The Hawaiian gazette., 1904-05-17
tFrom Saturdays Advertiser)

| u rom SATURDAY AuNerllseTJ
Queen of the Pacific, towering in the
| majesty of the greatest tonnage piled
into a single steamship, the new Paci-
| fic Mail steamship Mongolia on her
maiden trip across the Pacific arrived
at Honolulu yesterday afternoon at l
o'clock amid the welcoming blast Of
steam whistles, both in the harbor and
on land. Slowly and easily the big
ocean leviathan steamed in through
the channel across the small interven-
ing space of harbor to Naval Slip No.
dock Ne. / as lightly as If she had
been a mere pleasure yacht. Captain
Kinder, commander of the Mongolia,
was on the bridge with pilot Macauay
and expressed his pleasure at the
pilots masterful management of the
huge bulk beneath them.
The Mongolia received n royal well
come to Honolulu. The pleasure of
Honolulans in greeting the vessel Is
likely to be lasting, for more com
modious, seaworthy, and well-officered
steamship has not entered the harbor.
Despite the fears that the great steam
er might not be able to come inside the
harbor this was found to be entirely
within the line of possibilities. Due to
the courtesy of Admiral Terry the
naval dock slip was emptled of war
ships to enable the vessel to come in
side
Shortly after the vessel had moored
and the passengers had disembarked,
the Honolulu public swarmed aboard
and inspected every part of the ship.
isn't she fine?" was an expression
often heard as groups peered into
cabins, suites, the dining saloon, the
mysterious realms of the galley, cargo
rooms and cargo holds. The visitors
only echoed the praises of the passen-
gers, for not one was heard to utter
q statement that was derogatory to
the vessel.
The Mongolia was sighted at 1O:45
and about 1880 was off the entrance
to the harbor. The Custom House
launch, carrying the Collector of Gus
toms and friends, immigration officials
L. S. Surgeons. Customs inspectors and
representatives of the press went out
and boarded the vessel. The towering
height of the hurricane deck was
never more apparent than when the
launch went up close to the steamer.
The heads of passengers peering over
the rails at the bobbing launch looked
the size of peas.
AS the vessel was laying-to outside
it was noticed that she was drawing
about 25.9 feet forward. This was
sufficient to bring her into the harbor
easily and the order was given to pro-
ceed through the channel. Captain
Rinder had previously had 1000 tons of
water ballast pumped out, which gave
her a light draught, considering she
was loaded with 5000 tons of freight
The vessel was originally scheduled to
carry 10, 600 tons dead weight for cargo,
but at the last day 1000 tons of bar
ley intended for the Japanese govern
ment was removed. The Mongolia can
carry $1,000 tons dead weight or $4,000
tons by cubic measurement.
As the vessel passed the lighthouse
she gave three long blasts of her deep
toned whistle, which sounded like
diapason when compared with the stac-
cato blast of whistles responding in
stanter from vessels in the harbor and
buildings on shore. The welcome was
long continued, the air often being
rent with trombone whistles. The
Naval dock was a black mass OF people
and as soon as the vessel neared the
wharf, the Hawaiian Government
band, led by Captain Berger, struck up
patriotic tunes, changing later to Ha-
waiian airs The passengers applaud
ed the musical welcome
The great height of the vessel COM
plicated matters in getting the pas
sengers ashore. The gangway could
not be raised to the forward deck and
had to be put through a freight port.
Passengers had to go between decks