The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-09-20
Wainwrichf.~ boat and Wen

auxiliary cruiser Gloucester and her
commander and crew:
Safely anchored in the snug harbor
OF his beautiful island, the picturesque
town Of Charlotte Amalia, with its ro-
mantle old towers of Biuebeard and
Blackboard s~urmounting the hills
| above, the saucy Gloucester is await
ing orders as to her further move
ments. The cruiser Cincinnati, gray
in battle color, Is coaling from a
schooner off the port quarter; the flags
of Denmark. Germany and France are
flying from the warships which repre-
sent those nations in these waters.
visited by Columbus on his second voy-
age to the West Indies in 1898.
Built as a yacht. designed for the
pleasure and recreation OF a rich man.
the Gloucester, formerly the Corsair.
possesses no lines TO suggest the fight
ing ship. There is no armor To disfig-
are her graceful sides: the comely
f~ree-board is for speed, not resistance,
and the overhanging stern is more
suggestive Of delicate construction
than substantial Only when
the deck is viewed does the impression
OF the Gloucester change from that OF
the peaceful pleasure craft TO the muir
derOus man-of-war Then one glance
at the batteries is sufficient to tell
4O" lIIS pdtlIE with luc Spanish lOT-
pedo boat destroyers was won on that
memorable Sunday in July off Santa
go. Eight heavy rapid-fire pieces,
four to each ~broadside, with the Colt
machines OF death fore and aft-an
armament too heavy by half according
TO naval theorists, but one which has
proved the wisdom of its selection.
The big German warShip at anchor,
five times the Gloucester's size, does
not mount so many or such heavy
guns. The Frenchman and Dane. eth
er one twice as large and much more
substantially built, have together a
lighter battery strength. Six months
ago any one Of them would have been
considered the GlOucester's superior,
but today the three combined would
hesitate before giving battle TO the
trim yacht, because they know what
she has accomplished and have been
taught that American gunnery is a
terrible and destructive force When
playing upon an enemy.
When Lieutenant Commander Vain
wright was seeking an assignment
which would enable him adequately to
remember the Maine he was offered
command of the Gloucester, one of
the mosquito fleet. He accepted, and
the navy department suggested that
the vessel be given an armored protec-
ton before going into commission.
Never mind The armor," he said.
The BOAT is fast: Civ me guns and
men-they will be the best protection"
He was permitted to have his way.
The former executive officer of the
Maine was known as a safe man, but
even his staunch admirers looked
aSkance when they saw the guns he
placed aboard Those guns seemed
heavy enough to sink the craft when
she rolled in a heavy sea. 1t was pre-
/ dictp6 that the 6iSch9rUo of a broad
side would tear the boat apart. What
did happen is now a matter of record.
Having his ship and his guns, VAIN
wright looked about for the proper men
to serve them. His choice has resulted
in adding to the luster which is shed
on the American volunteer, for the
men who commanded the guns, on the
day when Wainwright and the Glou-
cester were names indelibly written on
the page of history were there to serve
them for their country's sake in time
of need, and now that the work is done
they are impatiently awaiting the
word which Will permit them to lay
aside their uniforms and return to
their vocations of peace. Not only did
these officers direct the fire, but they
fought the guns as we'll. One of them,
DR.. Edison, after performing his duty
as ensign during the fight, went into
the operating room when the battle
q hillStlSo dllu dSSISltu TIE SHIP >
surgeon in caring for the wounded
Spaniards picked up by the Glouces-
ter'S small BOATS.
Lieutenant T. c. Wood was in charge
of the second division. He was with
Wainwright at the naval academy,
from which he was graduated in 1871.
Then he went into business instead of
following the sea. Today he is the
president of the Bell & Wood engine
company of New York, a man at 40
years of age possessed of wealth, but
who, remembering his early training,
entered active service when told that
his country needed him. In charge Of
the first division on the port side was
j. Tracy Edison, also of the class of II
at A~nnauolis, but known in New York
as DR.. Edison, medical examiner in
chief of the Equitable Life Insurance
and enjoying a large income
from a lucrative practice. To the star
board in the same division was Lieu
tenant George Norman. In Newport
he is rated a successful man of bust
ness, and at the age of 35 is in con-
troll of immense properties. Since he
was graduated from Harvard he has
been a sportsman, yachtsman and polo
player of international reputation, to
which he added a laurel or two for
gunnery on the 3rd of last July. AS
sistant PaymaSter Alexander Brown
IdVu liIt wv NOII guns uu lIlS
the engagement. He is but 26 years
old, and was graduated from Yale in
1891. He has rOWed at Henley, has
held the record for throwing the ham
! mer and is we'll known as an amateur
athelete. He is a son of the senior
member of the Philadelphia banking
house of Alex. Brown & Sons. DR..
Bransford, who is an ensign in COM
man of a gun. was formerly a sur
geon in the navy, but during the last
ten years he has been devoting him
self to practice in the east.
One Of the guns was in charge OF a
petty officer named Bell. In civil life
! he superintends a mechanical depart
ment Of a great bicycle concern. Dur
ing the great fight the firing-pin OF
his piece became clogged and the gun
was temporarily out of commission.
Despite the fact that shells were flying
in dangerous proximity, Bell sat down
/ on the deck, tool the gun apart, in
serted a new pin and was soon active
in the work Of throwing shells into the
enemy.