Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-03-01
The XiAlef-


-.
The Violet.
adapted to the entertainment Of guests, and
was severely tested in that respect by
Secretary Herbert and Admiral Gherardi
during the recent Columbian naval review.
Therefore 1t was natural. when the Presi-
dent recently expressed a desire to take
an outing on the river for a few days. that
Secretary Herbert thought Of placing the
Dolphin at his disposal. In such matters
to think Is to act. The Dolphin was lying
Idle at New York. All that was necessary
to bring her to Washington was to send
commander. This was two weeks ago and
two days later the Dolphin was at anchor
at the Washington navy yard.
Rejected Dolphin.
The President was Informed OF that fact.
with the additional statement that the ves-
sci was ready to take him wherever he de-
sired to go within the bounds of POSSIBLE
ity. He was very grateful Of course. but
really he had not thought of going to sea,
and moreover. he couldn't do so. you know.
without leaving the jurisdiction of the
United States There is a constitutional
prejudice or something of that sort, against
the President leaving the United States
during his term of office. Moreover, Mr..
Cleveland wanted recreation more than he
did cruise on the raging main. and he
believed he could get more Of 1t in the
Carolina, hunting the succulent duck In
its winter retreat, than he could In enforce
ed idleness on the troubous ocean.
1t Is, possible that the President never
gave utterance to such thoughts as these.
Nevertheless 1t is a fact that he discard
ed the sumptuously appointed Dolphin for
the plain little Violet. He had cruised on
the Violet before and had formed an at
tachment for her. Moreover, she could take
him where he wanted to go and the naval
vessel could not. Her accommodations.
while not so fine as those of the Dolphin.
were very good. He had previously tested
them in a short cruise down the Potomac
with Secretaries Gresham and Carlisle and
Capt. Evans Of the navy. and they had met
all requirements. True, the present trip
| is a more extended one. but then the party
| is smaller by the absence of Secretary Car
| Isle.
| Violet Elected.
The distinguished party left here last Sun
day in a binding snow storm and are now
supposed to be engaged in the highly ex-
hilarating sport of ducking in the quiet
waters of Currituck or Albemarle sound,
n. c. The region is a paradise for ducks
and the season Is now at its height. With
these conditions, the Presidential ducking
| expedition can be a failure only through
| the fault of the hunters.
The Violet, which has become national
| institution by its frequent use by the Pres
ldent, Is one Of the oldest vessels in the
| light house service. She 1t attached to the
| fifth light district embracing the coast and
| navieable waters of Maryland, Virginia and
| North Carolina, and her special province is
| to visit the light houses. buoys and other
| aids to navigation In that district at reg liar
| intervals. to see that they are in good con-
| dition, and also to render their keepers any
| assistance that may be required. She is a
side wheel steamer of 1855 tons measure
| ment, with a speed Of ten knots in smooth
| water. She was built at Staten Island, n.
Y. in 1861, and was used by the govern
ment for naval purposes during the war, at
the close Of which she was added to the
! light house establishment, where she has
| been ever since. Her hull is of oak and
| cedar. with fastenings of galvanized iron.
| She underwent extensive repairs in 1886.
| Her dimensions are as follows: Length be-
| tween perpendiculars, 143 feet: breadth of
| beam, % feet, but including outside guards,
80 feet and inches: draught, light, 8 feet;
| loaded feet. She is provided with u low
pressure beam engine and one return tubu-
lar boiler. She has foremost fifty-four
| feet above deck, and a foretopmast twelve
| feet long. A large derrick is also a p-omi-
nent feature Of her fore deck. She is paint
ed black outside and yellow predominates
| in her interior coloring. She has coal ca
pacity of sixty tons, sufficient fo- a ten
! days cruise, and a capacity for provisions
| sufficient for thirty days There are twolarge
! state rooms, with bath room attachments
| in the main saloon. and there is anothe.
| first two are occupied by President Cleve-
| land and Secretary Gresham. and the othe-
| by Capt. Evans. There are in addition four
berths. feet by feet, in the cabin, and
| twelve berths, @ feet by Q in the forecastle
| These are occupied by the officers and crew
| of the vessel. The proba bilites are that
| the officers fare better in the matter of
| sleeping accommodations when they have
no guests The cabin is thirty-two feet
| long and is we'll furnished. The vessel is
officially reported to be in good condition in
! every respect, and will undoubtedly acquit
| herself credtably on this occasion She is
now on her own cruising ground. and is in
no danger of accidents. Her regula- duties
| require her to make frequent trips through
the Dismal Swamp route to the sounds Of
North Carolina, and her known aVailability
| for that purpose was the main reason for
her selection for the special use by the Pres
ident and the Secretary of State
Scene of Action
Long Point. where President Cleveland
and his party passed Tuesday night, is near
the foot of the Albemarle canal. The first
section of this canal runs from Norfolk to
the head of North LANDING; river. which IS
really an extensive sound in itself Run
ming twelve miles along this river the Violet
entered the second section of the canal this
time passing from Virginia to North Caro-
lima. This second section is but three or
four miles in length and energies in North
river. Near this exit Is Long Point. and
across the peninsula. about two miles is
Long Point Marsh Island. a famous ducking
shore. 1t is located on Currituck sound at
a point where the sound is only about three
or four miles wide and the eastern shore
is formed by narrow strip of land border
ing on the Atlantic. The water in the sound
at this point Is very shallow, rarely exceed
ing six feet at the deepest points, so that
there is no danger that any OF the presi-
Dental party could be drowned in any storm
or wreck. This shallowne5s will make 1t
probably impracticable to use the Violet for
cruising about, so the chances are the Pres
ident must trust himself to one of the sail
boats with which the region abounds, or to
a steam launch. The light house board now
possesses little steam tender built especial
ly to renew the gas buoys marking the
tortuous channels. 1t Is known as the
Bramble and Is much smaller than even the
Violet In his capacity as naval secretary
of the light house board Capt. Evans prob
ably would have no difficulty in calling this
little craft into the service of the party IS
she is stationed at Elizabeth City, not many
miles distant from the anchorage of the
Violet.
Treasury Cash Balance.
The available cash balance in the treasury
today is $13s, 3SS 742: national bank notes
fnr raIa