The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-04-18

they are required and i.so seanea ana
freruen-
Daring the last hours OF the las, con-
greSs clause IN the snnHry civil hsH
passed both houses ard became n iAw.
retiring on half Of sea Pay all officers
who have become facarartsasas from re--
forming duty. This VII retire from ser
vice eleven captains and promote eleven
first nsufenants; X Will retire SIX ArSt
HeutenanfS arb promote seventeen, SEC
oB1 lieatenants; 10 will retire two second
Heufenauts and one third lieutenant pro-
noting all the third ususenants on the
list. leaving a vacancy OF thtrtx-ss~eu
third Heutenants 20 be riieS by young
men coming into the service as cadets.
hoard of officers consisting Of First
Lieut. o. G Hamlet. Second Lieuts. J. C.
Morse and = p. Hun. and ThtrI Lieut.
:. r. EamonAs. having met In Washing
ton City on thu fst Inst 10 examine can
df1ates. There are al present on hoard
the school bark Chase. stationed AZ New
Bedford. II command Of Capt j. w
Congaon. a number Of young men under
going instruction In seamanshtp. ord
nance and other studies necessary 10 pre-
pare them for duty as third iteuten.n ts
They are paid 500 annually, and viii 90
through the probationary term % cadets
in two year, Those now on beard the
school shin are undergoing the frs, year
OF the term. and therefore Ii will ne an
other year before they win be ready 20
I'LL the vacancies IN the list of third lieu
tenants.
The annual appropriation for the sup
port Of the revenue suffer service Is be-
tween S00 900 and 81. 600 900 For the fiscal
year commencing July l. lss5. sos 0a0 was
appropriated BY the death OF Capt. L.
O. Shepard, late chief OF the revenue cut
ter service. the promotion OF First Lieut..
Charles r. Shoemaker followed. and his
appointment as chief OF the revenue cut
ter division was Immediately confirmed.
Though officers OF the revenue cutter
service are by law deemed officers of the
customs. whenever the president SO d.
reefs. revenue cutters shall cooperate
with the navy. during which time they
will be under the direction of the sscre-
tary of the navy.
number OF the revenue cutters and
their officers rendered valuable service
during the late war. In August. 1851. the
revenue cutter Harriet Lane. under COM
mand Of Capt. John Faunce was ordered
to Join the Hatteras inlet expedition. un-
der command of Gen Butler and Com
modore Stringham. At this engagement
there were us rebels captured, two forts.
loo stand OF arms. 81 pieces of cannon.
The Harriet Lane continued In the SER
vice of the navy during 1861 and fss2. as
sisting In the capture Of New Orleans
January 8, 1871 Capt John MCGOWAN
father of Commander John MCGOWAN
u. s. N. sailed from New York In com
mand OF the steamer Star OF the West
carrying supplies and troops to the re-
lief OF Major Anderson, commanding Fort
Sumter.
Many of the older officers OF the rev.
enue cutter service have seen service
during the late war as officers OF the
United States navy. Prominent among
them in Capt Louis Stodder who held
the rank of master. u. s. N, on board the
original Monitor during her attack on
the Confederate steamer Merrimac.
March ?, lSi2 at Hampton Roads.
This service was Instituted In IT'D Tn
I'll some twenty years ago many OF the
revenue cutters were san vessels These
have all been replaced hy trim little
steamers OF from 30 10 500 tons. the
training bark Chase being al present the
only sail vessel. Those revenue cutters
stationed on the Northern Atlantic coast
and the Great Lakes are especially
charged with aiding vessels OF the mer-
chant marine In distress during the Sc
we're winter months. BY an act OF con-
gress dated December -, 1887, the presi-
dent of the United States is authorised
TO cause any suitable vessels OF the rev.
enue cutter service TO cruise along the
northern coast of the Atlantic for the re-
REF OF merchant vessels In distress This
order should have extended TO the north
western coast Of the Pacific. as there are
winters on this Coast which are as severe
as far as storms ara concerned Our
chambers OF commerce. II united on the
subject Of asking that the general gov
eminent direct that a number OF revenue
cutters be instructed 10 cruise between
the ports Of San Francisco and Puget
-
aid the shipping interests materially, as
the government could not show cause
why this part OF the coast should remain
unprotected. The losses met with during
the storms of last winter, II properly
represented by our people would no
doubt bring about the desired effect
There are now stationed six revenue cut
tiers. 4 number of these vessels are sent
north In the summer months. and prac-
tIeally retired to Oakland creek during
the winter months. at the time when they
are needed 10 protect and assist our mer-
chant marine This state of affairs will
always continue as n Is the most ariu-
Gus duty required of this class OF vessels.
not generally sought by the officers. and
unless our people insist on obtaining the
same rights of citizens residing IN the
same ATTITUDES on the Atlantic coast We
will he put of ny promises. Now is the
time. Let the chambers Of commerce of
San Francisco Portland. Tacoma. Seattle
and Port Townsend request through their
representatives that in view Of the many
wrecks which occurred of this Coast last
winter. whereby many lives and valuable
property was lost the government be
asked that the same orders he issued to
the commanding officers OF the revenue
cutters stationed on this Coast. instruct
ing them 20 cruise actively between the
Heads Of San Francisco and Barclay
sound during the winter months 90 In
tercept and aid any vessel which may be
seen needing assistance.
Such an order would materially AID IN
obtaining one or more vessels for this
Coast. which are needed for such service