New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-08-02
Naval Discipline.

Commodore William B. Whiting, on the
retired list Of our navy, who now resides at
Delafield, in Wsukesha county, Wisconsin,
contributes to the Army and Nary Journa
the following interesting incident, which
occurred during his service as midship'
man on board the vessel in question more
than forty years ago:
In 1888 the typhoon of the Northern Pa
cine was not as well understood as it is
now, and that sea was little known to our
naval vessels. In that year the Potomac,
commanded by Commodore John DOwnes,
was crossing its waters in her cruise around
the world. Reuben r. Pinkham was her
third lieutenant. A thorough sailor, born
in Northern whaling port, he had made
several voyages to the North Pacific as a
whaler, and was comparatively familiar
were strangers. He and Commodore
Downes have both been long dead.
The day was drawing to close, Pinkham
had the watch and the commodore was
walking the deck. The wind, which before
was fresh, had increased to . gale; tOpgal-
liant sails were handed, topsails reefed and
spanker brailed up, when all at once Pink
ham gave the order, Man the weather
head braces-weather main brace-weather
udlu UOpDbl UTHC0-lc0 CIVJCCA \CAOoe J0cA J
braces. what is that for, Mr.. PinkhamF'
asked the commodore: 1--WE shall have the
wind out here in q moment, sir" said Pink
ham, stretching his arm out and pointing
to leeward. With that the commodore ran
over to the lee rail and looked aHxiOusly
but in the direction indicated. Presently
he returned and said: ~ see no signs Of it,
Mr.. Pinkham; let the men leave the braces. F"
With that number of the crew dropped
the ropes, and Pinkham called out,
Keep hold of those braces, every
their grasp. The commodores face
flushed with anger to find his directions
thus disregarded, and he called out in a
peremptOry tone: '.Let the men leave the
braces sir, SIR" Again the crew dropped
the ropes from their hands, when Pinkham,
shaking his trumpet at them, exclaimed:
"Don't any Of you dare to let 60 those
ropes" At that moment the wind did not
die away, but stopped and the sails tapped
his lips, Pinkham shouted: "Haul taut!
Haul off, and the ponderous yards swung
to reversed direction. They had hardly
done SO when the wind came from the Op-
posite quarter, and struck the ship like a
sledge hammer. She bent over before it,
but shaking the water from her bows dash
ed forward unharmed. Commodore DOwnes
said not word, but rushed into his cabin;
and presently his orderly came up to Mr..
Pinkham and said the commodore wished
him to send to the first lieutenant to relieve
him for few minutes. as he wished to see
him in the cabin.
Entering the cabin, Pinkham found the
commodore seated by table with a decan-
ter of wine and two wine glasses before
him. Pushing one of the latter towards his
visitor, he said: take glass Of wine. Mr..
Pinkham. Mr.. Pinkham, consider myself
indebted to you for my own life and for the
lives of all on board this ship. Had you
not hauled the yards just when you did,
and had the wind found the ship UMPIRE
pared and taken the sails abac(, not all the
power on earth could have moved the
yards, and the ship would have gone down
stern foremost. But tell you frankly that
had the wind not come out as you predict
ed, would have put you under arrest in two
minutes" Commodore Downs" replied
Lieutenant Pinkham, 81 did not intend any
disrespect, and l should be sorry if you
thought did: but have been in these seas
before, and am familiar with these sudden
changes of wind. / saw undoubtful indi-
cations of such change then, and knew that
had no time for explanation"