Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1889-07-11

LIEUT.. II. VI. C. BROWN.
4 Deserved Tribute to a Vest Virginia
Hero.
". Y. Nail and Erpres,.

". T. Nail and Express.
The American nation has not forgotten,
and there is small danger that it ever will
forget, the galantry and splendid seaman
ship displayed by the officers and men OF
our naval squadron in that fearful fight
with the tremendous hurricane at Apia.
We have been lavish also of our praises
of the courage and skill shown by the cap.
tain of the English cruiser Calliope, who,
with the powerful engines of his ship work
ing furiously at their highest pressure,
fought his way, inch by inch, against the
hurricane toward the mouth of the harbor
and safety, while the heroic American sail
ors on board the doomed Trenton cheered
the winning English ship again and again.
But while we have thus given a full
measure of general praise 10 the brave men
on board of aur own squadron, and while
we have applauded so generously the
achievement of Capt. Kane in saving the
English Calliope, we have not given the
startling and difficult exploit of Navigating
Officer Brown, of the United States ship
Trenton, one-half of the particular atten-
ton and praise which it deserves
By the aid of his powerful engines Capt
Kane saved his ship. Lieut.. Brown, OF the
Trenton, did not save his ship-that was
impossible. But he did that which was Of
greater consequence. He saved the great
body of men whose lives were entrusted to
his care from certain and awful death.
And he saved them by an expcdient so dar-
ing, ingenious and difficult, that not one in
all the pages of the worlds sea romances
can, its parallel be found. Marryat or
Cooper or Clarke Russell would have been
ridiculed as teller of impossible tales, il
they had dared to picture a similar incident
in one of their exciting stories.
The half-wrecked Trenton, her sails, heI
rudder and her propeller alike gone or use
less was about to be driven, a helples:
hulk against the reefs by the furious sea
If the ship could be made to clear the reel
and strike upon the sandy beach, the men
on board of her would have at least q
chance for their lives. If she struck the
reef they were surely doomed.
In this emergency Lieut.. Brown, with q
coolness and fertility of invention to
which the exploit of Capt. Kane affords nc
parallel, ordered his crew of 400 men into
the rigging in order that their bodies might
in some measure take the place Of sails, anC
thus avail to drive the ships clear of tho
reefs and into the open water.
This most daring and unheard of expert
ment succeeded perfectly. The Trenton
cleared the reef and the great body of her
men were saved.
As an exploit in seamanship the achieve
ment of Nav Officer Brown deserves ten
fold the applause that greeted the escape oi
Capt. Kane and his Caliope from the jaws
of DEATH 1t was indeed superb achieve
ment, and one of which the memory should
be preserved for all time in the traditions Of
the American navy. As for the officer who
performed it, the people and the govern
ment alike should hold in remembrance.
The palm of seamanship and courage al
Apia belongs, not to Great Britain, but tc
America and Lieut.. Brown.
Lieut.. Brown is a West Virginian and
son-in law Of Hon. Henry G. Davis.