Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-04-04
RARE BIRDS
LEAVE ISLANDS

sutttdICQ dS pJdCtlCd4]y SAllGI save
for a few specimens which find. a
home and resting place on the lonely
sand islet many hundred miles to
the westward of Honolulu, have been
forwarded TO the mainland in the
United States army transport Sher.
man that was given hurried dis
patch for San Francisco, shortly be
fore seven O'Clock last night.
The Laysan island rail is a diminu-
tive land bird, that possesses just a
rudimentary wing, but not OF sufi-
Gent development to carry it any dis
: lance from the earth.
Commodore Salisbury and his party
of hunters and scientists who spent
three months on Laysan island gath.
ering specimens of eggs as well as
birds, and who departed for the coast
in the Sherman, stated that the rail
gains a livelihood by. pirating upon
eggs laid by the feathered tribe that
nest in thousands on the sand at Lay
san.
The eggs are broken by one of the
larger sea birds and ii is then that
the rail descend upon the feast and
through continuous chatter succeed
IN driving the larger bird from the
food.
. Several cages Of rail were shipped
In the Sherman. The Laysan island
party packed many cases and crates
with feathers, stuffed birds, and
hope to succeed in landing large
and valuable collection of eggs.
The early dispatch of the Sherman
to the coast last night occasioned
much unfayorable comment with
local army people. A dance had been
arranged at one of the seaside hotels,
but in view of the early departure of
the transport, the affair was not the
social success as planned.
The Sherman reached her wharf at
two o'clock yesterday afternoon and
was ordered out for the coast at five
thirty, resulting in a very hasty and
unsatisfactory visit ashore for the
large delegation of army folk and
civilian passengers.
N
frying II Out on the Delaware.
The battleship Delaware went into.
drydock at the New York navy yard
tor the second oyerhauIing she has
had since she was launched three
years ago. The principal work to be
accomplished this time is the installa.
tlon of new ash-expellers. Formerly
these were located on the sides and
the service they gave was inadequate,
The new ash-expellers are TO be placed
at the bottom of the vessel, next to
the keel. The outcome Of the expert
ment is being watched with interest
by constructors
The dock where the Delaware is
located is the "Hoedoo Dock" No. 4.
The ship has already passed through
the trial of being repaired there with
out mishap, however, and the men feel
she is immune FROM the link"
Besides putting in the new ssh
eApellers an extra inch of armor plate
will be placed on the turrets and the
face plates viii be cleaned of. The
battleship will be given a new ceat
of paint The Delaware has been in
the navy yard since the first Of the
month, when it returned from Panama,
SEhere is was sent to escort the presi-
dents vessel on his recent trip to the
Canal Zone. The ship dies the battle
ship pennant, a trophy for the first
rank in efficiency among the battle
ships Of the navy.
Va
Telephone, a Convenience on
Shipboard.
On all Grand Trunk Pacific passen-
ger steamships arriving or leaving
Vancouver, Victoria or Seattle is now |
installed the telephone. There are
telephone instruments aboard the |
snIps and when they dock, connee.
ton is made with the central eS-
change in the respective cities.
BY affording this convenience, pas,
sengers can avail themselves of the
opportunity of staying an extra hour
aboard ship in their staterooms and /
transact business over the telephone
which, but for such an instrument, |
they would probably leave the boat /
on landing to personally attend 60.
Another feature is that those at |
the home port who wish to keep in
with their friends up
to the last minute can use the tele-
phone, which connects through the |
central exchange with the boat,
British Line Orders New Steamers.
The announcement is made that the
Great Northern Railway Company has
given an order to the CramR Ship
building Company at Philadelphia fer
two great steamships to he used
through the Panama canal The prof
eet appears to he Surrounded with
mystery and the information was
made public byrone OF the competitGSs
Ii the Cramps who gained his infoT
\ alton through bidding on the en-
zines, which are to be placed in the
sew vessels. Where tie terminal is
las not been ascertaincd The con
-ract price calls for speed of &c
notsx
On the May-Fron1 Grays HaThor.
Two sehooGers, which have been
rore or less regularly engaged ini
lumber trade, are now en- route from
trays Harbor to Honolulu with luln-
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