The San Francisco call., 1907-02-20
Shipping News and Gossip
of the Water Front
ThetiS Returns After a Vain
Search for Rita Newman

The United states revenue cutter
Thetis, Captain o. c. Hamlet returned
yesterday after a vain search for the
missing power schooner Rita Newman.
From February II until yesterday the
Thetis crossed and recrossed the ocean
highway between here and the Coquille
River. kept a sharp lookout all the
time and spoke numerous vessels. but
neither saw nor heard Of the Rita New
man or of any wreckage that night
have come from the disabled craft.
Captain Hamlet did learn, however.
from the life-saving crew AT Coquille
that the Rita Newman. which left the
Coquille River on January - with a
cargo OF lumber for this port. went
ashore before she sailed and strained
her bull considerably. Captain Martin
sen, master % the Newman. realized the
condition Of his vessel. but as she was
laden with lumber he believed the voy-
age to san Francisco could be made
with safety. He expected IL TO be a
long passage and il was the belief at
coquiIle that he had provisioned his
vessel accordingly
There seems TO be some doubt how
ever, about the plethoric condition OF
the Rita Newman's larder According
10 A. +. Estabrook & Co. Of this city.
charterers of the vessel. they had re-
ceived the bills for the stores purchased
they could Judge the Rita Newman
started for this port twenty-seVen days
go with just seven days provisions.
The Thetis encountered very thick
weather during the greater part Of the
cruise She spoke many vessels, and.
as evidence OF the thoroughness OF his
search, Captain Hamlet cites the fact
that the Thetis twice overhauled the
British sealing schooner Ida Eta Brit
ish sealing schooners hunting of the
American coast do not court the COM
pany Of Yankee revenue cutters and
the second time the Ida Eta was en-
countered the sealer had changed her
location by forty miles. The Ida Eta
had thirty-three sealskins and evil
IDENTIFY was lying in wait for the herd
which soon would be moving from
southern waters TO the islands OF
Alaska Under the law the sealers
may hunt until May !, as long as they
confne their activities to the water
beyond the three-mile limit.
The Thetis viii make no further
effort TO find the Rita Newman unless
. word be received by which she can be
definitely located. The Newman is
stoutly built and. although amaged
by going ashore, it is believed that
her lumber cargo will insure her stay
ing afioat. Unless there are other pro-
vision bills that the charterers have not
yet received. or the Newman has re-
plenished her larder from some passing
vessel, Captain Martinsen and his crew
must be terribly hungry.
All Fixed for Burglary
Policeman MARITIME arrested a man
early yesterday morning on First
street, near Howard, because he was
acting suspiciousIy. At the harbor po-
lice station a search Of the prisoners
clothing revealed a set OF burglar
tools, a loaded revolver and a supply of
extra ammunition. The man proved to
be John Quinn, an ex-convict who has
served FIVE years in Folsom and another
I'VE years in San Quentin He is said
20 be wanted by the police.
Water Front Notes
Thk japanese liner America Maru ar
rived. yesterday at Honolulu from this
port.
The American-Hawai Steamship
COmpsny's Californian left Hilo on
Monday for Santa Cruz.
Receipts OF lumber yesterday by sea
amounted TO about 100000 feet.
The British ship Hutton Hall. 142 days
from Rotterdam. and the Argentine
barkentine Anoromeoa, with a cargo of
coal from Newcastle. Australia. were
reported outside yesterday afternoon.
Pilot Tyson boarded the Hutton Hall
and Pilot Mattheson is on the Andro-
media
The Pacific Mail liner Peru. Captain
MacKinnon. sailed yesterday for Pana-
ma and way ports. She carried about
twenty cabin passengers.