The San Francisco call., 1908-05-31
Shipping News and Gossip
Of the Water Front
Snow Has All Melted at Nome and
the Bering Straits Are Clear of Ice

The United States weather bureau
has received from Nome message
telling Of conditions in the far north.
Clear weather was experienced during
April, with calm seas and light north
east wind May has been cloudy
month. The snowfall this year was
only half as heavy as last season
and by this time all the snow has dis
In the Bering sea the ice broke
loose from the shore May 20 at noon
and little ice is now visible from Nome.
The ice is now moving north. The
Bering strait is almost clear and
there is no shore ice left between Nome
and Point Spencer. Two whales are
reported 10 have been seen at Diomede
Island
CoaIing STATION Ready
The navy coaling station at Califor-
Ma City is now ready for business and
tomorrow the British steamer AlIanton,
one OF the fleet OF foreign tramps that
brought fuel from Newport News for
the battleships, VIII go alongside the
bunkers and begin discharging. The
coaling station, although ready for
business. is far from being fully
equipped and for the present its capac-
sty Is limited 10 about 10000 tons, or
TWO cargOes- The construction OF more
equipment VIII be carried on as rap
fhe British steamer Madura, another
Of the chartered alien golfers, went TO
anchorage on California City last even
ing ana tomorrow the battleship Ala
barna viii come down from Mare Island
and go alongside the Madura 10 be
There are eight foreign steamers
loaded with navy coal at anchor IN the
bay waiting Tor q chance 10 discharge.
Eight more alien tramps enlisted for
this purpose in Uncle Sans service are
on the way from Nortolk- Newport
News and Virginia with more Iuel Tor
The big feer Among the vessels on
T the way with coal for the United
American flag, the ship William P
Frye. which left Newport News 26 days
ago for this port
VIII Return 10 Panama
The more than 500 bluejaekets who
arrived here Friday on the navy trans
port Buffalo VIII not be distributed
among the ships Of the Atlantic feet
as originally announced, but VIII be
sent out 10 the Asiatic station some
OF them viii be assigned Tor duty at
Guam. They VIII be transferred from
the Buffalo 10 the army transport Bu-
ford. which sails June Tor Guam
and Manila. The Panther viii leave
New York shortly with another draft
OF blUeiacketS and the Buffalo viii be
sent from here 10 Panama TO get them.
While In port the Buffalo VIII lie on
SausalIto
Goes to Join the Fleet
The armored cruiser South Dakota
Captain Fox. sailed yesterday foI
Santa Barbara 10 join the first squad
ron OF the Pacific feet. on its recent
trial trip the South Dakota proved it
seif faster than the requirements OF
the contract under which it was built
and is the speediest Of all Uncle sam S
big. handsome armored cruisers The
South Dakota is one Of eight now in
the Pacific
Report Of Wireless
through the United Wireless com
panys station the steamer Colonel z
J. Drake, bound for Seattle, at II
o'clock last night, while 80 miles north
OF Point Arena. reported that IL was
experiencing heavy weather. The
steamer Watson, while SO miles north
OF Point Arena, also reported about
the same time
Water Front Notes
Receipts Of lumber yesterday by sea
amounted 10 100000 feet
The Japanese liner Nippon Maru left
Honolulu at noon yesterday for this
port, and IS due here next Friday
The battleship Ohio, which arrived
Friday from Bremerton, is on Hunters
Point drydOck.