THE ALAMEDA.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXI, Issue 63, 15 March 1900, Page 2

THE ALAMEDA.

DELAYED BY ROUGH WEATHER;

The E.M.s. Alameda arrived froiri';1 Sam Francisco via Honolulu and Apiai at daylight this morningl, two days . after she was expected. The -dela*" ■was caused by a severe huiTifitflH met -with in the vicinity of the-Si-moan' I&lands, the vessel having--io-. stand off Apia harbour all one nlghV and subsequently being hove tofor^ ten hours. The- American transport? Abarenda and the German warsliipj Gormonan, both of which were ats anchor in Apia harbour, put out to sea, the anchorage being unsafe,'is! the hurricane was straight down,the.; harbour, raising" a tremendous- sea/ Of the voyage Mr Thomas Smith, tlrtft purser, to whom we are indebted "■lptv files and despatches, reports:—The? Alameda left San Francisco at 9 p.m., on February 21, due date, and WM perienced fine weather until reaching]Honolulu at S a.m. on the 2Stn.;; Anchored in the harbour and ianded'i: passengers, mails and cargo, taking?, off mails and leaving- for Apia at-6 p.m. on the same day. Hadflife:; weather and light winds until reach--, ing the Equator. The wind then; gradually rose, and when the-vessel1 arrived at Apia on the evening of thes 7th inst. the wind was so bad; and: threatening- that she put out to seafor the night, returning to Apia aeict: morning. . The weather was then much worse, and the gale increased■&. force, blowing from the northward; straight down the harbour. ; The;■ A'barenda and Cormoran then got■up;-, stea-tn and proceeded to sea. Tbe-t Alameda discharged part pf> tier; cargo, but the gale increasing In force she put to sea at 1 p.fflV r hours eaarlier than wasnotified. The;,:, same weather prevailed until Satur- .[■ day last, when the g-ale increased to': a. perfect hurricane, veering round; W"; all points of the compass. On Sunday'^inorniiig1 at ten o'clock, when tie \ vessel was to the southward of the ; Friendly Islands, she was hove to;,a3 she could make little progress agaiiist; the wind and seas. The seas ware,"; tremendous, but the 'liner behavea; splendidly, and very little water-waf; shaped, while the' ship suffered^n<U damage beyond the breaking of window on the port side. At 3 P- m>. the weather moderated somewhat an»: the voyage was resumed. ThQ gaj? ; abated on Monday,, and moderate: weather continued until making port; a-t 6.30 a.m. to-day. The vessel $**- :/ carefully inspected by Dr. Lewis, ana pratique being granted she berthW; at the No. 2 Jetty at 7.30 a.m. >: ; The passengers speak very highly <». the ' sea-going qualities of the wMi meda, she being very steady through■>■ out the storm. The vessel was flyjjl? ■-; fairly light, and was thus able to'rise.-. easily to the seas. : :