The National tribune., 1890-01-09
hours out of the "a But It seems that there is
no limit to the capacity of the Government
Printing Office when the occasion arises.

Secretary of the Treasury Window has
notified Treasurer Huston that he is advised
that the amount of gold coin in the vaults of
! the sub-TTcasury at San Francisco, Cal, is now
in excess of Sal, 100000 aud that the total ac-
emulation of all kinds of money i'll that Office
| is upwards of $66, 100000, which amount, he
says is far greater than tho requirements of
the Government for that locality. In order
that there may by better distribution of the
assets of the Government he suggests transfer
of about $50 900, 900 from San Francisco to New
! York, on the best obtainablo terms, say p
cents for each $1,000. The Secretary leaves
! the details of the transfer to the discretion Of
| the Treasurer.
ARMY AND NAVY.
Gen. Judson D. Bingham, who is Colonel
| and Assistant Qualtermastor-Gener in tho
Army, and Chief Quartermaster on Gen.
| Crooks staff, has been granted n leave that
| takes effect Jan. 9, and will be for two months
| During his long tour of duty here in Washing
! ton ut the Quartermaster- Generals Office ho
! became well known to residents, and his charm
! ing wife made many friends. 1t is almost
| matter Of course that the greater portion of
this leave of absence will be spent here
VETERANS IN THE CITY.
| ii. ]. Crouch, 9th Pa. Cav. Comrade Crouch
! was wounded and taken prisoner on the Stone
man raid. At the close of tho war he returned
! TO his business as "A sailor and was for years
]
rescue under such peculiarly meritorions
circumstances as to receive the unusual honor
| of an award Of the silver medal Of the British
| Royal Humane Society, with autograph
! lettcr from the Queen. He is probably the only
| living American so honOred. He was for five
| or six years American Consul nj the Island of
st. Helena, and describes the place made famous
! by NapoleOn's imprisonment as an earthly
| Paradise, with wealth of rare flowers beyond
description. He has taken up his residence in
Washington.
II. c. II. Lewis, 18th VT, Bellows Falls, VT.
Comrade Lewis was a prisoner for several
months, and is one of the leading spirits in tic
Vermont Prisoners of War Association and
| GAR. He is in the employ of the Fall Mount
ain Paper Co.
John Dowdle, 50th Pa, Schuylkill Haven.
Ia. COmrade Dowdlo was taken prisoner ut
Spottsyvania, and kept until the following
February. He is n bargeman by profession.
c. ID. Stephens, l26th y. Y. Comrade Ste
phens, who is one of the most active men in
the GAR. and $. of V. in New York, has been
given the position of Waterman in the Interior
Department. He lost leg at SpOttsylvana.
Gen. John G. Black, cx Commissioners OF
Pensions, has beou in the city for several days
on business connected with the Worlds Fair ut
/ Chicago. He IS in excellent health aud spirits
and is prospecting finely in his profession.
A "REMINISCENCES or THE TRENT AFFAIR
-.
has been the Retired List since 1881, has
come to Washington to spend a portion of the
Winter but he does not consider this his home
any longer, as he is permanently located at a
handsome country place near Hagerst0wn, in
Maryland.
He carries his years well, but he is by no
means rs dashing in looks nor as young rs he
was that day of Nov. 3, 1861, when Capt Chas.
Wilkes sent him from the sloop of.war san
Jaeinto TO the British mail steamer Trent 10
take away the rebel Ambassadors Mason and
Slidoll, with their Secretaries OF Legation.
Admiral Fairfax, who WIS a Lieutenant then,
and the First Lieutenant Of the san Jaciuto,
was one of those few men in the service from
the Southern States who were loyal 10 the flag
they had served under when the rebellion be.
gan, and was rs gallant aud loyal lighting
sailor during the war as any officer Of the Navy
born or appointed from any Northern State,
refusing TO yield TO the absurd theory that each
and every man's allegiance was due lrst TO his
State.
Seeing him the other day lounging about tho
corridors Of the hotel where he makes his tran
sient home, was reminded thereby Indirectly,
Of an incident that / knew something OF many
years ago.
When Capt Wilkes faftcrward Rear. Admrai)
took Messrs. Mason and SiidCll from the Trent
he ran into NaTragansett Bay 10 communicate
his action TO the authorities there, and anchored
we'll outside, about two miles from Newport.
At that time tho Naval Academy had been
temporarily removed from Annapolis TO New
port, and while the class of Midsbipmen that
entered in 1863 were quartered in town Mt the
old Atlantic Hotel, the youngsters Of 1861 made
things lively and considerably boisterous on
board the old frigate Constitution (Old Iron
Sides, which was wharfed close TO the little
dock at Goat Island, across the harbor, and
securely moorcd there.
The arrival of the San Jacinto outside aud
the news she brought. created tho greatest ex.
element, aud as exciting rumors OF all kinds
were ahoat in those early days of the war ID
was believed by many that some British man
ofwar, or worse still. one of the aready.es-
capped rebel cruisers, was apt To run inside and
attempt 10 rescue the captured rebel function
aries.
The excitement among the youngsters on the
historic old Constitution was simply intense
They were just entering upon their naval
career, were chock-a-block full OF loyalty, and
every soul Of them determined to she'd blood
on every side until the old flag fl0atcd freely
again from the Gulf OF Maine 10 the Rio
Grlndc.
The San Jacinto lay in plain view just be-
yond the little island and even their brief
experience OF couple of months told them
that the vessel WAS ready for trouble il trou-
bic came, and them when Commander tnow
Admlral) Rogers took some precautions with
the ola Dahigren guns of the Constitutions |
spar-deck battery, they pretty nearly took fire
with anxiety to take hand in fight
One OF these, a long-legged, rcdhcuded West
crn boy was as full OF mischief as he was of
patriotism, aud As he commonly the head
devil in all the escapades anoat, devised a
scheme for having some fan out Of the excite
Hent.
During the gun drill that afternoon, with the
assistance Of couple Of confederaies he secured
saluting cartridge and a percussion primer
from the ships magazine and early in the
evening slipped into the after channels l0utside
the ship aud loaded one of the guns of the
quarterback division. Then tho gun LANYARD
was passed out through the port underneath
the gun, and a fathom or so Of marline attach. |
ed, that dropped down the side lust alongside
gun-deck port.
The gun-deck was not yet com pletey lighted |
up for the evening studies, when Midshipnan |
leaned careesaly out Of the port 10 the length. |
encd lanyard tautencd IL, aud fired the gun
Then IL was time to get the pitch hot The |
head devil had taken the precaution Ia ioin /
Lieut.. Brewer (wh0 was killed nd Fort Fisher |
afterwarfl in pacing the deck so that guspicion |
would not As usual, fall upon him; but all tho |
same, be was locked up in n ward room cottage, |
with a marine ON guard over him, before the |
alarm was half over or the battalion Of Middies |
had been marched back on board from Goat
Island, where they had been sent TO battle with
any approaching enemies
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