The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-05-31
Bon
Ami
WILL NOT SCRATCH
Bvr ss COARSE ENovcH 70 CLEAN
All Groccrs
Naming
OF the
Monterey

The story Of tho naming Of the big
coast defense monitor Monterey, that is
now on her way to Manila to join Ad-
niral Dewey's feet. has never been told
In print. When preparations for her
launching wore being made at San
Francisco Irving nj. Scott. general
manager of the Union Iron works. was
at Washington. and number OF Calf
fornians wired him TO use his influence
with Benjamin +. Tracy, then secretary
of the navy, to have the ship named for
some California town, and Scott Lit
upon Monterey as a name that appealed
to him as appropriate. and khe request
was accordingly preferred
''I'll see what can dc" said the
amiable secretary and. ringing y bell,
he summoned tho head of tho war do
partment having the matter in charge.
When tho matter was explained, tho
chief of bureau replied:
"But you know. Mr.. Secretary. the
rules require that ships of thas class
shall be named III honor Of some naval
battle in which the Americans have
participated. So far as know there has
never been battle of Monterey.
This rule has been changed since, but
Mr.. Scott seeing the corner he was in
as the matter stood, retortcd promptly;
Eyes, it is true that there has never
been battle at Monterey, but let mo
tell you a story. In 1916, when we
were having our littlo unpleasantness
with Mexico, an American man Of war
was lying in the harbor Of Mazatlan.
Near him lay an Englisbman, who had
an uncomfortable way of keeping her
guns pointed in the direction Of the
American. Now, that Yankee slxipper,
who was typical Of his class, got il into
his head to raise his flag at Monterey,
CAL, which was the capital Of that ter
ritory, and it so happened that the Eng
lishnan got the same notion just about
the same time The Yankee suspected
something Of the kind and made up his
mind not to be outwitted
Late that afternoon he sent o lot OR
his men ashore, and when the boats re-
turned to the ship without them tho
Britisher made up his mind that they
would not be back until the following
day. Satisfied with his conclusion, he
sat down to wait. But the Yankee WINS
hustler, as Yankee sailors always are.
The night was as dark as stack Of
black cats, and along about 10 o'clock
the American boats with mufled oars
rowed the crew back to the ship. and In
the inly darkness that Yankee skipper
slipped his cables and warped his ship
out Of the harbor without the fact even
being suspected by the Englishman.
When day broke, he was 80 miles up
the coast, scudding along before ten
knot breeze.
"The other fellow saw he had been
outgeneraled, but he made an effort to
rectify his blunder He had smart
crew and fast ship. There was no rea-
son, he figured, why he might not over
take his rival and beat him to Monterey.
He tried it and came very nearly max
ing a success OF it. He sailed into Mon
terey harbor just two hours behind the
American and dropped his anchor in
time to soc the stars and stripes rise to
the head of tho Flagstaff IN tho plaza
and fiutter to the breeze. Monterey and
California were ours "
Don't say another word, Scott, = said
Secretary Tracy. "That ship shall bs
the Monterey"
And Monterey she is. Chicago Chron-
icle.