The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-03-07
REMTyIsCENcEs OF M,GTFFIS.
His Entrance Into the Chinese Navy ana the
VIM He Trained Indets.

W. "o hth h"''"
Philo McGinin, the young naval CAPTAIN who
commanded the big Chinese ironclad Chen
Yuen in the great dght with the Jaoanes" In
which he won the title OF THE Hero OF the
Yalu." was n member Of the class OF 1852 ut
the United States Naval Academy at Annap-
oils. He was whole-soulcd and good-natured
and n great favorite with his fello vs..
McGinln started the two years cruise. which
every Annapolis man has 10 MAKE before final
kraduntion, on tho old Hartford. which was
ordered out to the Pacific station 10 take the
plare of the Pensacola as flagship for Admiral
Hughes. There was u YOUNG surgeon on the
HARTFORD who was an extremely bad sailor. and
snccumbed To the least motion OF the ship. The
Hartford WAS expected TO make as much OF the
voyage MS possible under sail. One day when
she was loaflng along down in the tropics she
was caurh, in the Coldrums. While she was
lying with her sails idly ~fnppIng a big German
merchantmen drifted into view. In the fore
rigging Of the merchantmen the lookout on
tho Hartford saw the international code sig
nails o, distress. Steam was got up on the
Hartford and she moved over toward the mer'
chairman. AS she drew up the merchantmen
set the signals which mean send a doctor"
1t was the turn OF the seasick little surgeon OF
the Hartford to do duty that day. and he was
ordered to 20 over 10 the merchantmen The
whalcboat was sent to take him on his errand.
As the wLaleboat left the Hartford the cadet
officers all crowded up on the forecastie To
watch It. The little doctor was hin and white
and looked very miserable. AZ the boat pulled
by the bow Of the Hartford. McGirin. who
was leaning against the rail. turned 20 his
mates and said in his slow drawl:
Boys. when they see that fellow. they'll
think we're the ones that are in distress"
McGinin shifted from tho Hartford to the
Pensacola. and finished hhs cruise In that ship.
He did not take high enough rank In his class
to secure one OF the few appointments 10 ser
vice which were to be made that year. so he got
his 81 900 and an honorable discharge from tho
Government Us u SURPLUS graduate" The
next year he went out to China as a newspaper
correspondent for the TonGuin war. Capt.
Mannix OF he United States Marine Corps
was at that time in China on a long leave of
absence. and was engaged by Ii Rang Chang
TO reorganize, the Chinese naval school. Me-
CID knew S~!anniN. and after the war was
over he asked the Captain for II place in the
naval school. The Cantain sent him to see, \
C~hinaman's palace. and was stopped by several
%sentries. Every. sentinel wanted 20 know
what the Americans business Was. aud each
good American remark that II was all right,
md md Mc,iiain was going to see /, Hmas 3hanE.
and he told tho Chinese Earl what he wanted.
Ii Hung Chang was greatly amused and
| DitdNtu DN tHt loig ltsEtl, hUlcTlCdn anu MS
method OF gaining an audience. But he re-
fused utterly to believe that MoGifiin had re-
c-iyed n discharge from the United States Navy.
Tho Americana are not FOOLS said the
Sh!naman. They would not let such q good
man Ro."
But Capt. Mannix YOU shed for McGlnin, and
So he got the Job. He was made instructor in
NAVIGATION. and that was n great Joke to Me-
Ginin's classmates. for they knew that that
was the subject In which McCiihin was least
thoroughly prepared. But they were mis-
taken In the man. McGinin turned out to te
q frst-ratc instructor In navigation. He knew
every method w which the cadet could hone
to hood wink the instructor. A good many OF
them he had devised himself wnen no was In
Annapolis. and the cadets soon found out that
they had To do their work.
Three years ufterward some OF McGifin's
classmates who were on United States ships
met NcGlmn nj Gibraltar. when he was takiug
the Chen luen. which had been built In Eng
land. out 20 China. They iokcd McGidln about
his appointment rs instructor IN navigation.
and In return he showed them the notebooks
Of his cadet oil ,ers. McGinin had been -
great man for what the naval officers call
taking berth deck sightsi' that Is. be would
take the sights and let some OF the other boys
work out the 'hip's reckoning. There We're no
berth deck sight" takers on the Chen Nuen.
Every cai"t's notebook was filled with his Cwn
figures, and the Americans were amazed at the
amount OF work McGinin got out Of his cadets.