Newcastle, being 81 days out
yesterday. She registers about 14Oo
tons and carries 1900 tons of coal. Last
year she loaded at the sound. Four
years ago she loaded here, in command
of Captain Reed. but shortly after leav-
ing port encountered gale, her cargo
shifting. She put into San Francisco
for repairs and from that port made a
fine run home. That she failed to get
in last night was matter OF regret
.-.nr rryhn entertain