The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1889-09-14

LIEUT.. r.. M. q. BROWN AND MS
NAVAL CAREER.
A West Virginian Who Has Wen Merit.
ed Distinction-His First Laurels
Earned In Panama--His Re.
port on DC Lesseps'
Big Scheme.

oi Tue iTeutou aI samoa, mas lateiy
arrived at Deer Park, covered with
the scars of service and the glory of
having performed one of the most
brilliant feats Of seamanship in the
: annals of any navy. Lieut.. Bown
is the lion of the season at Deer
Park and the central figure in the
circle of distinguished Americans
there. Every new conner is on the
qui cire for a look at the young off,
Ger who is here recupcrnting from
the injuries to his health at Samoa.
A fact not generally known to the
public is that Lieut.. Brown was not
in command of the Inflated flagship
until his superior ability in the time
of danger made him the recognized
leader among those 450 men, which
included superior officers as well as
seaman. In rank only lieutenant
he at that critical moment rose
equal to the emergency. The storm
was at its height, lashing with fury
the flagship until, rudderlcss, sail.
less and propellcrless, she was drift.
ing to her doom upon the reefs The
seamen, panic stricken, crouched ON
the decks, waiting for death in the
blackness Of night. The officers
shook each Others hands and agreed
to stand by the sinking ship. Like
an inspiration Lieut.. Brown ordered
Every man in the rigging" and
with undauntcd courage he saved
his ship from destruction and hun
dreds of souls from death by meth
cd as brilliant as it was unprcce-
dented.
The Panama Journal, in speaking
of the catastrophe, says: Certainly
of all the heroic efforts and brilliant
achievements that serve to heighten
here and there the darkness of that
awful Samoan disaster, none shines
with more resplendencc than those
of Lieutenant Brown, by which 450
souls were saved from the fate that
few hours previously they had wit
messed overtakc the crew of the little
Eber.'
Lieut.. r. NJ. G. Brown was born
in kingwood, W. Va. He was ap-
pointed to the Naval Academy Mt
Newport in July, 1864, by bis uncle,
Mr. VIM. G. Brown, member of Con-
gross from West Virginia. In June,
1868, he was graduated with dis
tinetion, ranking third in n class of
eighty, and served as midshipman
on the North Pacific Station on
board the Saranac, Lackawanna and
Pensacola.
lie was rapidly promoted to be
ensign in 1869 and master in 1870.
in April of 1870 he sailed from New
York on the Alaska for the China
Station on three years cruise,
during which time he took an active
part in the Corean war, commanding
all the sailors landed as infantry
from the vessel. He was in the
final charge at Fort Mckee and was
mentioned by name in the official
reports Of the action as among those
first in the fort His bravery at
that time was rewarded by promo
ton to the rank Of Lieutenant. In
October, 1873, he was ordered to the
New Hamshire, at Norfolk, where he
served until June of 1874, when he
was transferred to the Torpedo
School at Newport. In October Of
the same year he was appointed first
lieutenant of the Despatch. In 1876
he was ordered to Swatara, .and
served in the West India Station
antil March, 1877, when he was
transferred to the Naval Academy
as instructor of navigation and sur
veying.
On the l1th of June, 1878, Lieut..
Brown was ordered to the command
of the torpedo ram Alarm, $4,000
having been appropriated to fit the
Mallory steering propeller to that
vessel. He was commissioned to
carry on an extensive series of ex-
periments to fully test it's value.
Having completed the experimental
duty in manner highly satisfac-
tory to the Navy Department, he
was ordered to the flagship in Aug
ust, 1881, and served on the Eu-
ropean Station until the following
June, when he was severely wounded
in the line Of duty. 1t was on this
occasion that Lieut.. Brown won his
first laurels as hero, having risked
his life for that of younger officer
in a moment of supreme danger,
barely escaping with his life in
frightfully manned condition. For
six months or more he was confined
in Her Majesty's hospital, as it was
within her domain that the accident
occurred When convalescent he
was invalided home and again put
on special duty.
In 1884 he was ordered to the
Lackawanna on the South Pacific
Station. 1t was at this time that
Lieut.. Brown made his famous adj
verse report on the Panama Canal.
All previous reports had been favor
able to the scheme, but after his ex-
pose of the business methods Of the
company there were few who favored
it. While on the Ithmus he con-
tracted Chagres fever and had to re-
turn home in 1885. In October of
the same year he was ordered to
duty at the Norfolk Navy Yard,
where he served until May, 1887.
In the fall of 1887 he was ordered as
navigating officer of the Inflated
Trenton. He was specially com
mended to the Department for the
manner in which he navigated the
Trenton through the Magellcn
Straits and Smyth's Sound. His
magnificent conduct at Samoa again
brought him to the attention of the
Navy Department, the Admiral
highly commencing him in his Off
cial report to Secretary Tracy. In
January, 1886, Lieut.. Brown married
the second daughter of ex-senator
Henry G. Davis, of West Virginia,
at whose summer home he is now
the honored guest. Senator Davis
cottage is next door to President
Harrison's summer home at Deer
Park.
If you conld see your own scalp
fhrounb M ordsu -, M ous friun