Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1835-10-22

III r s II.


{ The affair which occurred in the harboi
OF foulon, IN the spring OF 1884, when +
hfiag salute IN honor Of the French king,
Dirth DAY, some shot struck the Frenct
AdmiraFs ship, and killed one or two men
made some noise az the time. but il MOI,
scarcely remembered, except as soma d
those accidents which often occur in naya.
experience, and which the s~tfictest disci
pune and most cautious vigilance may no
easily prevent. The first lieutenant i.
considered responsible for the discipline Of
the ship; but much of that responsibility
must be, If we may SO express it, merely
technical. There are many minute details
IN reference TO which the most v~igilant and
competent officers must rely upon subor.
dinates, who may not be entirely trust.
worthy and a slight neglect in these do.
tails may derange for the moment. the best
conceived plan, and produce events as SO.
rious as that which occurred at T'onlon.-
IL was the loss Of life, and not the inCre-
quency oil the accident at Toulon, that
gave u an air OF national importance : for
such things have occurred more than once
before, as well in our service as the naval
service OF other countries. These remarks
lead me to relate an anecdotc communi.
Gated by a naval officer, and which might
have had as t~ragical a termination as
that oil Toulon. but, terminated differently.
may serve to excite a smile or amuse a
passing hour.
The scene is laid in the harbor OF Smyr-
ma. The United States sloop of war On
tarlo, returning from a cruise in the Arch
,pelago, put into Smyrna in the month of
February, 1881, on the eve Of Washing.
TONS birth day. The Ontario dropped
anchor in the spacious harbor, outside of
the immense fleet of shipping, which is al
ways TO be found in that great eastern
mart. 10 the distance was TO be seen the
city. its port enlivened by merchants YES
sells Of almost every nation, and between
them and the Ontario, a number of Eng.
iish, French and Dutch ships of war.
On the morning of the 22nd, the gallant
sloop was dressed out with flags firing
from every mast head, in honor OF the Ea,
Their of his Country ; and Captain S. went
ashore to transact business with the Anne
r!can Consul, leaving orders for the custo-
mary observance Of the day. The first
lieutenant accordingly directed that pre-
parations should be made for the birth day
salute, by drawing the shot from the guns.
In executing this service, the routine is 10
draw the shot and lay it alongside of the
gun ; SO that the officer, in passing along
TO see that the duty has been performed,
observing the shot, is satisfied Of the fact.
On this occasion it happened that the ca
bin guns were first drawn ; to avoid lum
berlng the cabin the shot were directed to
be carried away. One of these shot. it
seems, from carelessness or hurry, was
laid alongside of one of the guns in the
waist before that gun bad been drawn. and
10 this slight circumstance was owing all
the mIschances of the day.
While the salute was firing, the asten :
t~eEtion of the first lieutenant was attract
ed by the report of one of the guns, and
he Immediately called out
Gunner, that gun had a shot in it,
mo, SIR the gunner replied, the shot
is along side of the gum
mo matter for that said the lieutenant
am satisfied from the sound that the gun
was shotted.'
Il do not think so, SIR rejoined the
gunner, s but at any rate the guns are so
depressed that the shot could do no harm :
The guns had been depressedto prevent
damage to the neighboring shipping from
the wadding.
The salute was fred and the first lieu
tenant had gone below, leaving the second
lieutenant in charge of the deck. While
this officer was pacing the deck, unconsci
Gus of impending evil, he observed a boat
putting of from a Dutch gun brig, theiI
nearest neighbor, and steering for the On
tario. She vas soon alongside, and q
Dutch lieutenant stepped upon the deck
with strong symptoms Of consternation in
his demanor.
Mem Got, SIR was his first saluta,ion
you fred a shot into US just now, which
carried away our main peans, and almos
kilt a man,
The American officer expressed his deeT
regret at the accident, and requested thu
Dutch officer TO be seated while he com
municated the intelligence TO the first lieu
tenant. Stepping to the companion. b.
{ called down, in an under tone 10 the frs
lieutenant:
n, do you know that we've shot
Dutchman. this morningP
shot a Dutchman! - impossible erie,
the lieutenant.
'Its a fact Here's an officer from tn
Dutch gun brig on board Of US. and h
3 tells me that we have carried away som
of his tackle, and almost KILT a man
sThen, for Gods sake, my dear fellow
get a boat. go on board and explain th
] accident, and make every proper apology
Ascertain what damage has been done an
! offer suitable reparatioD.'
The officer went on board the Dutc
brig and explained the accident TO tn
captain, whom he found TO be a very res
sonable man, and satisfied with the expls
nation he gave him,
The shot, it seems, had rieochetted-
struck the surface of the water and glar
ced of-passcd over the Dutchman's poo
and struck his main boom, or 'peam,' Z
the Dutch called it. Ibe lieutenant IL