Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-12-22
REVENUE CUTTER SERVICE
Annual Report of the Chief, Captain G. F.
Shoemaker.
Seventy Lives Savcd-Scven Alleged
Ffifbusters Captured-Arctsc
Relief Expedition.

Capt. {. +. Shoemaker chief of the reyc-
nue. cutter service, in his annual report
says that of the thirty-seven vessels in the
service TWO years ago. there were nineteen
Old wooden hulls. fourteen of iron, three o.
steel and one of iron. wooden sheathed.
Handicapped as it has always been, how
ever, the service has never in its history
iaied TO promptly respond and 10 efficient
~ meet every call that has been made upon
IL; but with hat difficulties il has had 10
contend or what dangers it has encountered
III the discharge OF its onerous work hone
out those intimately associated with II can
possibly Know. No one of competent uds-
niett VIII be found who will say that the
Vessels Oh the service have at any time
"i'h'h twenty years been calculated for or
Ill 10 perform, the duty done in them. The
measure Of success obtained has been who'll
y uue 20 me lndefatga Die labors OF the
personnel which ills the commissioned
ranks OF the service and the tajfhruI
trained and disciplined crews
Nthin the last three years Congress has
aulhofAzed The building OF seven new YES
seis TOUR OF which already have been COM
ple'ed and are in all particulars swift
modern vesse!s, and in every way suited to
me service. Authority is asked for the
construction OF five cruisers TO take the
pace of some OF the old wooden vessels
ROW almost past repairing.
The usual active patrol of the sea .r,lIf
ana lake coast has been maintain NED during
tEe hscal year ended June 30 lsg1 and in
.he performance OF duty the vessels have
boarded and examined 1913 vessels OF the
merchant marine and reported to proper
authority for various violations of law sa;
OF them, mourning penalties in the sum of
slf',Vp.. Elghty-eight vessels in actual
distress, with G23 persons on board were
assisted, the value of the vessels and car
goes amounting TO Sl,2l1 III The vessels
OF me service have cruised during the year
los miles in aid of the life saving estab-
llshment. From July /, 1886, to October l.
1874, seventy lives nave been saved The
enforcement of the neutrality laws made
necessary by many attempts to send Illegal
expeditions from our coast to Cuba IN the
interest of the insurgents. has compelled
V!Slant cruising by the cutter service, no:
oEly IN FLORIDA waters, but elsewhere
Selling FiIibusters.
A statement is presented showing the
character of the service rendered by the
revenue cutters in this connection since the
beginning OF the present insurrection in
Cuba in 1895 to the present. The combined
period of service was 129 months. during
which the vessels cruised T5.I6s mics. Sew
en- vessels were captured with 10 persons
on ocard, TWO iilibustering expeditions were
broken UP and thirteen suspected vessels
were detained in port or kept under sur
Neilance.
The arctic relief expedition is referred to-
and Capt. Shoemaker says: No greater
undertaking, one fraught with more hard
Slips and peril to the participants marks
the career Of any national service, and
come success or come failure. il must re-
dound to the high praise of its personnel
ana TO the honor and glory of the nation,
while the steady readiness of the revenue
cutter service to meet every demand made
uron it has already been emphasized in the
SPEEDY preparation and GeDarture this
expedition
Functions of the Service.
The cutter service is purely technical
service, in that no person not trained in
the technical profession of the sea can
old a commission in the corps and under
regulations prescribed in conformity with
the law referred to all officers requir
ell to pass rigid professional examinations
for entrance and promotion.
The commissions of its officers are of
the same Qifeb tenure those of officers
of the army, navy and marine corps. OH
GERS enter this, as they do the services
named, in the lowest grades and work
their way through long years Of service
by promotion tafter examination, mental
and IhySicaD to the highest. No officer
has ever been dropped dismissed ex-
cept Tor proven cause, such as bad con-
duet OF failure to pass the required stan l.
ard in professional examinations.
While the cutter service is. under eX-
listing law. a part of the civil establish
ment, il is and has always been, since
the foundation of the government, con-
stan;ly regarded and treated as a part of
the military force of the country. Its yes
sells are armed cruisers, differed by men
bearing the commissions U!ndcr military
titles, captains, Heutenants, &c..) of the
President, 10y and with the advice and CON
sent of the Senate, and manned by duly
enlisted men; its officers and men uni
formed in accordance with regulations
Prescribed by the department; naval disci-
pline and routine prevail on board of all
its ships: the officers and crews are requir-
eI to be proficient in naval drills and TO
possess a practical knowledge of the Use
Of arms. All these things military.
The service is required by law not only
to aid in the protection of the revenue,
but to enforce nearly every statute affect
ing the maritime interests of the coun-
try. BY acts of Congress the service is
required to aid in the suppression of pi-
racy. in the enforcement of the Quaran-
tine laws and in preventing the violation
of the neutrality laws; to suppress mutt
MES board merchant vessels, and to
use the armament of their ships and the
force board, when necessary, to bring
vessels to for eXamina ton.