The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1889-01-09
CAUSED THE CAPTAINS DEATH.
A Case of Economy In the Navy
Department.

WASHINGTON, Jan. S.-Representative
Davis has prepared report from the COM
mittee on pensions with reference to the bill
granting pension to Margaret Baker, widow
of Commander Samuel III. Baker. 1t sho%s
most deplorable condition of affairs "a the
Navy Department The report says. "The
late Commander Samuel II. Baker, husband
of the pensioner, was man Of fine physical
constitution, and of distinguished acquire
ments, and he was considered to be one of
the most promising officers in the navy.
About Jan. so, 1888, he was in command of
the United States storeship M0Hongahela at
Coqulmbo, Chlli,w orders to proceed from
that port to San Francisco. This ship was a
steam vessel, but the order was that she was
to proceed to San Francisco under sail. The
complement OF the crew furnished COmman-
der Baker for this purpose were boatswain
aud mates 3. seameL 9, and landsmen 12-an
actual working force of 18 men, put TO navi-
gate vessel OF some 5000 tons burden on a
long voyage.
Inc vessel got under way Feb. 2, 1888, it
having taken this short-handed crew three
days to heave anchor. which is usually the
work of only few minutes. On the 25th of
February she arrived off the port of Payta,
Peru, being then short of water, with men
under restricted allowance. Partly because
this vessel came from Chilian port, and
pdAtiy ucCduoo IL WAS diltStu that tpIuetllc
diseases were raging In the port from which
she came, she was denied admission into
Payta, and denied the privilege of commu-
nicating with the shore for the purpose of
telegraphlng the condition of her crew to the
Navy Department at Washington. The YES
sci had no dlstiller on board, and altogether
the manner In which she was sent out and
tile insufhciencies of her equipment ami crew
are mysteries of the naval administration.
About the hrst Of March. 1888, through the
enterventlon OF the commander OF the U. ).
3. Alert, Commander Baker succeeded In
putting himself in communication with the
Navy Department, and the result of the tel
egram was an order that the MOnongahela
was TO proceed to San Francisco. The exc
cution uf this order was entered upon imme-
diately,and after many privations Command
or Baker brought his vessel into that port ON
the 10Th of May, 1885,
Under ordinary circumstances the voyage
should have been made in 30 days, and dur
Ing this period Commander Baker stood
watch every day, exposed to weather which
the log shows to have been exceedingly in
clement During the entire run from Payta
to San Francisco, from March IL to May 10,
the log shows that the officers and crew
were on short allowance of water, and 1t has
been shown to the satisfaction OF the COM
mittee that nothing but the unceasing
personal toll and exposure Of Com
mander Baker and other officers in perform
Ing the ordinary duties Of seamen, enabled
the vessel to be brought to the port of San
Francisco. The effect of this upon Com
mander Baker was his death by acute ure-
mia. Oct. 30, 1888, caused as the IN edical GER
tifcates show, by exposure in the immediate
line of duty, while in command of the Unit
ed States storeship Monongahela upon this
voyage. He left his widow in Strengthened
circumstances, with one child TO support and
educate. She is now receiving pension of
$50 month, and the bin provides its in
crease to $50 month.
The icommittee, after a careful considera-
tion of the facts in this case, and the prece-
Twiggs, Collins, Breeze, Greene, Craven,
Edes and Butler, who sacrificed their lives In
early manhood by devotion to duties excep-
ti0nally arduous, and whose widows pen
sions were increased on that account, ear
nestly recommended the passage of the bill.