The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1904-05-13
TACOMA'S SEARCH FOR
DOUBTFUL ISLAND

The Army and Navy Journal has the
following concerning the mission of
the cruiser Tacoma, assisted BY
Mr. Hague. in searching for lost is
land between Honolulu ana San Fran
cisco:
Acting upon the suggestion Of Mr.
]. D. Hague. the distinguished geolo-
gist, the Navy Department has under
| taken a surveying expedition to de-
terTnine the question Of the existence
OF an island in the North Pacific on
which the United States sailing sIoop
Of war Levant t2dl IS supposed by
some TO have been wrecked in 1860
" hile en- route from Hawaii to Panama
The last letter received from the conn
nlanding officer OF flle vessel. Com
mander William E. Hunt, T. 6 N.
stated that he proposed TO follow a
course which would take him in a di-
rection where the island IN question
Is supposed to be located It seems TO
have appeared and disappeared. as II
has been reported at times, and then
again could not be found. Mr.. Hague,
who has given much study to the sub
ject. is confident Of its existenee and
he viii accompany the L. 8 $ Tacoma
which VIII so in search of 1t. after
making a practice cruise from Tacoma
10 Honolulu. and then to San Fran
cisco. searching for the island on the
return trip. It is supposed to be q
volcanic peak. such as Is found IN the
Pacific and in the Mediterranean. ap-;
pearing and disappearing at Intervals.
Admiral Henry Erben. L. s. N. in sur
veying for a cable route from san
Francisco 10 Honolulu found the water
in this vicinity sfoaling of within
thirty miles from some 5000 fatho1ns
10 500 fathoms, and then within three
or four miles more 10 500 fatfornS. and
200 fathonas- The AIbatross sailed over
the point where the island is supposed
to be located. finding a great depth Of
water. yet reports have come 70 the
Department that breakers and other
indications OF an obstruction have been
seen IN that vicinity, and an effort IS
to be made to obtain something ac-
curate concerning what is now known
as doubtful danger
The island sought for, If 1T exists,
is probably on a line east or EN-. E
from Hawaii The Levant, en- route
from Honolulu 10 Panama would en-
deavor to make al the casting possible
TO get over TO the coast Of America
Possibly a northeast trade wind. well
to the eastward, would have driven the
ship somewhat TO the norfhwar5, and
she may have been wrecked on a
shoal to the y, E Of Hawai-. Admiral
Erben met at Honolulu IN 1873 men
who claimed 10 have seen such an is
and This was after the Admiral had |
sounded over the spot IN the Tuscarora |
showing the existence Of & volcanic /
peak or peaks.
The Leyant was an Is-gun sloop Of
war OF 797 tons. 1928 feet in length, /
IS feet beam, drawing. Is 1-2 feet of /
water. She is described as a comfort /
bile but not weatherly sea boat. very |
tiff, steering badly. and very slow and
Uncertain In stays She was over sparr-
d and the conclusion at the time was
hat she had capsized IN a gale. Her
ulcers at the time she disappeared
we're: Commander. William E. Hunt;
ientenants. ~ G. b S Porter. E. C.
.fout. ColS-iTle ferret and r T. Bowen
,assed assistant surgeon. J. s Gillian
ssistant surgeon william Bradley
James G. aEosely first lieutenant
Ia<1rllsS- T. L. ID ~ At4AiS- - SA--S tse
vain. Harrison Edmonsten; acting
-unner. Robert s King: carpenter,
-ohn Jarvis. sa5i-rHaker. Charles
'rost- They we're fine. set of officers
nd their loss. especially just at the
inc the Czx1 War was breaking oar
ras greatly depSored- OF the heuTan-
MS IN the Naval Register OF 1859. IN
7hich the naE0es OF Porter. Stout. Ter (
EFT and Bowen are found Henry Er-
IN. James H ellis JOHN H Upshur.
.ephan B. Luce and David B. Har-
lony survive. All a6nfrals On the re- ]
red list