Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-08-14

more thai a match for several times their
number of undisciplined men.
In conjunction with the Bear. these ves-
sells have been doing patrol duty in Boring
sea since last April, and. with the excep-
ton of the Bear, which will remain till the
LIST of October. they will leave Alaskan
waters on the 18th of next month, with the
Portland in their midst.
Ample Precautions.
Prior to the departure set. should any ev-
idence come to hand showing a prear-
rangemert to seize the Portland. it is pur-
posed by the Treasury Department to order
the Bear to join the other cutters, while in
addition d naval vessel will be sent north
to meet the fleet.
The Bear is the largest of the cutters In
Boring sea, her displacement being IOS
tons. This vessel was transferred to the
revenue cutter service from the navy after
her memorable service in the Greedy relief
expedition of 81. She Is 1913 feet long by 80
feet beam, and has draft of IS feet of wa
ter. She Is barkentine rugged. and under
steam can make nine knots hour. She
carries two 3-inch brecch-loading rifles and
two 2O-pounder Dahlgren rifles. Her COM
plement consists of eight officers and forty
three Seamen.
But 1t is not at all certain that the Bear
will accompany the Portland to Seattle: and
the force that will. therefore, he available
to resist attack will consist of the four
other vessels named. Their total force will
be composed of 81 officers and 1856 seamen.
Altogether their ornaments amount to
twelve guns The Rush, which, next to the
Bear. is the most effective cutter in the
Bering sea, is only of 300 tons displace-
ment and is brigantine rugged. She is It's
feet long. has a beam of % feet and a
maximum speed of lis knots. Her arma-
ment consists of two three-inch breecn-
loading rifles and one six-pounder rapid-fire
Hotchkiss gun.
The Smaller Boats.
The Perry is even smaller than the Rush,
but her battery is nearly as effective. Her
displacement is 2S2 tons, her length 1865 feet
and her beam p feet. she carries a fight
ing force of 81.
The smallest ship of the escort is the
Grant, which has displacement of 263
tons. She is 1G3 feet long, has a beam of
% feet and draws nine feet of water. She
has complement similar to that of the
Perry, and battery of two twenty pound
ers and two one-poand rapid-fire rifles.
Besides the ornaments given, each ship
IS supplied with rifles and revolvers suf-
ficient for arming each man. Each Of the
returning miners will, in all probability,
carry firearms; and the consequence of at
tack Is not promising to pirates.
What the officials seem to fear even more
than piratical attack is an attempt upon
the part of some very bold spirits among
the passengers or crew TO murder the can
tain and mates and all that resist. take
charge Of the ship and point her nose for
some port on the Asiatic coast. where she
would be promptly deserted Blu; for the
miners on board the officers and crew of
the Portland would be absolutely helpless.
In Case of Uprising.
In the event of an uprising on board the
ship 1t would be the duty Of the officers
OF the revenue cutters to lead a boarding
party to retake her.
The utmost confidence is placed by the
department in the officers of the guarding
Meet; and there Is not the slightest fear but
tnat the senior officer present will act with
that traditional promptness characteristic
OF the service should occasion demand.
Viewed in whatever aspect one chooses
the instance Is but another proof of the all
prevailing power of gold and the steadily
rising fever that has bewitched US since
kiondike became the absorbing topic of the