The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-01-06
TILE REPURL
Detailed Account OF the Voyage OF the a.
-. ship Prebie.


Glynn, New York, after a four years cruise. The
New York papers furnish us with the following de-
tailed account OF her voyage:
Her cruise has been remarkable one. Sailing
from this port for California, in September, 1916.
convoy To Stevenson'5 regiment of volunteers,
she served with great activity upon the west
throughout the Mexican At its termination,
she was despatched to China with Commodore
Geisinger on board, who ordered to the
mand OF the East India squadron. On her way she
stopped for short time several por of the Sand
wich islands, for interest and novelty.
In running over from Mazatlan to the Sandwich
islands diligent search made by the Preble for
group of islands represented in hydrographicAl
works as having been repeatedly seen between the
parallels Of sixteen and eighteen north latitude,
and near the track of vessels bound Ia California,
but not the slightest indication OF land was discov-
cred in that vicinity.
Reaching China at a moment when matters were
beginning 20 assume IA grave aspect between the
Governor of Canton and the United S,atel Com
missioner, in relation to the recognition md reccp
ton of the latter the timely arrival of tin Preble
with the Commodore contributed in small de-
gree to the restoration Of harmony, aud a contin-
uance OF the respect heretofore shown 90 American
citizens by the Chinese.
Some misunderstanding, however, between 9th
"a foreigners and the Chinese made it expodent, iii
the view OF the commander, to retain the Preble in
ms squadron, and she was, consequently, engae ed
Tor several months III visiting Manila and the
rious southern ports of China But information
having been received, through the Dutch Govern
ment, at Batavia, OF the detention and imprison-
ment III Japan OF sixteen American wrecked sea-
men, The Preble despatched, i'll February, 1919,
70 demand and obtain their release. She had
scarcely left the harbOr of Hong Kong, however,
before the small poX made its appearance on board,
and she was compelled put back into port, to pre-
vent Its spreading among the crew. A detention of
two or three weeks IN quarantine was the
quence OF this unlucky occurrence, before II was
thought safe to pronounce the ship free from conta-
gion and again venture upon the purposed cruise
70 this terra incognta. On her way To Japan the
PEBBLE touched at the Loo Choo Islands, kingdom
in themselves yet dependencies OF Japan.
As she entered the harbor of Nagasaki, the Pre-
bic was met by number of large boats, which
dered her off, and attempted to oppose further
ingress. But by standing steadily III, with fine
breeze, their ranks were soon broken and desira-
BILE position selected for anchoring. Fleets OF boats
crowded with soldiers, shortly afterwards began to
arrive; and, from that time until the Prebe left,
they poured in, i'll one iucessant stream, day and
night. Each squadron of boats had banners, orna-
mented with distinctive symbols and devices, which
were transferred with the troops to their encainp
ments on the elevated shores surrounding the an
chorage,ot the Preblc From these heights were,
at intervals, unmasked battlements of heavy arti.
lery, numbering in all upwards OF sixty guns,
which were trained upon the Prebe's decks.
1t was in the face of this array, and with a cor
don OF boats drawn around the ship, that negotia-
tons were carried on for the release of American
citizens, from an ienominions and cruel imprson-
ment of nearly seventeen months.
Upon beng peremptorlly told by Capt Glynn-
IN language that could not be emisunderstood-th that
they Immediately deliver up the men, or
means would be found to compel them-and that
the American Government always knew how to
recover and protect its citizens, when improperly
detained or abused by any nation Whatever they
promised that they should be sent OF the hip a.
two days from that time, This was strictly full
filled. The Preble, ON her return tu Hong Kong
stopped at the consular ports OF Shanghai and
Annoy, on the east coast of China, and, notwith-
standing delay OF two days al Loo Choo, nine at
Japan, seven at Shanghai, two at WUosung, and
two at Annoy, she arrived at Hong Kong in fifty
nine days from the tune of starting This was one
day less than had been given her by the most
perienced men in Canton 10 reach Nagasaki alone
at that season of the year.
Three years having now nearly pircd since the
Preble left the United States, preparations were
made for her return homo by the way oi the Cape
! of Good Hope But, when on the very eve of sail
ing, orders We're received from the Navy Depart
ment for her immediate return to the coast of Cali
iornia In obedience TO these, she therefore sailed
on the 10th of June, 1919 for san Francisco
| On the 18th (sea account) ot the same month, at
3h. Som. p. M. land was discovered, which after
wards proved TO be large island. Its extent,
however, could not be ascertained, the Preble
did not alter her course from that on which she
standing when the land first made. On this
course (E. N. E) she ran thirty seven miles par
Rlle with the coast before began 10 tread OFT from
her track. The island is mountainous, and rises
into remarkable peak near it's southwestern ex-
tremty. The position of this peak, determined
by the Preble, i'll latitude 2so IL north and Ion
gitude 1899 % east The ship passed quite
the atmosphere, il was Impossible to determine
whether it inhabited or not
While the Prsbc laid at Honolulu, a difficulty
| occurring between the Consul General of France
and the Hawaiian government, n detachment of
soldiers and seamen thrown ON shore from
the French man of war, and The fort taken pos
session of; and after having dlsnounted the guns
and destroyed the ammunition, they retired. The
Preble, in the meantime, stood ready to protect
and shelter the American residents, in of any
collision or bonbardmcnt
II was not until December following that frag-
ment of the srcw were sufficiently Convalcsccnt 10
admit of the Preblcs venturing 10 California with
few men loaned from the squadron. She was
taken TO San Francisco, and ultimately to Bencia,
thirty five having been left behind in the hos
pial AT Honolulu.
The terms of service of the crew having expired,
they all discharged as fast they recovered
sufficiently 10 leave the hands of the physician
The health of many of the officers was so greatly
impaired that they were sent home by the way OF
the lsthmus. The ship thus lett entirely with
out crew-'-thc copper was literally worn oil her
bottom her hull, mainmast and other spars
falling to pieces with decay, and there not
sail left abolrd that was iii to spread to a moderate
breeze. In July, however she was patched up, the
Inainmast hshcd, suit of old sails given her, and
many officers and men as could be spared troIn
the already disabled squadron put on board, and
she sailed the 3d day of August for Valparaiso,
where che arrived in iorty-six days, making one
of the quickest passages on record. Here the
Preblc detained one month from the necessity
ofhaving new sult OF sails made.
On the second arrival of the Prrhe at Honolulu.
she had been absent from the United States two
years and eleven months and had sailed 73 ,S33
lniies amount, II is believed, unequalled IN the
amespacc of time 10y any man ot-war ofauy nation
that has fiOated, and up her return TO this
port she has sailed nearly l0O,0 900 miles and has
been in commission four years and four months.
Every port OF any Importance whatever, in the
North Pacific and China seas and upon the west
coast of South America, Mexico, and California,
has been visited, and many OF them several times
during the cruise. Untrequcutcd parts of the
ocean have been travcrsed-a number of strange
ports have been entered where no national vessel
had ever before shown our hag-and our commerce
has received succor and protection from the Preble
in a number of most important instances. Thus il
will bc that the Prcblc has made of the
most interesting, and certainly the longest cruise,
for both durationoi time and distance sailed, that
has ever been made by an American man -ot.war.
OF the one hundred and forty five passengers
who sailed from New York in the Preblc in Sep
tcmhcr, lS4b, but one commissioned officer, two
forward officers, and five men remain on board.
OF the others thirty have been transferred to other