The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1904-12-20
WONDERFUL RECORD
OF THE OLD GAELIC
HAS TRAVELLED OVER MILLION
MILES WITHOUT A SINGLE sERI-
GUS ACCIDENT.

SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. IA steam
ship that has travelled 1,34S,S46 miles
and never had but one accident, and
| that slight one, is considered some
| thing remarkable in these days of
wrecks and disasters, say men who
have gone down to the sea. This is the
record of the Occidental and Oriental
! liner Gaelic, now in port, and to sail
away for the last time through the
i Golden Gate on December 18th, bound
| for Liverpool, to be sold by the White
Star Company, her owner.
There is a possibility that the Jap
anese Government will make an effort
to purchase the steamer Gaelic upon
! her arrival i'm the Orient. 1t is under
stood that she is to be finally released
| from the Occidental and Oriental SER
vice upon arrival at Hongkong, and
! unless her purchase from the White
! Star Company is consummated by that
! time the old liner is to proceed to Liv-
! erpOol, where, in view of the general
dulness of the shipping industry and
! the disposition to relegate old vessels
to the scrap heap, the future of the
| Gaelic is not inviting. She is, however,
still sound and serviceable, and as
| transport or for any general use by
Japan under existing circumstances,
could be put to good use 1t is believ-
ed, at any rate, that the Gaelic would
bring a higher price in Japan than in
England.
The Gaelic was built in 1885 at Bel
fast by Harland & Wolff for the White
Star line, and was AT once sent out to
the Pacific by way of the SueZ canal
to ply between the Orient and this city.
That was nineteen years ago and in
foul weather and fair the beautiful
liner has voyaged 10 and fro ninety
three times across the Pacific with
never a breakdown nor notable delay.
And only two captains have command
ed her. The first was Captain w. G.
Peane, good mariner, but who. I'M
! fortunately, ran her ashore i'm Shimo-
noseki straits, Japan She was easily
hoated and found to be uninjured, ana
this was the only accident in her long
/ career. Captain Pearne died in Hong
kong i'm 1896 and was succeeded on the
Gaelic by Captain William Finch, for
merly chief officer of the big Atlantic
liner Teutonic. Finch has had the
Gaelic ever since, and his careful hand
ling has maintained the good name of
the ship. Under Captain Pearne, Cap
tain j. H. Kinder was chief officer OF
the Gaelic for three gears, up to 1895,
when he left to take the old Belgic
home to Liverpool.
On this, her last voyage to the ORR
lent, the old Gaelic broke three of her
own records, which shows her sound
ness. On the outward trip, an average
of 10 knots an hour was made from
Woosung to Hongkong, and on the re-
turn trip she averaged 1475 knots an
hour from Woosuug to Nagasaki. while
from Nagasak to Kobe an average of
l4.75 knots was logged. The run from
Honolulu to this city showed an aver
age Of 1425 knots, Thus mutely the old
Gaelic proclaims her usefulness. She
Is 42O6 gross and 1851 net tons regis
ter, ana is 42O3 feet long, with a
breadth of 42A feet, and depth of 29.G
feet
With the exception Of Captain Finch
am of the present officers are to remain
ON the Gaelic ON her trip home 10 Eng
land, 10 the regret Of many friends on
both sides of the Pacific The princi-
lpll officers are. chief officer W. r.
Morgan, first ohicer j Morrison; secs
und officer a. g. Howe, third officer
u, r. TSsou fourth officer a. n. Wat
sons chief engineer John Hodderi pur-