Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1888-06-14
oeEY INSTRUCTIONS.
Why Girarsl Discharged u Captain Who
Had Saved thousands or Dollars.

Why Girar.i Discharged y Captain Who
Had Saved thousands or Dollars.
1t was Just before the breaking out of
the wa. Of 1912 that Girard was pre-.
pairing for sea one OF his stan chest and
largest ships In command of her
was captain who had been in his
service for decale. and in whose i'm
tegrity and Obedience tho great mer-
chant coniided implicitly. The time
Of the vessels absence was to be of
long duration. aid he had selected
this particular captain and this par
ticular ship because he was certain
that any instructions that he might
Civ, would be carried out to the letter.
if it lay within mans brain and ships
timber. AL the prellminaries had
been attended 10, and the vessel was
in readiness to leave her wharf. when
Girarl sent for her captain TO visit him
in his private Office. Upon his ar
rival his employer placed in his hand
four sealed packages. They were
numbered one. two. three and
four. and were his instructions for the
voyage. The first paper was TO lie
opened when the ship was outside of
Delaware bay, and the orders con-
tanned therein. as we'll as those en-.
bodied in the other three packages
were 10 be followed under all circum-
stances. Referring to certain small
bu: heavy cases which had been placed
on board the ship. Girar,l told the
captain that they contained specie
amounting in all to 500. O00 The
sum was to defray all expenses Incl.
dental to the voyage. and was. in
fact. all the money which was to pass
through the captains hands during
the whole trip The ctptain took his
instructions. said goodbye. and in a
few hours later was on his way down
the Delaware, with brave vessel un
der him.
When he had left the waters # the
bay behind. the captain broke the
seal of paper M. 1. The orders were
short and explicit:
Go to Bordeaux. France. and there
discharge your cargo of grain through
my agent. and take. through him.
wines and brandies. Then open order
No. g."
The captain sailed for Bordeaux.
and put in at tina: port in due time.
According to instructions. he DIS
charged his grain through the agent.
and took on liquors. which the agent
paid for. For the necessary expenses.
however, the captain drew upon the
agent, and left his 800. 900 in specie
untouched. When he opened the sec.
ond package. he found he was 10 pro-
coed to port in Russia. where. hav-
ing delivered his wines and brandies
to Girard's agent he was to receiv, a
cargo of r ,ssian iron. Order NJ. s
was to be read on sailing The captain
followed the written instructions,
word for word, but drew on the Rus
sian agent. rs he had on him of Bor.
deaux. for expenses. The third pack
age sent him to Holland. where he ex-,
changed his iron for rice. Then he
read the last ORDER H, was to pro-
ceed 10 China. and. putting in at the
only port open to the world. deliver
his Icc to Girards agent there and
take on board cargo of silks and
teas. through the agent That
| phrase ran through all IF the ins:ruc-
lions. AMI in no instance had the cap
tain hitherto transgressed Girard's
| wishes.
Upon his arrival in China. for the
first time during the voyage. he a.
lowed himself to reason. H, had de-
livered his rice to the agent. but had
not yet told him of his employers
commands in regard to the cargo
| with which he was TO sail for Pnila-
dclphia. He was told that by leaving
port and going short distance along
the coast he could purchase silks and
teas at much lower rate than the
agent could buy them. and if he had
but the money could save an enormous
sum to his vessels owner. The cap.
tain was at first in sore doubt as 10 tie
course he should pursue. but he had
the money-s100 0oO-and it would be
folly to neglect the chance. He did
run out of port and secured an cx.
celent bargain. great deal more
advantageous than any the agent
could have made. When he returned
he told him to put on board all the
silks and teas the vessel was able to
carry and set sail for home. The re-
turn voyage was uneventful until he
was almost within sight of Delaware
bay. and then an incident occurred
which nearly lost the captain his ship
and his cargo. and his liberty as we'll.
The war of 1912 had broken out dur
ing his absence. and he knew it would
be ticklish work to escape in safety.
When almost home his vessel was
sighted by two British cruisers. which
sailed SO fast and hemmed her in
so closely that it was only by a display
of the incest seamanship and the ut
most daring that her captain was able
to slip by and sail her up the Delaware