Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1905-11-02
OUR HARbOR DANGERS

Editor Evening Bulletin:-Since the
grounding of the fine ship Ernest
Reyer" we continually hear the re.
marks both from seamen as well az
landsmen, why do we continually
have wrecks at this port, and how can
a captain be such a fool as to run his
ship ashore, close under high bluf
like Diamond Head" or If the ship
happens to be an old one they do not
hesitate to say, 1T was done on pur'
pose to get the Insurance. forgetting
or not knowing. that ship master
who destroys his ship can be hung for
it, and he naturally thinks twice before
a crime.
In my opinion, the only remedy is to
have a pilot boat stationed off Diamond
Head to board ships at sea and not
after the tug boat has hold of her. IL
you say that anybody could keep away
from this coast, that is because you
know the place just as easy as the boy
knew his father and was surprised that
everybody else did not. A stranger
coming here for the first time without
being able to get any chart of the place
land do not believe a chart of these
islands could be bought in a dozen
places in the world outside the United
States) must feel very nervous and
looks anxiously for a pilot; but II no
has a chart and a good one, he has
other things TO contend with, as for In
stance, the currents. know OF many
places in the trade wind latitudes
where II takes smart ship to hold
her own against 1t. Then, again, do
you not know how hard II is TO Judge
the distance from land In fine, clear
weather. You may taken ten shipmas
ters and they will vary many miles
The next time you go to or from the
+ coast ask, a dozen passengers how far
: the land may be that is plainly in
) view, and see what a difference Of
/. opinion there will be. But suppose II
D is showery, as IL was the night the
l. "Ernes Reyer" went aground.
q Another thing not known by all sail
D ors Is that ship will always sail to
. wards the land faster than away from
$ IL. have heard It was caused by the
/ attraction of the land, but | am sure
IL Is caused by the fact that the wave!
[ are always coming towards the lane
0 and never from the land. so on the of
A shore tack you head the sea and or
a the inboard tack the waves are pushing
Y you along.
/. Again. Jack Is as good as his master
now days, and on the Pacific Coast {
4 good deal better: consequently the mas
a ter tries TO tack ship at the end o.
D the watch, and frequently stands to
wards the land until the end of thu
watch rather than disturb his men
0 While ! am Oh this subject, | may a!
g well say that the discipline in the mer
[ chant service is such that 1t makes i
!. hard for both master and, men, to say
nothing of the danger.
In the first ship on which came /,
Honolulu as fourth mate Tin 1858 o
1859, forget which, in fine weathe
and not too much wind, say a goo
working breeze, from the time that tn
order was given to Call all hands I
Bout Ship" II would never exceed tel
minutes till we were on the othe
tack and every sail set, and we hav
done 1t in Ave minutes. Now, the
have rule to give the men ten minute
TO get on deck; always strike the bel
ten minutes before time in calling tn
watch, and the habit has become s
universal that men expect ten minute
to get on deck and would IL the shi
was going ashore in many cases. Nov
take II in cold weather, the crew ar
hours doing what they could do jus
as well In ona.fourth of the time; al
unnecessary work and all from wan
of discipline. The best officer | hav
seen, Mr.. Seeley (now Capt. Seeley
said he would like the old style, and
replied, You would think me insan
II | was TO Insist on what ! know t
be the best for us ALL" He SCENE
TO doubt II, but the very next mornin
he commenced to give orders to tn
man at the wheel when was on tn
quarter dack, and told him quietl
so that no one heard me, that when
!. was on deck he need not speak to II
man at the wheel, at which he too
,g so much offence that for a week he di
~ not come up on the poop when wa
there. ] was smiling to think how Il
r. least approach to the old.fashione
rules affected him, but, like myself,
got mad quick but could not keep ma
and in fact | was only foo!ing to s,
how he would take it. We manai
somehow to get along, and trust in Pr
violence.
W. l.. JOSSELYN,
Is. Master "Nuuanu."