Weekly Trinity journal., 1871-08-05
NUMBER 81.
how CALIFORNIA WAS SAVED.

rule, and proclaimed the province portion of the
United States. He arrived at Monterey from
Mazatlan, five days before, with the frigate So
Vdnnah and five smaller vessels, under instruct
ions from Secretary of the Navy Bancroft (now
Minister to Berlin) to watch the drift of events,
and in case of a breach of peace to employ his
fleet for hostile purposes. The real object of
Sloats expedition was to prevent California
from falling into the hands of the English in
case of a war with Mexico. War actually broke
out in May, 1916, two months before Soat
reached Monterey but while he suspected this
he did not know it, though he had probably
heard of Fremont's Bear flag insurrection at So
noma. He was decided in his course however,
by observing that British fleet of ten vessels
on this coast was watching American movements
and nursing some design in opposition to them
When Sloat left Mazatlan on the Savannah, the
British flagship, the CoHtngwood, carrying Rear
Admiral Sir George Seymour left San Bias, and
the two vessels had for Monterey. The
Savannah the fastest sailer and reached that
port first, where Sloat learned that the English
had nearly perfected plot to put California un-
der British protection, as security or equivalent
ioh tuS MCAlCuu ueDI W DTltSu SutJtClSi lu0
transfer to be followed by scheme of colonial
ton in the San joaquin Valley and around the
bays of Monterey and San Francisco.
Sloat did not know that instructions were
then on the way to him directing him to seize
and hold Mazatlan, Monterey and San Francisco
and take all measures in his power to secure the
conquest of the country but he knew this was
,...k 4 l..,A IL. na..
that unless he acted at once the British would
supercede him and California would be lost to
the United States. So on the 7th of July, 1916,
he sent ~ force of $50 ashore to hoist the
stars and stripes and make proclamation as
above. The act not only not opposed, but
was hailed with cheers by the people, who were
generally anxious to separate from Mexico and
had been plotting more than once to set up for
themselves. On the 9Th of July, in compliance
with message from Sloat, Commodore Mont
gomery, of the United States sloop of war Ports
mouth, raised the American flag at San Fran
cisco, on the plaza which has ever since borne
the name of his vessel, and took possession of
the then pretty village of Yerba Buena in the
name OF his country. On the 10th of July,
hOhbSOhtll Scut luc ubllOhhl Hhb W pOHOmu1
where it was gladly accepted by the Fremont
revolutionsts in lieu of the rude Bear flag,
which may1still be seen in the hall of the Pion-
eers in this city. These acts, followed by var
ious land operations at later day, insured the
acquisition Of California by the United States,
which was completed by formal treaty at the
end of the war with Mexico. The feelings of
Ht,,ipa .yIn bo nbnI
terey and saw the Yankee flag flying over the
town, may be imagined. 1t is pretty certain
that if Sloat had not got ahead Of him, the Brit
ish flag would have been hoisted instead, and
California might not have been an American
State to-day, or else have become so only after u
war with Great Britain Bulletin, July 9Th.
THE USE OF Lone NosE.-The following good
story is told of Mozart at the time when he was
a pupil of Haydn Haydn had challenged Mo-
zart to compose piece Of music which he could
not play at sight. Mozart accepted the banter,
and a champagne supper was to be the forfeit.
Everything being arranged between the two
composers, Mozart took his pen and sheet of
paper, and in five minutes dashed off piece of
music, and, much to the surprise of Hayden,
handed it to him saying;
Z" There is piece of music which you cannot
play, and can ; you are to give the first trial"
Haydn smiled contemptuously at the visionary
presumption of his pupil, and, placing the notes
before him struck TIE keys Of the INSTRUMENT.
Surprised at its simplicity he dashed away till
he reached the middle of the piece, when, stop
ping all once, he exclaimed:
CLOVIS this, Mozart2 How 8 this? Here my
hands are stretched out to both ends of the pi-
ano, yet there is middle key to be touched.
Nobody can play such music-not even the com
poser himself"
Mozart smiled at the half excited indignation
and perplexity of the great master and taking
the seat he had quilted, struck the instrument
with such an air of selfassurance that Haydn
began to think himself duped, Running along
the simple passages, he came to that part which
his teacher had pronounced impossible to be
played Mozart, it must be remarked, was ia
vored, or at least endowed, with extremely
long nose Reaching the difficult passage, he
stretched both hands to the extreme long ends
of the piano. and, leaning forward, bobbed his
nose against the middle key which nobody
could play. Haydn burst inte immederate
fit of laughter, and after acknowledging he was
beaten, he declared that nature had endowed
Mozart with a capacity for music which he had
never discovered.
A LECTURER undertook to explain to a village
audience the word phenomenon. May be you
don't know what phenomenon is. Well, III tell
you. You have seen COW, no doubt. Well,
oo,r ;s not n ,hanomanon You have seen an