The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1909-10-21
Far Out of the Course.

The Ocean Queen was a magnificent
vessel, built in England within the
year. She was operating among the
islands in the interests of the Pacific
phosphate company, and when she
struck the reef was flying all her dress
of gay flags in honor of King Edward s
birthday. This fact, and desire to
exhibit the steamer in her holiday at
tire to the gaping islanders, is said to
be the reason Tor her loss. The Ocean
Queen was far out of her course when
her high pressure eccentric rod damned,
far around on the lee shore of Makatea
island, where settlement lay, instead
of on the weather shore of the isle,
where, however, there were no people
to witness the bedecked vessel.
Chief Engineer T. Nilsson has fled a
report of the wreck with Consul Henry
Lund, and Captain Johannessen like.
wise has filed with the consulate his
version of the affair. The reports do
not agree in many particulars, and it
is this fact of which the insurance
companies have taken cognizance.
Their. representatives may be present
at the hearing tomorrow, and they will
carry the fight into the courts of Nor.
way, under which flag the steamer
operated, if the showing is that care
lessness caused the wreck.
Underwriters Take Notice.
John T. Arundel, deputy chairman
OF the phosphate company, supports
his captain in making the claim that
the eccentric rod bent, and, with the
engines thus rendered useless, caused
the steamer to drift helplessly before
the wind and on the strong current
ON the reef, where she sank in 200
fathoms of water, diving down stern
first to the very bottom. But the in
surance companies will point out that
the Ocean Queen had no business to
be where she was, that she sighted
land first on the other shore, and there
was to land her cargo They will in
innate strongly that Arundel is with
the captain because probably he gave
the order that sent the Ocean Queen
around the island to display her bunt-
ing to the village of Maumu.
The Ocean Queen is the second
steamer Captain Johannessen has lost.
The first one, the Ingar, was lost on a
reef several years ago, while operat-
ing in the employ of the Pacific phos-
phate company. This is the second
time, also, that the eccentric rod on
the Ocean Queen bent, the first time
being when she was making her trip
to Tahiti from Norway, taking course
that took her to Honolulu from the
far south and then back to Tahiti. On
the first occasion, however, the steamer
was far out ON the ocean between
Ocean Island and Hawaii, and within
a half day the rod was Strengthened.
When the rod jammed off Makatea,
however, the big steamer was close to
shore, and within twenty minutes she
was pounding ON the reef
Piles Up on Reef.
The steamer left Papeete September
Is and sighted the shore of Makatea
on which she was to land her cargo,
at clock the next morning. She
passed around to the east side of the
island, flying her gay flags, and, when
past the settlement of Maumu the rod
bent and the engines stopped, about
1880 a. m. Within twenty minutes the
vessel was on the steep reef. At one
o clock in the afternoon the captain
ordered all to leave, via the boats, and
at eight in the evening the steamer,
having pounded several holes in the
sides and bottom, slid off the reef into
the sea.
Natives toiled all night rowing to
Tahiti, from which place the schooners
Susanna and Choiita were dispatched
to bring off the crew and the passen-
gers, among whom were Arundel, his
two daughters, Lillian and Sydney, his
sister-in-law, Miss whitley. and his
secretary, H. H. Jay. Returned to Pa
peete, the passengers took passage on
the Mariposa. They will give testi-
mony at the inquiry tomorrow morn
ing.
The Ocean Queen was furnished like
yacht. Her gross tonnage was 3,1S9,
her net tonnage. 1875, and her length,
$50 feet.
The steamer had a carrying capacity
of $500 tons. She cost $25O.O0O.