Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1889-08-25
OUR SAMOAN HERO.
IlBUT B.. G. BROWN AND HIS NAVAL
CAREER
A YES. Yirynaa Who Has Won Msr.;st Distinction
HsPrs. Lllrs,s Elrasi IN Panama-Hs
Rsp,rtoa De LaSssPs Biz
Scheme.

DEER PARK, Nd, August 23.-Lieut
r. NJ. G. Brown, the hero Of the Trenton
at Samoa, has lately arrived at Deer Park,
covered with the scars OF service and the
glory Of having performed one Of the most
brilliant fsats Of seamanship in the annals
ofauy navy. Lieut.. Brown is the lion Of
the season at Deer Park and the central
figure in the circle Of distinguished Amer
leans there. Every newcomer is on the
cui rirs for a look at the young officer who
is here recuperating from the injuries to
his health at Samoa.
A fact not generally known TO the pub
Ecis that Lieut.. Brown was not in command
OF the Inflated flagship until his superior
ability 10 the time OF danger made him the
recognized leader among those $50 men,
which included superior officers as well as
seamen. In rank only q lieutenant he at
that critical moment rose equal to the
emergency. The storm was at its
height, lashing with fury the flag
ship until, ruddarless, sailless
and prOpellerless, she was drift
ing to her doom upon the reefs. The
seamen, panic-strickeD, crouched on the
decks, waiting for death in the blackness
of night. The officers shook each others
hands and sgreed TO stand by the sinking
ship. Like an inspiration Lieut.. Brown
ordered Every man in the rigging" and
with undaunted courage he saved his ship
from destruction and hundreds OF souls
from death by a method as brilliant as it
was unprecedented.
The Panama Journal, in speaking of the
catastrophe, says: Certainly Of all the
heroic efforts aud brilliant achievements
that serve 10 heighten here and there he
darkness OF that awful Samoan disaster,
none shines with more resplendence than
those of Lieutenant Brown, by which $50
souls were saved from the fate that few
hours previously they had witnessed over
take the crew Of the little E5er."
Iieut. r. NJ. G.. Brown was born in
Kingwood, W. Va. He was appointed to
the Naval Academy at Newport in July,
1864 by bis uncle, Mr.. VIM. G.. Blown,
member Of Congress from West Virginia.
In June. 1868 he was graduated with dis
tinction, ranking third in a class Of eighty,
and served ss midshipman on the North
Pacific Station on board the Saranac,
Lackawanua and Psnsacol1.
He was rapidly promoted to be ensign
in 1869 and master in 1870. In April OF
$50 he sailed from New York on the
Alaska for the China Station on q three
years cruise, during which time be took
an active part il the COrean war, COM
manding all the sailors landed as infantry
from the vessel He was in the inal
charge at Fort Mckee and was mentioned
by name in the CHI .ial reports of the &C
tion as among those first in the fort
His bravery az that time was rewarded
BY promotion TO the rank Of lieutenant.
In Octobar, 1915, he was ordered TO the
New Hampshire, al Norfolk, where h,
served until June Of 1874, when her wa,
transferred to the Torpedo School at New
port In OctOber Of the SEINE year he wal
appointed first lieutenant of the Despatch
In 1875 he was ordered to Swatara, end
served in the West India Station until
March, lS77, when he was transferred tC
the Naval Academy as instructor of navi
cation and surveying.
On the 18th of June, 1873, Lieut.. Brown
WOs ordered to the command OF the torpe-
do ram Alarm, $50, 600 having been apprO
priated TO fit the Mallory steering pTopsl
Ter 20 that vessel. He was commissioned t
carry on an extensive series of experiments
to fully test its value. Having completed
the experimental duty in a manner highly
satisfactory % the Navy Department, he
was ordered to the Fl Ngship in August, / SSl
and served on The European Station until
the following June, when he was severely
wounded in the line of duty. i. was on
this occasion that Lieut.. Brown won his
first ,aurels as q hero, having risked bis
life for that of a younger officer in q mo-
ment Of supreme danger, barely escaping
with his life in a fTightfully manned con.
dition. For six months OF more he was
confined in Her Msissty's Hospital, "a il
was within her domain that the accident
occurred. When Convalescent Re was in.
valided home and again put on special
duty.
In 1S-i he was ordered 70 the Lacka-
wanna on the South Pacific Station. Ii
was az this time tina. Lieutenant Brown
made his famous adverse report on the
Panama Canal All previous reports had
been favorable to the scheme, but sitter his
expos cor the business methods OF the Com
pany there we're few who favored it. While
on the Isthmus be contracted Chsgrss fe-
yer and had 20 return home in ISIS. In
October of the same wear be was ordered
70 duty at the Norfolk Navy Yard. where
be served until Nay, 1857. In the Fall
Of 1SS7 he was ordered as navigating officer
OF the Inflated Trenton. He was specially
commended 20 the Department for the
manner in which he navigated the Tren-
ton through the Magellan Straits and
Smyth' Sound. his magnificent conduct