The San Francisco call., 1908-11-13

The arrival here of the coast survey
steamer Explorer and the prospect of
the government surveyors on board get
ting TO work right away to rechart this
harbor are causes of much satisfaction
in the local shipping world. The tow
boat men and pilots are sufficiently ia
miliar with the changes that have taken
place TO enable them to navigate with
safety over the most frequently used
stretches of the harbor, but the men
most familiar with local conditions are
the ones most pleased at the prospect
Of having a reliable chart Many
changes have taken place, particularly
in Suisun bay, and il is here that the
Explorer will do most of it's work
The Explorer docked yesterday at
Howard street wharf and will make
some repairs before starting it's hydro
graphic work. Mariners will await
with interest the Explorers discoveries
outside the heads, where shoals have
been reported in places where the
charts show deep water.
Menaces TO Navigation
Masters of bay craft complain that
the waters of the harbor are at this
aces to navigation in the shape of
partly, and in some cases, totally sub
merged sections of wharf. The old
Pacific Mail wharf is being torn out,
ture are allowed TO drift away, to wan
der a the viii of the tide.
The river steamer Dauntless lost
big section of its stern wheel the other
day as the result of picking up some
of this derelict wreckage, and nearly
every ferry steamer plying on the bay
has had similar encounters, with more
or less serious result. Complaints have
been registered with the harbor com
missioners and with the army en-
gineers.
Reduction in Freight Rates
At the freight conference held in
Seattle on Wednesday it was decided
TO reduce the rate on -four for export
from this coast to Hongkong from
$3.50 TO SO a ton. A. J. Frey, assistant
TO the vice president and general man
yesterday:
The reduction has no local interest,
as II is years since any flour was ex-
ported from this port. Our schedule on
rate but that is only because it was so
decided at the freight conference and
not because we expect TO get any -four"
Liners Due at This Port
According to schedule, the Pacific
Mail liner Indiana was due yesterday
rom rom Panama and way ports. but as the
1ndlana Is too easy going to care any
thlng about schedule, ii will occasion
no surprise If the steamer does not put
IN an appearance until late tonight
ian November 6, and seven days from
the Mexican port is prety speedy trav-
cling for the Indiana, whose racing
days are over
The liner Asia is scheduled to arrive
today from the orient but Judging by
the Asla'S recent performances she will
not be here until too Tate to pass quar-
antlne. 1t is not unlikely that the Asia
ana indiana VIII be in quarantine to-
getner at daylight tomorrow morning
The liner Mariposa is due tomorrow
from Tahiti, and viii probably be in
port early.
Asks Return of Tax on Vessel
Taxes to the amount of s163.44 on
the schooner Rita Newman, paid for the
nscal year l90T-0S, were asked to be
returned by its owners, the North
Alaska salmon company, yesterday. the
Application being filed with the board
OF supervisors. The vessel was lost on
the Alaska coast before June 40 1907
and the return is petitioned on that
ground
Big Liner is Launched
BELFAST. NovN 12-The steamer
Minnewauska, the largest of the At
lantlc transport line, was launched here
To-Day. She is OF l4500 tons and Will
IN 1909.
Captain and Mate Indicted
SEATTLE, Nov. 12=James. +. Trim.
mate OF the Erskine NJ Phelps, which
arrived a few days ago from Phila-
delphia, was arrested last night on a
warrant issued on an Indictment re-
turned by the federal grand iurv
charging him with assault on the high