The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-05-08
A xAS.oF-wARs FATE.


The old-time clipper Three Brothers
has come to her last notch. At one time
a warship then one Of the largest and
fastest clippers in the American mercantile
marine. she was finally sold to an English
firm and passed under the English flag.
Months ago she outgrew her usefulness
and is now serving as coal hulk for the
English government at Malta
When the civil war was raging and the
Alabama was creating havoc among the
Federal merchantmen the big vessel was
built and equipped by Commodore VAN
derbilt at an expenditure OF Sl,e00. 900 and
turned over as a present to the govern
ment At this time she was sideSwheei-
err and did good service. When the Merri-
mac was being built in the South and the
Monitor in the North proposal was
made to the secretary of the navy to send
three warships South to make a combined
rush at the Merrimac and attempt to turn
her over. One of the men-of-war desig-
mated was the Vanderbilt. but before the
attempt could be made the Monitor was
built and ready to meet her rival
After the war the Vanderbilt was sold to
George Howes & Bros, of San Francisco.
for $42 600 They took the machinery out
and sold II for more than they paid for the
steamer and taking on her paddles rade
her into a three-masted ship. naming her
and Jabez Howes. Her first trip out of the
Golden Gate was in October. 1873, and
Capt Cummings was in command. Her
cargo consisted of oyer $500 tons of wheat.
and every vessel in port was decorated in
honor of her departure.
Capt George Cummings. who commando
ed the Three Brothers all of the time that
she carried the American flag. now lives at
East Oakland.
sSbe was built by Commodore Wander
biit for yacht" said the veteran captain
To San Francisco Call reporter, and
then Vanderbilt attempted to secure the
CARRYING Of the mail between New York
and Liverpool In this he was defeated by
the Collins line He then set up an oppo-
sition line to Havre.
.swhen the war broke out in 1851 Wander
bilt presented the Three Brothers to the
United States government. She was fitted
ont as privateer to capture the Alabama,
and how I wish she had caught the latter.
/ was then the captain Of the Young
America. and the Alabama overhauled us
I'm the Strait OF Sunda- After putting our
crew to sea in small boats they burned
her. NV wife and 2-year-old son were
with me on that trip
after the war the Three Brothers was
locked In New York. caulked, overhauled,
metaled ard sent around the Horn to San
Francisco She lay at Mare Island six
years. and the only work she had TO do in
that time was to take Queen Emma to the
islands.
I'm $50 she was sold 70 George Howes
& Co. and fitted as sailing vessel at an
enormous expense.
ain October. 1878. we sailed for Havre
with a cargo of wheat. returned to New
York with the vessel On arriving there
we invited Commodore Vanderbilt TO visit
his old Yacht. but he was unable TO do SO.
One of the boys and her builder with one
or two others. took lunch with us. how
ever
.In 1879 she was sold In Liverpool at
auction for a mere trifse, virtually given
away. She Is now coal hulk at Gibraltar.
the strongest old vessel ever built | had
a four-nnasfer model OF her made and raj
fed il off for 50 Oco A man named Middle
ton. holding twenty-five chances, took the
prize. He sold IL to Macdonough. who In
turn gave IL to the Golden Gate PARK mu-
at IL