The Hawaiian gazette., 1911-05-23

Of tangled steel forward Of the tunnels.
She was completely gutted.
The following Sunday Captain Gauk-
roger went aboard, and when the Mon
golia passed by no was taken OF
Even while the towboat was anchored
alongside the wrecked Asia the pirates
swarmed about and shouted, and hav-
ing no arms aboard the towboat the
captain decided to get out of harm g
way.
Captain Gaakroger estimates the
cargo aboard to have been valued at
about $4,000, mostly gunnies, al
though there were about $50 bales of
silk. Whether the pirates got these he
does not know.
NO Disorder Aboard.
From passengers on board the Asia,
| it is learned that there were no wild
scenes or disorder on the vessel when
she struck. Some were anxious, but the
majority of them dressed quickly and
packed up their belongings. The crew
worked with great energy and coolly,
and very quickly the port-side boats
were lowered The cant of the ship
made it difficult to lower the starboard
boats, but all were finally gotten over
save one.
The women and children were first
lowered into the boats. The boats pro-
ceeded more or less in company around
the corner of the rock, looking for a
safe place to make a landing. Eventu-
ally, after proceeding half mile, a
patch of shingle, protected by the cav
ernous rocks, was found, and there a
landing was effected. Some of the pas
sengers were only partially dressed, q
few still wearing their night attire.
The male passengers quickly got to
work and built up a tent, in which
the ladies dressed, and another struc-
ture was erected for the aecommoda-
ton of the provisions and the doing
out of the rations to the children.
The Shaoshing did not have wireless,
but she just happened to come along
the same route as the Asia had fol-
lowed. The America Maru, however,
responded to the call for aid sent out
by wireless. The only casualties were
those to Mrs. Dong Shee and one of
the officers of the ship, who received
a cut on the head while stemming an
attack.
The following testimonial was pre-
sented to Captain Gaukroger by the
passengers:
Their Appreciation.
On Board the Steamship Shaoshing,
April "a, 1911.
To Captain Harry Gaukroger and the
Officers and Members of Crew of the
Steamship Asia.
Sir and Gentlemen:-We, who we're
passengers on the steamship Asia when
the vessel met her fate on Finger Rock
in the China Sea on the morning of
April 90, take this opportunity of ex-
pressing to you our appreciation of
your unquestioned courage. your re-
markable self-control and the highly
satisfactory handling of situation
that puts to the severest test every
quality of manhood.
We desire to think you each and to
point out to the world our appreciation
of the GOODNESS, courtesy and great
ability with whichS we were cared for
upon the wreck and taken from the
Asia, in the hour of great danger, to
the beach and there protected and pro-
vided for in every manner possible and
with thoroughness that commends you
to the esteem of all persons.
We also wish TO thank you for the
care with which our possessions were
cared for and transferred from the Asia
to the rescue ship, the steamship Shao.
shing of the China Navigation Com,
pany. The circumstances were such as
to offer us little hope in any direction
and the safety and comfort we have en-.
jOyed is due to the heroism of the off.
GERS and crew of the Asia.
Gentlemen, we wish you all the good
fortune that men of such sterling quail
ties should reap as their reward, and
pledge our undying gratitude to you
for your efforts.
tThe foregoing was signed by all Of
the passengers.
Did Not Worry.
j.. Simcock, formerly head of the
bureau of navigation of the insulal
government, a passenger on the Mon
gOlia, was one of the passengers on the
Asia when wrecked on Finger Rock
He states that the vessel was we'll han
died and that there was practically nj
confusion ON board. He did think a.
first that lifebelts should be put on
but as no one seemed to be worrying
, much about his safety, he forgot about
/ the preservers. When he looked owe
the side of the vessel he felt that sh'
, was liable to slip back into deep watei
! and founder.
} All the passengers were well handled
! in the small boats, and he, with tn,
others, had to spend only a few hour
on the little island where the vesse
Z went ashore, All the personal belong
ings were secured and nothing wa
: Host belonging to the travellers. He be
, lieves that at least a thousand pirate
swarmed over the Asia.
TAKING EVIDENCE.
! OAKLAND, May ls.-Ths gran,
jury is today hearing witnesses in tn