New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-02-28
THE VERMONT OF TO-DAY.

narrow channel which separates Cob Dock from the
VOW Ward pro,er and which Is only to be crossed
on the housed over scow ferryboat by steam
mower acting upon a twisted wire cable, and the
cabins OF which cannot be entered Dy cViilahs un'
provided with a pass or unaccomplmeu oy an oincer.
II is not difficult to obtain the former bu' inc april
cant must show that he or she Is Vsitor VITA
legitimate purpose. Not that 1t Is iearcd mat the
visitor will carry away the great hulk OF the Ship OF
will secrcte one OF the 2Onch guns in his pocket to
dispose Of II old iron at cent pound out tnas
tho stranger Is a purveyor convcyor OF liquor 70
the sailors.
That the reader may be relieved OF the mystery
which may seem to be lodged in the above use
Of the terms "men, Dutchmen, and dagoes, II
NAV be well to explain that the terms ara
nurely. dstinctIvey aud absolutely nautical and
are readily understood by Yankee seamen' an
officer or enlisted man should remark, "Tel 1t to the
men p, he would have In mind the Americans and
English among the sailors; "Dutclmen' include the
Germans and Scandinavans. and "dagoes' the Portu
u,ese and Others The Vermont Is the receiving
Ship, at the Navy Yard in other words, the nauti
cal boardin g house for the newly enlisted men, OF
for those Just returned from cruise and waltng 70
receive what Is due TO them from the Government.
The newly enlisted men remain on board until
drafted" or detailed upon vessel In COMMISSION
The suygng tides Of the East River have washed against
the sides of this Old time for quarter
Of century, but they never the least motion 10
the vessel nor any commotion on board, for she lies
deeply imledded in the mud her triple tiers OF gun
morris contrasting widely with the battlehi OF mod
ern DAYS she was Of that Gloss OF frgates Ike Ldd
Nelson's famous Victory and the old United states
which did such effective service under COMMAND o.
Captain Decatur in the War of 1912. and Of the Ohio
which is the recelvng-ship at the Boston Navy Yard
she was constructed at the Boston yard. in lo4s. %
the best lve-oak pine and hackmatack. and was bult
for comfort. There is no navy vessel ahoat today
which has big staterooms and large berths rs are
in the Vermont.
The Vermont was originally built in 1918, and was
afterward rebuilt with the intention OF making her the
flagship of Commodore Perrys expedition TO Japan. but
something happened that made IL necessary 10 send
the Mississippi in her stead. and she rested for ten
wears or more on the stocks before she again put
In the water Then when the Civil War began ana
there WAS demand for everything That conh noa''
she was finished and put into commission on jan
usry 81. 1902. She filled up with stores ard
was sent to Fort Royal supplyship to the North
Atlantic squadron, but her voyage was the longest
ever made for that distance at sea. she sailed on
February "a. In command OF Commander ~ 5 Bald
vim and when off Cape Cod she encountered a GALE
which stripped her Of every stitch Of canvas IN less
than an hour on the following day her rldde'
seven boats and her three anchors and cables went
by the board and she tossed about in the trough
OF tho like great bowl. During Ire three daSs
tempest three Of the died. and they received
the sailors burial with the chaplain hshed
10 a gun while he read the burial service When the
Gale subsidized jury-rudder was shipped. but gale
succeeded gale, and she swept twotllrfis OF He
way across the Atlantic. Tie Navy Department sent
the saxon and sabine out 10 look for her, and when
the former found her of the Azores. she furnished 10
her a new rIdder md a suit of sails. The new rud
der was carried away in tempest few days la'es'
ard Doatswaln Isaac Bartlett rugged another rdder
out OF a spar and got her her course aeain The
ftcae Sabine next picked her up on April J. ana ten
DAYS later she reached Port Royal. She had b.en
forty nine days at sea, eighteen Of which she was
without ruddcr or sails and for twenty three DAYS
there no sunshine.
The Vermont was afterward flagship Of Admiral
Duponts south Atlantic squadron for a time ana sac
later served as a storeShp. hospitaship, and even
prison ship, holding prisoners various persons IN
teesed In the notorious and remunerIive pracuce "
blockade running. Among the latter was the Mns "
blockade runner captains the famous " BIN iFr?'
and the Colorado succeeded her Feceiyllssnlp:
but tho Vermont aferward diSmantled and hOtsea
over. and again took her former place and her um'
bers sound that she may last fifty years more
for her present duty A..
sailors are also permitted to have entertainments
after their own liking. with plenty of music Relgous
services and temperance meetings are also hem on
board the old fgate, and a we'll stocked library oNes
plenty OF reading matter for the men, the Duchmen'
and the Dagoes'