The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-11-27
A GOVERNMENTS GRATITUDE.

Senator Evarts's Story of the Reward Pre-
scented to Swedish Captain.
Special to indianapolis journal.
WASHINGTON, Nov, &c. when Senator
Evarts was here the other day." said one of his
friends to your correspondent, this afternoon,
'he told very good story in connection with
that fund for rewarding sailors who aid Amer
lean wrecked seamen." Senator Evartss story
was about like this: Some four or five years ago,
while he was Secretary of State, this fund had
run down to q low ebb, and the department con-
cluded to economic little They. therefore
contracted with New England watch firm to
supply cheap grade Of silver watches and chains.
The idea was to engrave these watches, Pre-
sented by the President of the United States to
-, for gallant services in aiding the crow
Of the wrecked American ship -" About
the time that this resolution had been taken
Swedish captain rescued party Of seventeen
American seamen. and turned back in his course
and took them to Stockholm, where they were
turned over to the consul. In due course Of
time, when his gallant action became known,
the department forwarded one of these watches
to him through tie customary channels. The
captain to whom this valuable token was to be
cents per day for each seaman rescued, during
the time which he had charge of them. He put
in no claim against the government and asked
for remu neration for the outlay to which he
had been put When he received the thanks Of
this great government in such substantial firm
he did not like it, and instead of wearing the
watch. as it was expected he would do, he hung
it up in a show window in Stockholm, and above
it attached card bearing a legend something
like this:
Presented to Captain Memo, by the President of
the United States for rendering aid to seventeen ship
wrecked American seamen. This token gives some
idea OF the value which that great country places upon
the lives of its sailors"
The watch attracted great deal of attention,
and came to the notice of the American minis
ter, who opened correspondence with tho State
Department. which correspondence proved in
the end to be quite voluminous 1t resulted liz
the return of that silver turnip and the substi-
tuition in its place of as fine gold watch as the
department could secure, which was quite nat
uraly accepted with thanks. Captain Memo,
by the way, in writing to the department. said
that the first watch which had been sent him
was neither ornamental nor useful, and as for
the chain, he couid not find any for it unless
it was to tie up some vicious dog, which he might
have some time in the future. He added that q
simple letter of thanks from the United States
government would have been received with graf
itude, and would have been highly appreciated.
and he limited that the alleged reward
for his gallantry in the nature
of an insult Mr. Evarts added that
the $18-watch experiment was not repeated after
that day. In this connection it may be said
that an effort is to be made to induce the coming
Congress to increase the appropriation for the
reward of citizens of other countries who aid in
succoring American citizens. This fund. which
is now about S., 900 annually. is never adequate
for the use to which it is put and the depart
ment people believe that if it is increased to,
say, $40, 900, it would afford An opportunity to
give substantial money rewards in many instances
where the recipients would be really worthy OF
it. For instance. common seaman who risks
his lfe and occasionally breaks limb. in saving
the lives of shipwrecked American sailors could
then receive a reward of. say. 800, when now
500 il the limit