The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-11-18

The Naval Depot ut Csdis snd the Later
Station ~ NIllefrsnehe.

The NAVAL Depot Rt tAdtH and the Later
Station At viliefrsnehe.
To THE EDITOR OF THE SUN-Sr: The fol-
lowing appeared In an article printed in THE
STU on "Our Naval Depot in Europe During
the Past Half Century,"
once we used to have a familiar resort for our Eu.
ropean squadron ut Port Mahon in the Balearlc
islands. and q machine shop was there put up for
facilitating repairs. But, Of course, that was In no
sense a station belonging to us, but merely . point OF
rendezvous, afterwsrd superseded by Vile franche.
Upon reading IL I opened a correspondence
with the Navy Department, because there are
some omissions in 1t which I propose TO correct
in the interest OF history and of our flag.
In 1s4s or ls49 the naval depot was removed
from Port Mahon to spezzia. As soon az the
civil war broke out, Victor Emmanuel, by advice
Of the late Louis Napoleon, gave our country q
hint to get out in 1861. We got out. We then
became "tramps" upon the sea, as far
"a our naval supplies were concerned, I'M
til Spain granted us the use of her
magnificent warehouses on the Gallo de
Aduana, which are about half a mile long. OF
course no munitions Of war were allowed to be
landed. only clothing, provisions. &c. Leopold
O'Donnell was Prime Minister OF Spain at the
time OF the concession. 1t was granted par
TALLY through the request OF the Spanish Am
bassador at the Vatican and principally through
the fr .endly feeling OF the O'Donncll Cabinet to-
ward the North during the great war. eide
Hazards life Of the late Archbishop Hughes.
As n little confederation Of the above, in July
or August, 1864, the Alabama, Confederate
steamer. Capt. X. Semmes, arrived at Cadiz,
and Capt. Semmes went ashore to pay his re-
spects to the military Governor. as is customary.
When he had finished his verbal greeting. the
General bowed to him politely and told him " to
get out of the port inside of two hours"
" You are a disgrace to civilization. you are. in
laboring to destroy the nOblest and freest Cow
eminent on the face OF the earth. Go. Senor
Seumes, BuSu nos dos" he said.
spatch to Madrid. it was granted. lie asked
six hundred tons of coal. He received for reply:
You can receive 1--WE tons and no more: that
will carry you to Gibraltar
He got the five tons, and got up steam and left
the roadstead of fair Cadiz. rising DER the
dark blue seal"
France-Louis Napoleon-was not our friend.
Italy was not our friend. in the red day and
dark night Of our tribulations from 1861 to 1865:
Spain, was all the time friendly, IN act and
SP When t ths %ar ended Sel y the k sforc al po @ mat,
Capt; Shanks. began her itinerary from the
BROOKLYN Navy Yard to the Cannrtes. Lisbon.
and UP the Mediterranean n sailing tramp. She
called at Cndiz and took on board all the Gov
eminent property remaining IA the warehouse.
Admiral were born. The Gaditanos were very
fprDdia 81 the sa autumn mlif.N OF 1858 FSrSr the OF Sa aHy B iST%Ft
ment resolved TO put on its sunday cl9the,
anu go TO Europe Win the Dest SHIPS,
selected officers, and picked crews. The
flagship was the Colorado. the late Rear
Admiral Gnldsboroueh commanding the feet.
His Fleet Captain was the late Rear Admiral
Spencer. and the Captain of the ship was the
late Rear Admiral Wvman. Among the officers
were Executive Officer Kimberly. now retired !
Rear Admiral; Lieut. Commander 7. Critten-
den Watson, now Captain of one Of the mRn-of-
war ships: Lieut.. Sampson, now Captain and
chief OF the ordnance bureau; Lieut.. Harris, |
son OF the late Senator Ira Harris OF New York,
and some Others of distinguished families.
The fleet under Goldsborough stopped at Lis
bon. called at Cadiz early In January, and went
on TO Nice, where he spent the winter. He was
followed by Farragut, who also visited Nice and
was 4" the observed OF all Observers Rear Ad-
miral Radford followed him in 1869. and also
tarried at Nice, so that it became a kind Of
official rendezvous. A few years after
ward. under the Grant Administration.
immaculate Secretary OF the Navy. the late
Geo. NJ. Robson. under orders of his chief. no
doubt. thought It was injurious TO the morals
and discipline OF the navy to have so many fa-
vors showcred upon our gallant tars. Nice was
abandoned, and Vilefranche was selected as
the best substitute. where the flagship generally
takes her Christmas dinner. |
RODERICK F. FARRELL,
Ex-U. s. Consul in Spain.
New YORK, Nov. L.. 1894.