The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-12-14
A LESSON IN SEAMANSHIP.
Dewey's Tars Surprised the B%ritishers.
A Lively Race.

"a Lively mace
In 1865 George Dewey. then a lieuten-
ant commander, was the executive Off
Ger of the stanch old frigate Colorado.
/ was his ships writer and had oppor-
tunity Of knowing him intimately. says
w. w. Stone, and | shall never forget
a most exciting contest which he had
in the bay of Gibraltar with her ma
jesty's flagship Bellerophon. known
in the SONG and story as the Billy Ruff
fan.
She was cried up to us by her men
as the crack ship of the British navy.
/ do not say that she was: ] am sim
ply giving you assertions made by the
English boats crew, coming alongside.
bringing the English admiral on a
visit. Mr.. Dewey heard of this brag-
gadocio I'm some W and determined TO
give the Englishmen a run for their
money He knew well the English rou-
tine aboardship, having been with the
Wabash on her European cruise in
1859 and he knew hat the British sea-
men pride themselves more than any
thing else on the speed with which they
could lower their sails and flag.
At sunset, c~hronometer time. the
American flag comes down to the music
Of drum and fife; at the same time the
word of command is given and the
masts and yards leavet their perch and
are lowered to the deck.
In the British navy the sunset gun is
fired at actual time, or was so then, and
the flag was lowered as the spars came
down.
Shortly before sunset Mr.. Dewey
walked up to the bridge. aft Of the
quarter deck and took the trumpet
from the officer of the deck. Soon after
Admiral Go~ldsborough, Commodore
Steedman and Captain Wyman Joined
him.
At the usual time our old flag futter-
ed for a moment at the gaff and then
descended I k a bird of paradise upon
the after deck.
Not a word, however. came from Mr..
Dewey. Every eye was turned upon
the English frigate, waiting for her sig
nal gun The men were all at their sta
lions. quivering with suppressed ex-
element. Had we been waiting for
shotted guns for the signal to COM
mence a life and death struggle for the
mastery of the port there could have
been no greater tension.
Suddenly the unset gun boomed out
from the Bellerophon, and her royal
yards swung to a perpendicular.
Away there. you men," came
through the speaking trumpet like a
sharp clap of thunder.
No one now paid any more attention
10 the British ship: the men bent every
energy to the task before Them: the
topmasts were up far enough TO slip
out the un~derpinning; then down, Slow
ly but surely, came masts and yards
at the same time. This was a very per-
tfous undertaking. The immense pieces
II timber, eight inches through at the
QUIT are held in their place by stout
iron bands, strong enough to bind the
biz sticks while perfectly p~erpendicu-
lar. but powerless. had the enormous
piles tilted to one side. Each was,
however. guided by strong and steady
arms, and down they came with the
yards still hanging alongside.
A single misstep. a tilt of the ship, a
parting of a strand and the ponderous
mass might have plunged through the
ships bottom.
In less time than I have taken TO tell
of the feat the old ship was stripped,
her stumpy-looking lower masts stand
ing alone and making her look like a
shapely wreck.
We now looked for the first time
over to the Englishman. We were
amazed. His yards were not yet on
deck. although his seamen were work
ing for dear life. We could not help
setting up a cheer.
What's your hurry. Dewey" called
Goldsborough. qu~izzically. The ponder