The Hawaiian gazette., 1905-10-27
The French Ship Ernest
Reyer Goes Aground
at Night--PuIled OFF
Before Noon.
tFrom Wednesdays Advertiser.)

| From Wednesdays Advertiser)
In the dead of night and with all her
sails set. the fine French ship Ernest
Reyer of Nantes, France, thirty-seven
days out from Newcastle bound for
Honolulu, piled up on the coral reef
at the foot of Diamond Head. on the
townside of the lighthouse, not 800 feet
from the shore line, and directly oppo-
site A. r. Gurrey's place.
The ship struck about 2:20 a. m. yes
terday, and exactly at 11:24 a. m. was
pulled off the coral shelf by the united
efforts of the Spreckels' tug Fearless,
the Inter-Island steamers Likelike and
Niihau and Captain Miller's steamer,
! the Lehua. The vessel was able there
after to proceed toward the harbor
under her own sails and was towed
in and moored at the Channel wharf
| by the tug Fearless. Except for a
slight leakage the vessel does not APP
pear to have suffered much damage
| Yesterdays disaster was the first
which Captain Dieulangard had expe-
rienced at sea, matter which he took
occasion to comment upon while the
vessel was humping on the reef. AL
most Immediately upon landing, the
| accumulation of mail for the vessel
was placed in his hands. and on OPEN
ing the first letter he was shocked TO
learn that his only daughter had but
recently died in France, or since he
left Newcastle on his present unfor-
tunate voyage.
Last night it was stated that on
behalf of the tug Fearless the French
ship would be libelled for $50, 900 for it's
share in salving the vessel, and that
another libel for about the same
amount would be filed on behalf OF the
Inter-Island Steam Navigation Com
pany for the work which it's steamers
the Mauna Loa, Likelike and Niihau-
performed in getting the vessel off from
her temporary, but dangerous, berth.
AS to the steamer Lehua, Captain
Miller stated last night that he had
contemplated no libel proceedings, be-
lieving that he would be able to adj
just his right for salvage money with
out such procedure.
People living in town, and especially
on the uplands, Were surprised yester-
day morning on looking towards Dia-
mond Head to see n full-rigged ship
standing bow on close inshore From
the manner in which she rolled il was
easily seen that she was on the rocks.
The smoke of tugs and steamers close
at hand indicated that she was In
peril, and in a short time the beach
was alive with humanity, eager to be
spectators OF whatever might happen.
Plenty of cameras We're in hand.
1t was about 2 o'clock when the
French ship headed in toward the Dia-
mond Head light. According to Cap
tain Jules Dieulangard, who was on
deck at the time, he took all his bear
ings from an old chart. He also mis-
took the Diamond Head light for the
Honolulu harbor light. 1t was misty,
according to his version, and suddenly
his vessel had swung up on the reef
He had expected to be met off the
light by the pilot, but not seeing one
approach he was preparing to anchor,
when he met with disaster. Soundings
showed that he had any number of
fathoms of water under his stern,
while from amidships and forward
there was but 81 feet. The ship was
drawing 20 feet at the time she went
aground, but struck rock in the swell.
The tide was running out at the time
and this increased her danger every
hour, until the flow set inshore again
The lowest ebb was at 7:11 yesterday
morning, and high flood was on again
after / p, m.
The vessel went on the reef with her
bow pointing in slanting manner to-
wards Gurrey's house, the stern point
ing off toward Molokai
Admiral Beckley and Diamond
Head Charley We're the first people
ashore to discover the plight of the
Frenchman. The former exchanged
signals with the craft, and learned her
identity. The Admiral went to
neighbor's house whence he telephoned
to the city that a ship was in distress.
The steamer Mauna Loa. coming in
from Kona and Kau ports early in the
morning. stood by. and passed a line
70 the ship Mate Mitchell was sent
aboard to ascertain the captains needs.
The latter asked that a line be passed