The morning news., 1889-05-07
rp rNTON CHRR7s TIE CALLIOPE.
An English Tribute to the Gallant
American Sailors.
From the London Telegraph

From the London Telegraph.
Consider the scene and the matches
herojsm and generosity of this yankee crew.
Almost sule of instant death themselves,
thew could see he queens ship at her ut
most steam pressure fighting, fathom by
fatho,n. her way to life and safety. could
annreclate the gallantry of tn effort, cheer
+be brave, handsome ship defying the hur-
ricane. aud finally see her glide past,
oyerc ming the roll of the sea and the
savage wind with the generous pleasure of
tine mariners. glad of smart and daring
daed We do not know in all naval records
anv sound which makes finer music upon
+bs ear than that cheer of the IrentOn'S
,oan It was distressed manhood greeting
triumpbapt manhood. the doomed saluting
the saved: it was luc Aier and more human
than apv crv ever raised upon the de K of a
y,cforious line of battle snip. 1t rever can
he forgotten, and never must be forgotten
hy Englls men speaking of Americans.
Sure we are that the echo of that noble
ssbuzzan mus have made every man on
b ard the Calliope ng to lay hold CT the
TrenfoI and give her least ouO" at any
cost b.vond the dreadful ref. 1t wa &,
bowever, all she could do to clear her
American CO sort. To have towed behind
even gig or dingey " ould have certainly
lost the bate she was waging foot by foot
AGAINST the hurricane Her n lightly engines,
messed to their utmost, saved her at last.
Little by little she truggled out to the sea
cate. and, ouce free of the reef, bit of
ReadsaIl flung her bow to the wind, which
soon aided the painting engines to drive he.'
far away to seward, out of all danger.
But let iaydsmen realize how that success
was won Let them think of the stokers
toiliug in the ssing engine room, urging
the fierce furnaces; of the engineers driving
ND the steam gauge, riskiny deadly explo-
sion to savel fe and ship; of the officers and
ere. on deck, hardly sure that the vessel
stole forward an inch upon the reef, hardly
able to see, or speak, or stand, but doing
their duty perfectly to he queen, and with
breath and heart enough to answer that
noble 'God-speed" of the yankee flagship.
Since seafaring began there never was a
wilder sight than Apia harbor on March
II. nor anv nearer touch -and-go escape than
the skillful start of the Calliope, nor any
more gallant, generous and un 'elfish demon
stra1On than the cheer which the Trenton
gave the queens cruiser as she TO ged
ahead out Of that death trap of storm and
ruin between the reef and the town.
Alb gether 143 lives were lost in this
most di 'astrous tempest and at least four
good ships of war, besides many merchant
men. Yet greater and more maj estic than
any tNlrTicane, than any death or disaster,
is once more proved to be the spirit of ma ],
which, in a scene of such dreadful tumult
of nature, where strong vessels were help
less as chips, and the sJoutest skill was use
less, could r r,iSe above the whirlwind that
dauntiess cheer to the Calliope, the ex-
preston Of an immortal courage-a cry, ell
thi gs considered. of such indomitable
Anglo-Saxon pluck as to rug fl Ter than any
which has ever echoed under tle fl e of
victory, or ia the happiest hours of security
ana success.