The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-03-28
NOW A COAL HULK.
Last Use of the Steamer the Old Com.
modOr Gave to President Lincoln.

Los Angeles Letter in New York Sun.
In the Chamber OF Commerce is the
model OF a vessel of remarkably fine work.
manSh1p. OF which nobody knew anything
until a winter tourist saw il and recognized
IT with as much delight as If IL had peen
an old friend. He had been purser on board
the vessel IL represents for many years dur
ing the most eventful part of its career,
and he knew its history as he knew his
own.
That's the. ship" said Purser McHenry,
that Commodore Vanderbilt gave to Presi-
dent Lincoln for 81. She cost him a million
| of dollars
The ship was built for passenger service
between New York and Havre. She was
launched in 1856, and was noted in her day
for her rapid trips across the ocean. When
the civil war broke out Commodore Wander
bilt gave her outright for the sum of 81 to
President Lincoln. The cautious old COM
sci in this manner so that there might be
no possibility of his heirs ever making any
trouble about the gift. And he made the
cause he and Secretary Gideon Welles. of
the navy, had been school reilows and had
Vanderbilt neither forgot nor forgave, and
he wished his school-time foe TO have no
sort of claim upon his princely gift.
name-was fitted with a huge steel prov
and ordered to Hampton Roads to try con-
illusions with the Merrimac. Captain Lee
fevre called his crew-they were mostly
ENTHUSIASTICALLY and told them that
they had been ordered TO try and sink the
ftDel ram. Dull tnat IL was quite As likely
that the ram would sink them. and that
III any one wished to leave he might do so.
To a man, mate. sailors, stokers and all.
war. For a long time she lay at Hampton
Roads waiting for the Merrimac TO come
out Tar enough to be attacked. But just as
often as the rebel ram peeped out into the
open and saw the steel prov of the Van
derbilt glistening i'm the sun. just so often
she hurried back to her hiding place. She
kept in shallow water. and the Vanderbilt.
being a heavy draft ship. could not follow
her. Said Captain Tatnall. of the Merri-
mac: IF it wasn't for that - Wander
pitts prov I'd sink every Yankee vessel
In Hampton Roads in twenty-four hours"
One morning at daybreak Purser Nc
steamed alongside and transferred to the
vanderbilt President Lincoln and Secreta-
ries Chase and Stanton. A battle with the
Merrlmac was expected that day without
fail. and all was hustle and excitement on
board the steel proved ship. The presi-
Dental party had breakfast on board.
stayed there some hours. and were then
taken OF TO Fortress Monroe, where they
were to witness the hoped-for engagement.
Vanderbilt his yacht. and said that he in
tended TO make a cruise to Europe in, her
wnen me war was over. Blu, there was
nose, saw that the Vanderbilt was still
there and getting ready for her. and scut-
tied pack as fast as she could go.
After the Merrimac suicide. to
avoid public execution. the Vanderbilt was
relieved of her steel PROV and made into
a tIduSpOFt snip. Sne was one or the swift
est ships in the service. and had the re-
markably good luck Of landing her human
cargoes without loss or even alta X. ex-
cept at Port Royal. where she was Struck
by a confederate shell and several persons
were killed. Finally she was fitted ont
with a battery of ten guns and sent TO
chase the Alabama. Swift as was the Van
derbilt. equally swift was the Alabama. and
although Captain Lefevre and his crew
steamed in hot pursuit up and down. bac,x
and forth, putting in at port after port lust
AFTER captain Semmes had left, never a
glimpse OF the Alabama's heels could they
get.
When the war was over. and President
Lincoln lay i'm his grave. the Vanderbilt
was sent to Mare island navy ward. There
she was left a long time-long enough for
all interested 10 forget about her. Then she
was advertised for sale in the Weekly So
lano Herald. a paper read by a few hun
dred farmers, who. as everybody knows.
were likely TO want a passenger vessel or
a battle ship almost any minute. She was
sold. Just as If she had not been the per-
sonal property OF the martryed President.
Tor %2,Oc. 10 the Cummin Brothers. They
changed her name 10 the Three Brothers
took out all her machinery. which they
sold for more than they had paid for the
entire vessel. and made a sailing ship of
her. She was loaded with grain. arG OF all
the swift ships that I'm those days lay in
could Keep pace with her to European
ports. She made many trips. and at last
was sold TO the British government. To
the British government she still belongs.
and Commodore Nanderbilts miilion-doliar
gift 10 President Lincoln is ending her
varied career under the union Jack as a
coal hulk at Malta