The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1906-09-29

Living at the Hackfeld wharf. just
across from her sister ship, the Man
churia, is the S. S. Mongolia, which
limped into port yesterday morning
from Midway Island, on whose reefs
she had been stranded and torn. From
the forward ports streams of water are
pouring, the discharge from the busy
pumps at work in the hold keeping
down the inflow of water from the
leaks caused by the stranding. Other
wise there is little to show that the
Mongolia in arriving was making a
port of refuge after a strenuous ex-
perience, the most noticeable thing
about her approach to the dock being
the absence of passengers on her
decks. She arrived at l o'clock, being
preceded into the harbor by the trans
port Buford, in whose company she
has sailed from Midway.
According to the. orders received the
Mongolia sailed up from Midway IN
close company with the transport and
signals were exchanged each day. the
Mongolia reporting her condition and
receiving intelligence of the health and
comfort of the passengers. who had
been taken on the transport at Mid
way If there had been no orders re
earding the convoy the Mongolia would
have arrived here on Thursday morn
ing. but accommodated her speed to
suit that of the slower boat.
When first the Mongolia left the reef
she listed to quite an alarming extent,
alarming at least to the Oriental mem
bers of the crew, who rushed for the
life preservers, thinking that the yes
sci was about to capsize. The list was
at least twenty degrees to starboard
and was not wholly got rid of during
the voyage up until a short time be-
fore this port was reached.
The Mongolia went on the Midway
reef on the evening of Saturday, Sep
TENDER 16, when feeling her way along
at a slow speed, the Captain misjudg-
ing the distance from the shore The
lead was being used and there had
been no suspicion that the reef was in
close proximity until the vessel struck.
kThere was no excitement among either
&the members of the crew or the pas
sengers, with the exception of the lat
ter in the Oriental steerage, who
threatened for the time to stampede.
At the first shock the vessel began
taking in water and the pumps were
rugged without delay. the crew being
put to work shifting and jettlsonlng
the cargo in the forward holds.
were three officers on the bridge,
CAPTAIN Porter. Second Officer Cahill
and Fourth officer Wisehaven. The
Midway light could be clearly seen.
PULLED HERSELF FREE.
The day following the grounding
anchors were set out astern ana OH
these a steady strain was kept up oy
the winches, preventing the further
driving ashore of the ship. Ihen d
large part of the cargo was Jettlsoiieu
and the coal from some of the forward
bunkers thrown overheard, hghteilils
the ship as much as possible
After the pumps had caught up TO
the inflow of water into No. hold
and had succeeded in half emptying IL
and tha after tanks had been empued,
the whole ship was lightened ana came
off in response to the pull OF the ma"
sers and the propeliers.
AS she slid into deep water she was
cheered by the watching passenger
ashore and by the crew OF the trdhs-
port. lying by
Cantain Porter was free in express
ing his delight at arriving sdlelS ~
Honolulu being the recipient since tae
docking of the ship of the cohSio'u
la+ione of MANY Honolulans. among
whom he has scores OF lrleliuS' "
CARDS to the stranding of the NORGE
1;a tba cantafn did not wish to be
;n+arviewed nor would ne express MS
sentiments regarding the stories %
4 the ahandonment of the liner by the
~ Japanese training ship Ahesd" d
AIone other lines he was more com
municatiVe.
Captain PORTER TALKS
at cannot speak too highly Of the
wav NV officers and crew worked dur
ing those long days We lay held 1as'
on the reef" he said. Every mar
aboard did what was possible and attel
We had the Mongolia off / went aroullo
and thanked my men for the 10Y d
support they had given me. ne III
nese members of the crew ought 10 pe
especially praised. At the hrst sig
of danger every Chinaman dropped nis
work and took his place at the po','
ready to man them and lower at the
word. OF course there was no dallseI
for the sea was as smooth as d Hooi
but had there been every oiiiiis'iiiS'i
was at his post Of duty.
II ordered them away to begin at
once ON the work of shifting cargo
aft thinking that the vessel could be
nshtened in this way, but soon touno
ont that. much as L disliked to do II
I would have to jettison part OF II
At no time was there any danger &c
the passengers. If there had been O
course my first thought would nave
been to get them to a place of safety ETY.
but they were all landed the next day
n I'VE had only few passengers, pu
Z it was one Of the best crowds l nav nav
ever had on board. In every posslpl'
way they helpeq me. cheered me u. ~