The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1908-09-14
MARINE:
Captain Has a History.

day morning from Sydney and Yelling
ton, New Zealand, is a very fine ship
Just a tweivemonth odd, but her COM
mander, Captain Peter Singer, is Just
as fine, but then he a Seotehman. The
freighter Is a Big. finely built vessel.
and the captain is big, jolly, good
natured, anecdotal mariner, with the
most delicious Scotch accent that has
been heard off the moors for MANY a
month.
The Den of Ruthven is an 8OOO-ton
vessel OF the Den line of steamers.
built IN Scotland, and is one of large
number of the same fine ships built IN
the British Isles for the same company.
The Den of Ruthven is one of the New
Zealand Canadian line of steamships.
under contract with the Dominion of
Canada government, and is the pioneer
OF the Alley line Of steamships run
ming between Canada and Australasia,
with Honolulu as port of call. The
vessels of the n &c line includes:
Den of Crombie, 5000 tons; Den of
Ruthven, 5000 tons; Den of Kelly, 1900
tons; Den of Mains, 1000 tons; s. S.
Indravelli, 5000 tons; s. s. Indrawadi,
5000 tons; ;. 5. Indramayo, 5000 tons;
). :. Indrasamha, 5000 tons.
The freighter has 800 tons of cargo
for Honolulu and 1000 tons for Victoria
and Vancouver. The vessel has fine
accommodations for the officers and a
limited number of cabins have been
provided for passengers.
Captain Peter Singer is the uncle of
Mr.. Jameson, OF Honolulu. who yes
terday showed him the slstts of the
city. The captain took a keen interest
in the golf links and promises on his
return TO Honolulu from Canada to give
his nephew a rub with the sticks at the
Country Club or Moanalua and to beat
out of practice by being at sea so long
the captain 5 answer is, s'Why mon,
it s all a case of luck. -
Captain Singer had the distinction OF
being eomplimented in the House of
Commons for the excellent manner in
which be trained his Lasear crew
aboard the Inflated steamer Den of
Seaton. In May, 1905, when that yes
sci was steaming up the Bristol Chan
mel in a fog and with a heavy tide
running, she was cut in two by the
steamer Shepardtown, and in twenty
minutes. sank. but not life was lost
aboard the vessel In the darkness and
while the water was rushing in and the
vessel settling in her watery grave, the
Lascar crew calmly obeyed every COM
mand of the officers, with the result
that the boats were lowered in perfect
shape, every man in his proper boat.
The captain s boat with the chief en-
gineer, J. Melville, now chief engineer
of the Ruthven, held to the side of the
sinking ship TO await the captain, the
last man to Leave, the engineer 3 feet
braced to keep the vessel from over
turning as the water rushed between
the two vessels.
But the captain had been thrown in
to the boiler room at the time of the
accident. When he reached deck, his
first effort was to ascertain the fate or
the crew. They were hurrying to their
stations and he then gave the orders.
The engineer sang out to him and Just
as he prepared 10 jump into the sea, /
his terrier. which had followed him I
about grabbed hold with his teeth of
the master s trousers1eg. The captain |
jumped into the sea with the dog |
elinging to him. When he reached the I
gunwale of the boat the Lascars reach. |
ed out to assist, but-theiT first aid was /
given the dog which was drawn in first. |
During the discussion in the House I
of Commons of the employment of /
British seaman on mail vessels as |
against Lasears, Sir Thomas Souther
land arose IN defense of the Lascar
sailors. and in commenting on their fit
ness. called attention 10 the admirable I
manner in which Captain Singer had
trained his Lasears, as an instance where
their bravery and GOODNESS had proved
them reliable.
'sLascars are good men aboard yes
sells, said Captain Singer yesterday.
. You must respect their religion, as
[ suppose every person in civilized
country wants his religion respected
Then you viii get along with them and
-hev will perform their duties well. L
believe in giving them leeway IN their
religious feasts If they wish to pray
ct them pray and they viii work the
better for il.
"They have a feast at certain time
# the wear when between daylight and
;undown they viii not eat thing.
When the sun goes down over the horl-
ION. YOU viii see, those on deck with
heir pots of tea and other vietuals
,urrving down below to the stokeholds
70 give their companions on duty the
irst food they have tasted for the day,
md they look out for themselves.
"Tben there is another time OF the
year when they viii not eat anything
until they see the moon. 1t is curious
n watch them Of an evening, looking
;or the moon. and the expression or JOY
when they see the moon appear. But
= a pretty hard thing on them when
he nights happen 10 be cloudy and the
noon cannot be seen.
The captain IS large man and or
.nIeDdid muscular development. He
axes A keen interest in golf, cricket,
,ootbaH and wrestling. He IS pretty
much an authority on English fighters.
He hopes today 10 have the opportunity
# seeing DIR. Roller, the famous wrest-
or who is training at the Healani boat