Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-05-25
Revenue Cutters I'm Battle.
New York SUM-

The splendid service rendered by the
Hudson in the Cardenas fight. where the
torpedo-boat Winslow was disabled by
the Spanish batteries and lost Ensign
Bagley and four of her crew. has called
attention TO the value OF the revenue
! cutters for war.
There are fourteen of these vessels CO.
operating with the navy-the Calumet,
| the Corwin, the Grant, the Gresham, the
Hamilton, the Hudson. the Manning, the
| Morrill,, the McCulloch. the McLane, the
| Perry, the Rush, the Window. and the
Woodbury.. No doubt there would be
more, save for the multifarious routine
duties of the revenue marine. all along
the coasts from the tropics to the Arctic.
which requires the services of a good
part of the force. But the vessels and
the crews that have taken part in the
war have done themselves credit.
The Hudson's rescue of the Winslow
from hot fire of forts and gunboats
combined. towing her away from imm-
nent destruction, was a conspicuous act
Of gallantry, but others have had their
share Of battle. The Manning came under
fire in the unsuccessful effort to land
arms and ammunition from the Gussie
for the troops of Gomez. The Morrill,
took part with the gunboat Nashville in
a.
which broke out when they chased
small Spanish craft close TO the shore.
The Hamilton landed party of Cubans
under cover OF her fire, which the Span
iards attempted to answer. Blockading
duties have been added to these livelier
experiences in the Gulf, while at Manila
the McCulloch ran by the batteries with
Admiral Dewey's fleet, and acted as a
dispatch boat to carry the news of his
victory to Hongkong
Thus, in spite Of the fact that most of
these vessels were not built specially with
view to conversion into war vessels. and
carry only small rapid-fire guns like those
of warship's secondary battery, the
revenue cutters have done their full share |
of the fighting thus far. In this. however.
they have only been true to their tradi- |
IONS. Organized century ago, the reye- |
nue. marine service has regularly taken |
part I'm our wars. as its military organiza- |
ton has enabled 1t to do. Its officers are |
specially educated like those Of Annapo-
lis, and have life term of service, while |
its men are uniformed armed, disciplined.
and drilled like those of the navy. 1t is
the country's busy and tireless coast
guard, enforcing the revenue, quarantine,
enrolment, registry immigrant
and neutrality laws, cruising an aggregate
or hundreds of thousands of miles every |
year, making scores of thousands OF
visits to ships, rescuing many vessels
from distress. saving many lives: now
serving in the fever-infected Gulf, and
now protecting from poachers our seal
herd in Boring Sea. Alike, by its perils
ana IT'S hard and constant work, il has
been lifted TO 20 into actual battle with
me vigor and courage already spoken OF.
one result OF the present war should
De that of placing the revenue-cutter SER
wee on a better footing hereafter. De-
'pite their busy work in peace az well |
IS in war, its officers are worse paid than
hose OF either the army or navy, and
lave fewer privileges, such as those of {
ongevity pay and regular leaves OF abb I
ence. AS tho recent tendency is TO make
he revenue cutters in build and arma-
nent more like the vessels of the navy. /
o their war services must tend to show
hat the personnel is really naval rather
han civilian in character, and is entitled
0 all the privileges OF coast-guard 1
avail force.