Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-01-03
WATERFRONT NOTES
once British. Now jauanese

Nankai Maru is the new name given
the fnOTavelli, a steamer until recent
ly flying the British flag and formerly
a regular liner between Portland and
Hongkong and way ports. Advices re-
ceived at Portland, Ore, state that the
vessel has been purchased by a JAP
anese company an drechristened.
The Nankai Maru is loading a cargo
of oak logs at Otaru, Japan, for Port
land, says the Telegram, and she is
expected to sail any day now She is
under charter to the Pacific Lumber
Il Manufacturing Company. Her ar.
rival will be looked for the early part
of next month. Before she puts in an
appearance she is expected to be
chartered to load lumber or flour for
the return trip to the Far East.
Several of the old India liners have
been sold and put under other flags.
1t has been about eight years since
they were engaged in the trans Pacific
trade out of Portland The line was
about the only one to be operated
from here that ever gave a direct
service to and from the Orient. The
steamers carried capacity cargoes
both ways. During their term of ser
vice it is said they 1letted the owners
a big revenue. The traffic is supposed
to have been on big paying basis
when the Portland & Asiatic Steam
ship Company chartered Hamburg
American steamers to take the place
of the India liners. Gradually the d.
rect service was dropped and the plan
of sending the steamers via Honolulu
and San Francisco followed and the
traffic began to dwfndle. +:
The Japanese flag win be much in
evidence in Portland's harbor during
the next month or SO. At least three
or -four other vessels owned in the
Island Empire are under charter to
come to Portland. Among them are
the Unkai Maru No. 2, the Rangoon
Maru and the Manshu Maru. The
Unkai Maru No is headed in that
direction on her fourth trip to Port
land, which places her in about the
same class as the regular liner.
20
Opium In Hollow OF Mast.
Customs inspectors and special
agents were given an object lesson on
beard the liner Persia in the art OF
hiding opium as developed by the
Oriental smugglers who infest the
ships of the trans-Pacific lines. Inc
ingenuity of the Chinese in contriving
hiding places for the drag has been 4
Sc URGE of constant beWilderment to
the government searchers. Yesterdays
revelation made the most experienced
OF them scratch their heads.
In the liners steel foremost, Just
above the main deck, where it passes
through what is known as the lamp
re ON, had been cut a large opening
end in the hollow mast had been fixed
a storeroOm car able of holding a ton
or two Of the drug. The fact that the
removal of this section of steel i'm
pcriled the mast did not trouble the
smugglers. The work was done at
ECngkong and after the opium had
Teen placed inside, the cutout section
Ct steel was replaced and then. by 4
cunning disposition of putty and paint
the mast was restored to its original
appearance.
The British police in HOngkong,
Who had been asked to cooperate with
tie Pacific Mail company in suppress
Ing the traffic, learned about the Lid
ing place before the ship left that port.
They boarded the liner, removed the
plate and seized 500 tins Of the pOppr
product.
"a
Big Vessel Aground.
While bound down the river en-
route to Antwerp with a cargo Of
wheat the five-masted German bark
R. c. Rickmers, the largest sailing
vessel afloat, got out of the channel
and went aground at La Du's Crossing,
in the lower Columbia, about 30 miles
from Portland. says the Tacoma Tele-
gram. She is drawing - - feet of
water.
Although classed as windjammer
the R. G. Rickmers has auxiliary en-
gines and was proceeding to sea un-
Ger her own power She came up the
river without the assistance OF 4 tow
boat. and it was decided to take her
down in the same manner.