The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-01-19
CAPT. BIONDI'S IDEA.
p,yenue Marine Should Help
Merchant Vessels.
uAsTERs SAY HE IS RIGHT.
xxeyters for Puget sound-Meeting OF
Ne Pflots-The Lucky Majestic
Water Front Notes.

The following letter. bearing on the ques-
.;on OF compelling the revenue steamers
\. eyu,se off the coast in the interest of
ths merchant marine. was written to Cap
s.;n E. Biondi of Port Townsend, by Cap
s,iaC. r. Swan, of the bark McNear, while
r. latter was lying at Tacoma
y have read with great pleasure your articles
,sh;,hed in the PosT-IsTELEIGEScER and other
Sonnd papers and heartily indorse everything
- ssy have often wondered why revenue
srt,egs lying ut Port Townsend and San Fran
ss.ra AZ well equipped they are In all respects
IN he saving OF life and property do not cruise
| .,oas the Washington aud Vancouver coast
assue the stormy months of winter and look
,fres The weaker merchantmen, especially when
rported long overdue.
i know that many ships have been lost,
ereciaiIy along the coast of Vancouver, and
~snr eeamen have met q watery grave who
4 Snld have been saved If a revenue cutter had
10 cruising along the shore to render succor
"a reiief. Revenue cutters such as the Bear.
Irwin and Rush are constructed much stronger
Dan merchant sailing vessels and far better
esuipped and manned. Any seaman familiar
III the North Pacific coast knows the dangers
daring an ordinary storm, owing to It's rugged
"a rocky shores, and many disasters have
oeafred where life aud property have been lost
hecsuse no relief was at hand. few revenue
eulteEs patrolling our coast between the months
1cf December and April would be q
welcome boon TO the growing commerce
d the Pacific coast and a blessing to the
manner whose lot through life is not the
moethest Is the life of mariner on the Pa
e6c coast any less valuable than the life of one
La the Atlantic? Is 4 ship in distress on the Pa
die coast not entitled to the same relief as one
Ed the AtlanticY The question answers it.
|'elf What extra expense, ii any, would it be to
ne government If the revenue cutters were
ntfolling the coast instead of lying idle near
Is ctiess The additional expenee would be
mali Does not the stability, prosperity and
pver of all governments DEPEND upon its COM
nerce and merchant marine? And should not
ne government foster that merchant marine
nd commerce and lend its aid, not to our sec
non Of the country more than in another, but
Ufend its protecting arm over its whole CON-
|nefce and merchant marine, as well as that of
60kaer nations navigating our Coast? have, IN
[Uexpefience OF twenty-five years navigating
6hls Coast, known OF many disasters that would
have been averted aud lives and property saved
kf the same means for saving life and property
3pep adopted on this Coast as on the Atlantic
conclude by promising you my hearty CO.
opuation in your efforts, fully appreciating
heir Importance to mariners and trusting that
he subject will not be permitted to languish
md be forgotten in few weeks, but will be
Eitated until the object has been fully accom-
|fshed
The letter was accompanied by the in
torsement of Captain J. b. Cliff, marine
|nrveyor at Tacoma and late master of the
ship I. +. Cakes; Captain ]. f. Kenney,
marine surveyor; Captain I. Selberg.
master German ship Occident; Captain E.
"a. Forsyth, master British ship Karoo;
Captain w. Frank Andrews, master Brit
ish ship Glenalvon: Captain p. NowIan,
master British ship Lodestar; Captain
George +. Moorehouse. master American
ship Dashing Wave; Captain Jerome
Jameson, master American ship jeremiah
Thompson; Captain III. Peltz, master
schooner Robert Searles; Captain w. NJ.
White, master American schooner Annie
larsen, and Captain I. J. Conner, master
lark Richard Ill.