Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-09-25
WHY IT WAS DONE.
Two More Revenue Steamers Ordered
to the Pacific Coast.
NOT TO PREVENT OPIUM SMUGGLING,
But to Look After the Chinese and
the Seal Fisheries.
MO RE YES Sells NEEDED.

MORE SSELS NEEDED.
Secretary Carlisle's action in ordering the
revenue steamers Grant and Perry to the
Pacific coast has attracted considerable at
tention and Is believed to have more sig
nihcance than has yet been attached to 1t.
1t IL said that these vessels are to aid in
suppressing the smuggling Of opium, but 50
far as known there has been no such in
crease In that traffic as would appear to
Justify the transfer of two vessels from
one side Of the country to the other. es-
pecialy as 1t is a matter Of complaint that
there are already too few vessels on the
east coast to effectually perform the serv-
Ices required of them. Then there Is the
matter Of expense. Experience has shown
that 1t costs very little more to build a
revenue cutter than 1t does to transport her
around the Horn from one side Of our coast
to the other.
Something More Than Opium Smug-
. Cling.
These considerations have caused several
suspicious individuals to conclude that the
concentration Of an increased force Of rev.
enue cutters ON the Pacific coast means
something more than the mere enforcement
Of the customs laws. The absence Of off,
cial Information on the subject has given
rise to considerable speculation. the most
plausible Of which Is that the Treasury De-
action outside Of the matter of opium
smuggling. in itself a most difficult thing to
deal with.
The Chinese Question.
1t is said that the Chinese question and
the seal fisheries are mainly responsible for
the proposed increase of the revenue fleet
on the Pacific. These are both serious
problems. Chinese are being smuggled into
the United States through Puget sound in
spite Of strenuous efforts to prevent it.
Another revenue steamer there will un-
doubtedly be Of great service in checking
the illegal entry Of Chinese and aiding in
the deportation of those already here who
fail to comply with the laws as to regis
tration. The smuggling Of Chinese into the
United States from British Columbia is
said to be even more profitable than the IL
legal introduction Of opium.
To Protect the Seat Industry.
Another important service that will add
materially to the duties of the revenue cut
ters will be the enforcement Of the regula-
tions adopted by the Paris tribunal of arbi-
tration for the protection Of the sealing In
dustry. They will probably be put into full
force and effect next season. although, as
yet. the President has made no official an
nouncement on the subject. No explanation
Is offered for the delay in proclaiming the
result OF the arbitration on this question.
The terms Of the agreement have not yet
been officially promulgated in any form.
Notwithstanding q certified copy of the de-
cision has been in the possession Of the
Secretary Of State for several months. Un-
bound by the decision. so that 1t is hardly
probable that negotiations for a modifica-
ton are in progress.
Why PFOnulEatton IL Delayed.
The most reasonable explanation of the
apparent delay In announcing the result
Of the arbitration is that the President de-
sires to include In his proclamation such
regulations as are deemed essential to the
proper execution Of the agreement. An ef-
fective patrol Of the sixty-mile zone around
the Seal Islands will require many more
vessels than have heretofore been detailed
to duty In Bering sea. The preparations
now being made for the concentration of
revenue cutters on the northwest coast are
doubtless due to considerations Of this kind.
The Two Cutters.
The revenue cutter Grant has been sta
toned at New York for ten years. Her
commander Is Capt. D. +. Tozier The
Perry Is stationed on Lake Erie. She is
deemed one OF the best vessels in the reve-
nue. marine service. She Is commanded by
Capt A. A. Fengar.
The Grant Is Of 363 gross tons. Her prin-
cipal dimensions are: Length. lSS feet:
S~ssAAAs ~ ASSSs oCpeiis IL ACCl . luCHcSs anu
draught. . feet inches. She is a single
propeller craft. Her speed is about eleven
knots an hour. She carries a battery Of
four y-four-pounder howitzers and a
complement OF seven officers and thirty
four men.
The Perry Is a topsail schooner-rigged
steamer OF 22 gross tons. Her principal
dimensions are: Length, l65 feet; beam rs
feet: depth. II feet 2 inches; draught, 9 feet
10 inches. She Is a single screw steamer
mounting two three-inch breech-loading
rifles. The complement of the Perry is
seven officers and thirty-one men. Her
speed Is about twelve knots an hour
The Grant can carry 120 tons of coal Her
consumption under full power is about
eight tons a day. The Perry can carry
about ninety-f1ve tons Of coal
The sailing route Of the two revenue cut
ters will be left. 1t is understood, to the
discretion Of the senior captain Capt Fen
gar. The two vessels will proceed to the
Pacific in company. 1t is thought likely
that they will follow the track Of sailing
vessels to Rio de Janeiro, in order to
economize fuel. In this event the ports
touched at will embrace Rio de Janeiro.
Montevideo. Valparaiso, Callao and San
Francisco. The two vessels, 1t is calculat-
ed. will make the run to San Francisco in
about eighty days.
The opinion Is expressed by revenue ma
rine officers that the Treasury Department
will furnish the Grant and the Perry with
rapid-f1re batteries before dispatching them
to the Pacific. The present battery Of the
Grant Is antiQuated and Of little service
The Perry possesses two good main battery
rifles.