The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-03-03
Vote the Straight Republican Ticket.
THE CoRwIN's ACTION.
Why She Did Not Go TO the Thompson's
Rescue-The Other side.

Rescue-The Other side.
Capt Roatch. of the United States reve-
nue. cutter Corwin. objects to the adjec-
tive toy" being applied 10 the boat He
assigns as a reason for the Corwin's In
activity while the Ferris S. Thompson was
drifting across the Sound during Satur-
days storm, that on February "A 1t was
found that the thrust bearing of the cutter
was defective, and Ii was necessary 10
telegraph for another one
To remove this necessitated taking the
machinery to pieces. and they took the
occasion to uncouple and tx up the steam
pipes at the same time. 1T was impossi-
BILE for the Corwin 10 have done anything"
said Capt. Roatch yesterday. ANY one
who would take the trouble to look up
the Corwin's record for the past three
years would not call her toy vessel. She
made 1900 miles while in Boring sea. and
has probably done more work than any
other revenue cutter in the service"
L NJ. Garrison, representing the Ship
Owners Association. TO which the Thomp
son belonged, and who was one of those
who endeavored to get assistance from the
cutters Corwin and Grant. sends the fol-
lowing communication 10 the Post-Intelli-
gencer:
ITO the Editor: A note appears In this
mornings issue of your paper. TO the ef-
feet that the officers or the Corwin and
Grant say the Thompson was never in per-
II for a moment during Saturdays storm,
and I respectively request that you allow
me space to reply to same.
"As representative OF the Ship Owners
Association. considered II my duty 10
do everything in my power to get
steamer TO go TO the assistance or the
Thomson No one on shore was able TO
say whether she had lost her anchor or
was dragging same. and IL the latter. any
person acquainted with Seattle harbor
knows that at the rate OF speed she was
going after drifting across the harbor IL
was an accident that her anchors found
hold Now IL IS folly for the officers or
the Grant 10 say what they would have
done. as there was not an officer on board
with the exception OF the boatswain. ana
although there was a small boat at the
stern OF the Grant hanging by the painter.
he refused TO man II or loan IL 10 bystand-
ers on the dock, who wished 70 send word
10 the Corwin, notifying them OF the
Thompson's danger. Am certainly aware
that n would have been useless to send
small boats to the assistance OF the
Thompson. but the Post-Intelligencer has
made the statement that the Corwin had
spent several months in Seattle, and was
thoroughly overhauled. and since that
time she has been away from this port
but a short time, making trip along Van
CONVEX island, returning a number or
DAYS ago. and Is still at the buoy. IL IL Is
again necessary "a make repairs, think she
might well be called a toy ship. and that
Uncle Sam cannot dispense with her too
soon. Most of my life has been spent at
sea and take exception 10 the statement
about ,ha Fandsmen being alarmed and
do not think that any one but boy with
o,,+ experience and who did not realize
the danger would make such a statement
Resnectfullv. ~. II. GARRISON"