The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1906-12-03
Shipping News and Gossip
of the Water Front
New Cruiser Charleston Becomes Flag
ship of the Pacific Squadron

n.
the Pacific squadron. sailed gayly down
the bay from Mare Island yesterday
and came to her anchorage off Folsom
street wharf
Immediately after her arrival Ad-
iniral Swinburne. the commander of
the heet, transferred his colors from
the chicago TO the new arrival. The
new, cruiser made a formidable i'm
preston as she steamed along the
'front.' II was her first appearance in
N lower harbor since she arrived here
month ago and quietly made her way
10 the navy yard, eluding the vigilant
eyes Of the marine lookouts
The Charleston is probably destined
10 play an important part in the Pa
cine waters for the next few years
If the coalition Of the fleets of the
Pacific and Asiatic squadrons takes
place. as il is probable. the Charleston
viii be the flagship of the combined
feet
The big cruiser will receive visitors
every afternoon this week.
Since her arrival in this port the
Charleston has been at the navy yard
at Mare Island undergoing repairs.
When she left the island yesterday she
drew IS feet inches of water at the
normal tide. This would appear to be
a vindicstiOn of the depth of the chan
mel at that point. and proves that any
hattleship can with safety anchor off
Mare Island Navy Yard. The condition
Of the channel is due TO the dyking
which has recently been done by Civil
Engineer H II. Rousseau, who shortly
leaves this coast TO assume chief of
bureau of yards and docks at Wash
ington, d. c
Captain Barber Causes Sensation
Captain 7. H. Barber, port admiral
Of the bar pilots, caused sensation
on the water front yesterday that viii
be remembered in that locality for
long time to come. The pilots have
Just opened an Office in the Postofhce
building, south of the ferry building
Captain Barber made his first appear
ance there yesterday morning. de
opened the door with his new patent
Yale key and clambered up the stairs
10 the second story. Here he looked
over the situation and everything ap-
peared TO be satisfactory. He read The
Cali while he was putting away at
two-bit cigar, and then decided ne
would wend his way homeward. Now
this was all very well as far as II
went But when he got down to the
door he found that the lock was sprung.
He climbed up the stairs again and
leaning out of the windows, began
shouting for help. He yelled so Justify
that ne brought TO his assistance al
most the entire police department OF
CAPTAIN Barber tips the scales at about
$50 pounds. The door was locked so
fast that nobody could open it The
only thing TO do was TO get LADDER
One was finally procured, and IN the
midst Of a thrOng OF about 1000 people,
who had been drawn 70 the scene py
BARRIERS cries for help the pilot
veteran" slowly emerged from the sec
ond-story window and backed down the
ladder 10 the street. Congratulations
followed. and-well. the captain did the
needful for his rescuers.
sailors Catch Shark
The sailors Of the Manchuria caught
a big leopard shark yesterday Whlle
they were fishing from that steamship
which is lying in the stream on the
Pacific Mail docks. 1t was caught with
an ordinary hshing hook and line, and
when the shark grabbed the bait IL
made such dash out into the bay that
ii nearly pulled the little Chinese nsh-
erman over the rail Of the Manehuria
into the water. The Chinese held 10
the lire rs best he could and set up a
terrible pow wow-ing" which brought
almost the entire force Of the ship 10
mis- rescue He played out the line as
far as il would go, and then all hands
on board took a hand The shark
swan I'D and down the side of the
liner. flashing the bay with foam. AS
he dashed about the Chinese on board
who had hold of the line first ran one
way and then another. After two hours
hard struggle the shark succumbed
from exhaustion and gave up the bat
tie He was hauled on board of the
big ship amid the shouting of the
Mongolians. The shark was six feet
in length and weighed $50 pounds
shark stew "a Ia Manchuria" was the
diet on the steamer last night
VIII Examine sheridan
The hull Of the transport Sheridan
viii be examined this morning by In
spectors Bulger and Bolles The Sher-
idan is now on the dock at Hunters
Point
Christian Nicholson Arrives
The Norwegian steamer Christian
Nicholson. Captain Benton, arrived IN
mort Yesterday. She brings a big cargo
Consisting OF 5s,s23 bags of sugar, con-
signed TO the Western Sugar Refinery
She was forty-six days from Soura-
bava and twenty-seven days from MoJi
Enterprise Is DOcIxed
The steamship Enterprise locked at
Howard 3 Yesterday. She came over
from Oakland on Friday, where she
had been undergoing repairs, and at
TEMPTED TO come alongside her old
wharf. She could not make IL, how
ever. as the Northwestern was blowing
50 strong that she had TO push 3nto the
stream and go to an anchorage until
the weather moderated
Lumber Receipts
The lumber receipts from northern
,,orts Yesterday amounted to 1,575,000
feet.
China Expected Today
The Pacific Mail steamship China