Evening journal., 1897-11-29
THE GUNBOAT OFF.
Left the P. & J. Yard Yes
terday for Annapolis.
FIRED SALUTE ON THE DELAWARE


LEFT ON ACCOUNT OF HER
SUDDEN DEPARTURE 49, MISS
BAYARD'S PRESENT TO THE OF
FICERs OF THE WILMINGTON
The gunboat Wilmington left her
mcoring place in the Christiana yester-
day in tow of the tugs Laura b. and
Amanda Powell. The sudden depart
ure of the vessel occasioned some sur
prise among many Wilmingtonians,
and an effort was made by Thomas f.
Bayard, Senator Gray and members OF
the committee to have the stay OF che
gunbcat prolonged.
They secured a stay of twelve hours,
but as this would make the time Of
leaving II o'clock night Commander
Todd decided to- clear at noon rather
than run the risk of going out the
Christiana at midnight. The following
were in the party which went down the
river on the Wilmington: William
LawtOn, Colonel A. c. McCausland, E.
M. Hopes, ex-Secretary of State j.
Harvey Whiteman, DR.. A. e. Frantz.
John w. Lawson, S. X. Smith, w. W.
Pusey, ID. w. Taylor J. M. Davidson,
James A. Wright, Colonel Benjamin
Nields, Councilman III. w. Zebley, j.
w. Huxley, w. Scott Vernon, Jesse K.
Baylis. J. A. Currey, G. w. Edwards,
Captain Edwin Kershaw, Robert S.
Smith and others. They returned on
the Laura B. The news Of the depart
ure OF the Wilmington spread rapidly
| and the banks of the Christiana river
were filled with persons. The vessel,
on her outward trip, received an ova-
tion almost as great as the one she re-
| ceived when coming up the river.
AT Third street bridge a crowd Of
more than 1000 persons had assem-
blCd. and as the boat passed through
the draw the crowd waved their hands
and cheered. Further down the river
the British bark Alkaline was lying
She gave the international salute as
the Wilmington passed.
When the Wilmington reached the
river a salute of twenty-one guns was
fired. AS New Castle was reached tn,
Whmingtonians on board gathered on
the forward deck and gave three cheers
for The Wilmington, her officers ang
crew. The lines were then cast off ant
the crew lined up on the upper deck
while the officers stood on the quarter
deck, and the last the Wilmingtonian.
heard were the lusty cheers for tn.
city of Wilmington and her committee
Besides the punch bowl and Bible
one of the most highly prized gifts th
Wilmington took away was the hand
some Irish terrier Don Bayard. whicl
was sent to the vessel yesterday morn
/ ing as the gift of Miss Flcrence Bay
tn off inar r.r
Nineteen members Of the Wilmine
/ tons crew were left behind Saturda
e being payday, a number of the sailor
took advantage Of the low-rate excur
sion TO Baltimore, and on returning [
= Wilmington were surprised TO hear G
the gubnOat's departure Some Of th
e men joined the boat at Annapolis.
I Seventeen Of the men were arreste
. in Baltimore by government Inspector
e who charged them with being deser
n ers.
REPAIRS FOR THE WILMINGTON
Z The glnboat Wilmington will go /
T. Norfolk or Newport News. About for
weeks ago she received instructions
r proceed to the South Atlantic States a.
L ter the ceremonies here, but since ths
- order was given Captain Todd III
communicated with the State Depar
ment regarding the condition of u
boats rudder. The rudder of the Wi
NJ mingtOn is in two sections, and it n,
/ been discovered in her maneuvers tn.
y this dOuble-sectiOn rudder is not sati
factory, inasmuch it retards the DR.
gress of the boat in making a turn.
After considerable deiiberation Ov
; the matter Captain Todd wrote
Washington recommending that Il
= rudder be changed and made one sol
piece. The Washington officials acqu
esced in mis- recommendation, and
i few days ago ordered him to take b
vessel to drydOck Immediately aft
the affair here. The Wilmington w
be on the drydOck at Newport News {
three or four weeks
1t was rumOred that in a
t diticn to the change in her rudder t
Wilmington will undergo some chang
d in her gun equipments. The claim b
Il been made that the boat is top-heaN
en- and it was learned yesterd
IT. that some time ago several guns we
taken from the upper to the low
- decks to give her a better balance. T
officers, however, deny that the YES
is tOp-heavy, but they admit that S
- rolls unusually heavily in a big S
~ When she gets on the dIydock it
~ probable that she will be thorough
inspected in order that any defect m
be removed. Considering her size I
WilmingtOn's draught is very small,
being but ten feet.
ct. After she leaves the drydOclI she "
proceed to the South Atlantic stati
at MOntevideo.