El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1898-11-04
THE CRUISE OF THE YALE.
Told by the Universlty's Repre-
sentative on Board.

sign in the navy and assigned to the
Vale as the universities representative
during her service as an auxiliary
cruiser. The following extracts are
made from his article in the Yale
Alumni Weekly:
On the last day of April the Paris
reached New York. The ST. Paul. St.
Louis and Harvard formerly the New
York; were already off to the south.
The gilded letters Paris on her stern
were removed and in their place was
painted YALE" the name under which
the ocean greyhound was to serve her
country.
Yale university had already begun to
raise subscription in order to present
some suitable memorial gift in recogni-
ton of the honor done her in the nam
ing o. the ship. Two rapid fire six
Founders were obtained from Wears
Sons and Maxim by Mr.. John Addison
Porter at the suggestion of Captain
O'Neil Ito whose interest and assist
ance in this matter the university is
greatly indebted). Indeed the naval Of
ficers both on board the Yale and In
the department at Washington showed
the greatest appreciation of the inter-
est which the university manifested in
this ship and in the navy.
The writer had an illustration of this
feeling when in June he was sent to
presentation of the guns. For Captain
Wise then suggested that sit would be
appropriate if the university had re-
preventative on board" The officials
| in the busy bureau of navig alton &C
quiesced in this view, and the writer
was accordingly appointed an ensign
and ordered to the Yale.
The former officers and crew were
| not enlisted into the navy-Gime did
| not permit it-but signed in with the
American line as If for the usual trans
Atlantic cruise. The government mere
| ly chartered the ship, put Capt w. G.
Wise, U. S. N, in command, with
Lieutenant Key as executive officer
and some twenty marines to man the
guns. 1t is interesting to remember
| that at this time our newspapers were
| filled with indignation against Spain
for threatening to issue letters of mar
que and fit out privateers. Yet with
| the exception of these two naval Off
GERS and the marines, the crew of the
Yale on her first voyage as scout ship
and commerce DESTROYER were, from the
| On Sunday, May eighth, the Yale
was again off San Juan. Captain Wise
and Captain Watkins were both upon
| the bridge, and as they neared the en-
trance Of the harbor. the former asked,
"What ship does the Yale most resem-
ble?" "She might pass for the City of
Rome,'' replied Captain Watkins.
Thereupon Captain Wise ordered the
English colors run up and the "City Of
Rome" signals displayed, and steered
close under the MORO, where every
corner of the harbor could be seen
Then having made sure that Cervera's
fleet was not within, Captain Wise or
dered the borrowed cOlOrs of the Yale
to be dipped in salute to the Spaniards
l hn nd a a
close under guns that could have sunk
her, the courteous and unsuspecting
gentlemen in the fort dipped their flag
in return.
Scarcely was this peaceful British
merchantmen out of range when the
the English flag was hauled down. the
Stars and Stripes were hOisted in its
stead, and the Yale started in pursuit
of Spanish steamer which had come
up from the eastward At first the
stranger tried to reach San Juan, then
turned and headed for the harbor of
st. Thomas. Meanwhile on the Yale
the stokers, who were off watch, had
volunteered to go down to the fires.
The smoke poured from her tunnels
and the twin screws drove her at top
speed after the fleeing Spaniard. For
an hour aud half the pursuit continu-
ed and every minute the ocean grey
hound drew closer to her prey. When
close alongside, Handsome Dan, the
star board bow gun, sent q shot across
the Spaniard's bow. But he still held
on his course in q desperate attempt to
escape. A second shot did not stop
him, nor q third nor fourth. Then
Lieutenant Key sighted the gun him
self and sent a shell right over the
bridge where the captain was standing.
Whether or not, as the Spaniard claim
ed, the shell really burst above HE
head and knocked him down, it certain
lily brought him to his senses. A mo-
ment later the steamer hove to and
hoisted the Spanish colors.
She proved to be the Spanish steam
Ter Rita" bound from Liverpool via
Corunna to San Juan. She was accord
lingly siezed by Captain Wise. A prize
crew, consisting of Mr.. Porter and Mr..
Walcott american line officers and the
latter Y ale graduate of 'SS 81, two en-
gineers, three seamen and two marines,
was sent on board and the Rita" laid
her course for Charleston, s. &.
On the tenth of May, the Yale a
; third time approached the harbOr oil
San Juan in search of Cervera's fleet
By this time, however, the Spaniards
had learned that the peaceful City OF
| Rome was dangerous enemy, and In
stead of salute the guns of the MORO
opened fire. All the shots fell wide Of
the mark, but, few minutes later,
steamer was seen coming out OF the har
Dor and bearing down on the Yale. The
stranger proved to be the Alphonst
XIII, and as the six Founders of the
Yale were no match for the heavy bat
terry of the Spaniard, Captain Wise de
cided, much against his WILL that "dis
erection was the better part of valor.
: Continued on It'll page