The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1896-10-04
THE REVENUE
CUTTER SERVICE
Origin Of the United States Navy
a Hundred Years
Ago.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PERRY

/ one u the Finest vessels Of the Fleet
but Was Compelled to 90 to san
Francisco for Repairs Because
Astoria Has no Drydock
The presence Of the revnue cutter
Commodore Perry IN the port Of As
toria has caused no little comment up
on the service and inquiry into the
methods Of that department " the gov
ernment. The Perry is one Of the finest
vessels Of the fleet under the control Of
the secrtary Of the treasury. She was
originally built FOR service on Lake
Erie. and came TO the Pacific some four
years ago. She expected 10 leave last
night. but viii get out early this MORN
ing for sun Francisco. where she viii be
put on the drydocks for two months.
and viii undergo very thorough re-
pairs While In San Francisco Captain
Smith will exchange positions with
Captain Roath. Of the corwin All day
yesterday the Perry was engaged in
taking on coal at the gas company's
dock. and Notwithstanding this dis
agreeable work. she was besieged with
visitors all day Captain Smith and
his officers are the most hospitable and
well entertained ali comers.
Third Lieutenant II. NJ. Sturdevant
explained the vessel 10 an Astorian
representative. The Perry Is ls5 feet In
length. with IS feet beam. and 10 feet
depth Of hold. She is barkentlne rigged
with single expansion engine. and has
a speed of eleven knots an hour Her
coal consumption Is comparatively
small. on the trip from Ounalaska to
Astoria, a distance Of 1900 miles, she
used ninety-four tons Of coal. having
taken on 100 tons before leaving port.
and having six tons left in the bunkers
upon arrival here.
The following is the roster OF the yes
sci: Captain, II. d. Smith. first lieuten-
ant and executive officer. w c. Ross:
first lieutenant and navigating officer,
j. u. Brown; second lieutenant, f. ].
Hake; third lieutenant, II. NJ. sturde-
want; chief engineer. j. r.. Daily: first
assistant engineer. j. e Dorry: second
assistant engineer. J. b. Turner. All
told. she carries forty-three men and
The Perry's armament consists of
two one-pound rapid fire guns. To this
will be added while in San Francisco, a
siN-pound rapid fire Hotchkiss
During the present seasons work 1t
was not necessary to fire a shot. al
though a number OF important seizures
were made by the Perry. The summer
work OF the revenue cutters In Behrng
sea requires the men to board each
sealing vessel. examine IL for fire arms,
skins, shot holes in the
'kins, and the sex Of the animals cap
urod,
The captains quarters on the Perry
ire elegant and complete in every de-
all The wnrdroom Of the officers is
'ommodious and fitted up with every
both for recreation and
business. The staterooms opening out
4 the wardroom are most comfortable
n all their appointments All of the
ervants are Japs who seem to give the
'est satisfaction for this work. The
ngine rooms. charthouse, and galleys
re complete and compact. The entire
hip is fitted with a modern system of
lectric signals. /
a prominent writer in the last issue Of
frank Leslies monthly gives an inter- {
sting account OF the United States I
evenue marine service. Comparative {
= little is known of the real character '
nd duties of the revenue cutter SER '
Ice, although 1t has been in existence '
Or more than a century, furnishing Q
he treasury department with a little S
avy OF its own. The motto of the @
orps has not been GLORY" but the I
battle-cry Duty" and a
ne path Of duty has led its officers to v
,any brilliant achievements. While (
he revenue cutter service, from its t
with the treasury, is ap- t
arently civil establishment, II has F
ways been upon a military basis. In b
80, when the finances of the country s
nd been drained by the Revolution, n
nd 1t was so necessary to stimulate the u
interests of the embryo ma W
on, this branch of the public service h
as organized, eight years prior to the t
Hiding of our navy. The United
.ates did not. at the time. possess a N
ngle warship to maintain her newly n
'quired dignity upon the high seas. q
eneral Washington, assisted by Sec RI
'tary Hamilton, Of the treasury de- Il
with characteristic care and W
resight selected the officers to form pI
lis new corps from among the COM
anders of the continental navy, the
Lighting quality Of each individual
ointment. Upon the recommendation
Secretary Hamilton, congress au-
orized the building and equipping of ct
n vessels, the cost of each not to ex- &c
ed $1,000. to be manned by a cap O.
in whose compensation was to be $50
month besides his subsistence; a first
cond and third mate, four mariners,
Continued on Fourth Page) fl