The Portland daily press., 1890-03-01
STORMY VOYAGE OF THE ENTERPRISE.
Reports OF Gales Which Were Con-
fined 20 the ships Decks.
Yankee Tars Say Some Hard Things
Of Their Commander,
who intlmates That the storIesIAre
ForecastIe Yarns.

NEW YORK, February 2S.-Not since the
days when the brig Sommers came into the
port Of New York, after Captain Mckenzie
had hanged Spencer, the son OF the Seereta-
ry Of the Navy, has ship Of war 10 time Of
peace arrived here that has been the object
of so much general interest as the Enter
prise, which came In yesterday, after a
cruise OF two years and seven months on
the European station.
Commander Bowman Ii. McCalla is her
commanding officer, and this is his first com
mand ahoat. II will be memorable one in
naval history. The vessel left the navy
yard, Brooklyn. with wen selected crew
and officers picked out by Captain McCalla
himself. She returned yesterday, the most
unhappy ship probably that ever came into
port. In the course Of the cruise desertions
In the ward room had been under suspen-
sion one or more times. From time IN time
rumOrs of the unhappy state OF affairs
abroad concerning the Enterprise have
reached this country and have been pub
llshed In the newspapers. The life aboard
the Enterprise for officers and men was de-
scribed by one OF the ships company yester-
day as having been one continual round Of
from hell to breakfast and back again" =.
Among the incidents told Of the cruise,
TO Illustrate the state OF affairs on board,
is the following: When the ship was at
Christlana, a fireman, named Walker. got
drunk, as sometimes will happen with sail
0rs, came on board aud was put In irons.
Captain McCalla had MIN brought to the
TONED the IN -, Walker replied that he was
drunk and glad Of It." Thereupon Captain
McCalla ordered the officer Of the deck to
cut the man down with his sword. The Off
Ger Of the deck refused. Captain McCalla,
going into the cabin, buckled on his-sword,
and had the man brought on deck again.
The man was brought up In irons, and the
captain, drawing his sword, cut him down,
deluging the deck with blood, and 80 severe
ly injuring the man that the surgeon had to
be Immediately summoned to attend to his
wounds. A hasty bed OF tarpaulins was
rigged up on deck, and there the man lay for
some time. The members OF the crew de-
clare that he was there for day or two, but
1t is hardly probable unless there was some
good reason for it, which has not yet been
made puDlc.
When Captain McCalla makes his report
TO the authorities at Washington this will
doubtless all be explained. At the same
port Captain McCalla piled his ship up ON
defence jetty, but proved that he was not to
Olame because he did not know Of the exist
ence Of the jetty. He was, therefore, exon
Grated, but had a good deal Of trouble over
bill sent him for the tugs employed In reseu-
ing the vessel. which bill he sailed away
without settling, though the affair was after
ward compromised, aud he came out Of the
affair, as his friends were glad TO see, with
honor for getting the ship off, though some
of the credit, IL seems, Is due TO the execu-
tive officer, as the captain was indiSpOsed
most Of the time while the Enterprise was
being fiOated again.
In various ports Captain McCalla seems to
have been unfortunate, among them In Dart
mouth, England, where he mad squabble
with the authorities In regard to small bill
Commander McCalla denies that he has
been abusive, declaring that he has simply
maintained the discipline demanded by the
navy regulations. He admits that two Of
his officers are under arrest by his orders,
but declines to talk OF their cases. AS 20
IL Is the customary experience on foreign
stations to lose many sailors, and the inhu-
euza, which prevailed on board the Enter
prize, caused many OF the men, while sick
with the disease, to take Ffeucn- -s&eye In
regard to the story that ne landed a party
on the coast Of Algiers on Thanksgiving
Day, when the men expected a holiday, and
then ordered them to march II miles TO the
nearest port, their boat having been over
turned In me surf. the Commander says he
was not In command Of the ship at the time.
How much of truth there Is In the charges
against the captain will be brought 0u. OF
the court martial of the two officers under
arrest. Engineer En.wistle Is charged with
testing the boilers with salt water and talk
Ing back when reproyed for II: Ensign
and denying 1t.
Commander McCalla Is the officer who
had trouble with Admiral Jouett several
years ago when at Panama, for the purpose
Of protecting American interests.