New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-10-11
A DESCRIPTION OF THE VESSEL.

N.Ny NOTED MEN HAVE SAILED on HER-THE
yANrIC ORDERED TO GO TO HER RELIEF
The Despatch arrived at the Navy iard 'eEerdi
weeks ago. after her cruise with secretary Tracy aohs
the Navy Yards along the coast. She recelVeu ie"
minor repairs but remained here most oil the 1lhe
awaiting orders Those orders came on Thursoay anu
she sailed on Friday morning for Washington Inc
pont where she went ashore Assateague lsano' Is
about fifty miles north of Cape Charles the pomt she
would have rounded to enter chesapeake BAY, anu 90
on I'D the Potomac to Washington The vessel was AZ
cOmmaTd of Lieutenant William 5. Cowles, VINO naSp
had the command since January 49, 1887, ana Is rec
ognized in every way one Of the most comPe'en'
navgators and seamen in tho Navy. Ihere "ee "i'o
two other lleutenants paymaster. surgeon ana ell
ginecr officers, and crew Of about thirty men,
Soon after the news reached the Navy Yard OF inc
etrond,np of the Despatch came telegram requesting
that relief be sent to the vessel The fantlc' winch
was lust about to start for her station in Brazil was
dealned her captain summoned to Commanulh'
Erben's Office and after short conference ne was III
struced to run down to the Despatch and do what is
necessary to be done the safety OF both thc ves
and her crew. The Yantc left the Navy YARD at Ii
a. m and may return with the rescued to-day.
Il is only about year that Chief Naval Con-
structor T. d. Wilson stated that the Despatch coud
not be expected to last longer than year without
extensive repairs Repairs made. but they were
not so thorough as really required, since they
would have cost more than the 20 per cent limit al
lowed bv Congess. It WAS the intention ihat inc
Dolphin should be detailed to take the place oil the
Despatch as the Board of Survey recommended t'@t
the latter be disposed Of but 1t was fonnd that inc
alterations required for the service which the Despatch
was employed in could not be made to the Dolphin
under law which authorized her constructloh' ana
the Despatch was continued in service.
No Government vessel the history of which has been
made I'm times OF peace has interesting record as
the Despatch When first built, in 1874, she was the
steam yacht Amercus. owned by Henry G. smith,
Wall street broker She designed and built by Henry
steers one of New Yorls noted shipbuilders. Mr.
smith was making lots OF money at the time and MS
orders were for the "biggcst and handsomest' steam
Yacht I'm the word. She had served Mr.. Smiths
floating palace for about three years. and then owing
70 revcrses the owner sold her to the Government in
1876 for 100000. less than half her original COST
Since then her deck has been rod by more notable men
than have graced the deck Of any other ship in the
world.
She was renamed the Despatch. and after two years
of service among the navy yards transport she was
sent To Europe as a dispatch steamer for the United
states Minister at Constantnope during the Russo
Turkish War She returned with the nvads OF the Amer
can feet in the latter part oil 1879 when new boilers
were put into her She became the Presidents yachs
on October IT. 1880, and distinguished rs the
first Government vessel to hoist the Presidents nag
the arms of the United States blue ground and sur
mounted by crescent of thirteen stars. since gong
into commission the Despatch has carried every Presi
dent since u S. Grant upon tours of official duty.
| AT the time OF the centennial celebration OF wash
| ngton's Inauguration, in this city, the Despatch
brought President Harrison, Vice President Morton
and distinguished assembage of statesmen, warriors
and civilians from EIizabethport to Wallst, occupying
the foremost place in the grandest naval pageant that
| ever was witnessed In this country.
! Among many others who have dined in her cabin
were Dom Pedro, King Kalakaua, Queen Kapiolani,
Chief Justice Lord Colerdge, Joseph Chamberlain and
| the Count of Paris. 1t upon this vessel that
Senator Evarts made his famous retort to Lord Cole
| ridge The latter remarked to Mr. Evarts that he
doubted the story Of President Washington throwing
silver dollar the Potomac, the distance was
! too great. To this the Senator replied; My Lord,
| Won must remember that dollar went further In
| those days than IL would go now
The Despatch Is 200 feet long over all, 25 IL feet
| wide 10 IL feet deep, and has a mean draught OF
| IL > feet Her whaeb0at and gig were used in The
| Greely Relief Expedition, on the Bear aud Thetls,
and they brought the survivors OF that expedition nom
| their starvation camp at Cape sabine TO the ships.
The barge Of the yacht which Is decorated with the
| naval symbol OF the United states, is named Queen
| Kapi0lani, and the captains gig Is named Dorothy
after the daughter OF exSecreary whitney. Her arm
ament consists Of one threelnch breechloading rife.