The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1905-11-22

In response to request made by The
Star, and for the purpose of setting at
rest the many unfounded rumors and
| wild theories that have arisen and been
circulated regarding the Russian cruis-
| er Lena, and the reasons for her coming
| hither, Captain Ginter this morning
authorized the following statement. In
answer TO a letter asking for such q
| statement and offering the columns of
| The Star for it's publication. Captain
| Ginter commissioned Joseph Lugebil,
| his brother-in-law, and his guest on
this voyage, TO fully state the reasons
| for putting into this port
| The Lena sailed from San Francisco
| the last of October said Mr.. Lugebil,
| bound for VladiVOStok. 1t was expect
| ed that the voyage would occupy about
| twenty days, considering the weather
| reasonably to be expected at this time
| of the year on the course taken. The
| supply of coal and water taken would
| under ordinary circumstances have
/ been sufficient for that voyage. But
| the Lena is not vessel suited for long
/ cruises. except under favorable circum-
| stances. Her boilers are of the French
| tubular type. which will not permit of
| the use of salt water, nor are they suit
| ed for use with any but the best coal.
that is of coal of the Cardiff quality.
| Inferior coal SO clogs up the ffues with
| SCOT as to create danger of explosion
| by the irregular and experimenting of
| the tubes.
For the first week out from San
! Francisco the Lena had very good
| weather, but at the end of that time
she began to meet exceedingly severe
! winds and head seas, fierce snow
storms and tremendous gales. The
Lena is very light. and so presented
| the greatest surface to these head
winds and head seas, and there We're
days when she was unable, with the
quality of coal she had to make an
average of more than three or four
knots an hour. Under these battling
circumstances, her supply, both of coal
and of fresh water for the boilers, was
rapidly exhausted without being able
to make much progress toward her des-
tination.
Finally, on October H. when the Le-
ma was about 500 miles to the west
ward of Unalaska. it became evident
that even with as good weather as
could be counted on in that latitude,
she would not be able to make Vladi-
NOSjOh WIN neT coal ana water sup
ply. 1t was then a question of whether
the course should be changed to Una
laska or to Honolulu, the nearest points
at which supplies could be obtained.
ct was uncertain whether, if the Lee
ma went to Unalaska, she would be able
at this season of the year to get suffi-
cient supply of coal. In the summer
there would be little reason to expect
disappointment, but at this season of
the year it was not by any means so
certain, and as that region is practically
deserted by shipping for the winter, if
she were not able to get a supply there
she would have to remain at UnalaSka
until next April Aside from the dismal
prospect of such a wait for all on
board, including the officers wives, no
valid reason for going there, when a
mere promising port was attainable,
could be given the Russian Admiralty.
Accordingly Captain Ginter deter
mined to sail for Honolulu, where there
was every prospect of being able to
secure supplies both of coal and water.
He also felt that if weather condi-
tons should be worse on this voyage
than he expected, and his supply of coal
should give out before reaching Homo
lulu, he would not be altogether out of
the track of steamships, and thus
might be able to secure enough coal
to enable him to reach Honolulu.
Thus, though the distance from the
point where the course was changed to
Vladivostok, and the distance to Homo
lulu. were not materially different, the
difference was in favor of Honolulu,
while the weather conditions We're such
as to make it practically certain that
vladivostok, or even japanese port,
could not be reached. Toward Honolu- |
lu the weather conditions might be ex-
pected to be favorable. and so the sup
ply of coal and water might be re- |
newed.
These are the reasons and the only |
reasons, for the Lena coming to this |
port. There was no trouble among Of |
fcers or men. Simply, weather condiz |
lions exhausted a supply of coal that |
was not of the quality suitable for the |
Lena and her boilers, and made it i'm |
nossible to make Vladivostok with |
out additional supplies For those /
We came here. We shall coal |
as soon as we can and then proceed
at once and direct to Vladivostok- We
shall not be able to coal as soon as we
hoped. and hence will not be able TO
proceed as soon as We expected. But
we shall go as soon as we have coaled.
."That is the whole mystery of the
Lena.
captain Ginter wishes me to ex-
press his qualification at being afforded
this opportunity of setting forth Iuily
the reasons why the Lena came mere
and of setting at rest, as he hopes, all
rumors and theories of mystery
THE LENA's COAL QUESTION.
The coal question is one of absorb
ing interest just now with the Lena
A local Craftsmanship captain, speaking
of the matter. said yesterday; The
v,arships do not use the same coal as
freight steamers. The hard coal. which |
is. of course. more expensive, is used |
almost exclusively by the warships whose
boiler furnaces are made for that grade.
hu+ If is a question of space with them
Wit h