The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1898-03-25
In BRITISH WEST INDIES.

Ensjgn Mart Ba,nes Writes about MS
Cruise and me Maine Disaster.
The following letter from Ensign
c. B. Barnes, written from ST. Kite,
British West Indies has just been re-
ceived by his mother, Mrs Governor
Barnes:
ST kits, b. w. l Feb. l6. '9s
My Dear Mother-Wo have just ar
rived in Basse Lerre, the town of ST
Chrisiopher's island, where we stay
twenty days AS far as weather is
concerned our cruise so far has been
ideal. Our last trip of one hundred
and forty miles from st. Thomas here,
took six days. This was because the
wind blew directly from st. Christie
pher TO ST. Thomas, and the whole
trip wss beating to windward don't
know when we will receive mail
from the states-several days probably.
st. kits, as this island is called, Is
one whole sugar plantation, and about
,he most beautiful thing in scenery |
ever saw. The Geolets yacht is here
now-the same one that was at st,
Thomas when we we're there. Day
before yesterday, Valentines day, She
chief engineer and ! arranged little
squibs on all the officers ourselves In
cluded, and sprung them at dinner.
They caused good deal OF mirth, and
no one knows who wrote them
/ hope TO 20 all over the island and
take kodak pictures. These islands
all have craters on them and deep
ridges down their sides, showing vol
canic action. The way every bit Of
ground, right up TO the craters, is
TILED is a good lesson in husbandrY
The British government has n large
machine shop here for the repairing
Of refining machinery. II also has a
fort flying the British Jack which is
their battle flag.
The hies are getting very bad, but l
suppose we must become accustomed
TO them from now on, indefinitely. As
| come on duty for the mid.watch TO.
night, | fear | may not go on shore
much for three or four days
Thess islands are full of interest.
They we're great battle grounds when
the Spaniards owned them, and used
TO furnish their owners wealth to
carry on wars with, 30 they are Of
historic interest. England, having
been the great sea power, took them
one by one from the French and Span
iArds, who could not hold them 80 far
from home without navy strong
enough TO keep England in check,
which neither country had from 1900
to 1850.
February 27. Day before yesterdays
mail brought me the sad intelligence
OF Breckenridge's death. 1t is simply
horrible. ! cannot realize IL. He was
as close as brother TO me, and will
miss and mourn him all my life. 1t
does seem to me peculiar that he was
not saved. l feel that ! could have
saved him had l been there, although
Lieutenant Gleaves, the commanding
officer of the Cushing, admired and
loved him as did every body with whom
he came in contact. There are only
wo officers on these little transfer
b Jats, and when he was incapAcitated
the safety OF the boat depended en-
tirely upon Mr.. GleAves and assuredly
required all his attention in such an
emergency. When he WAS picked up
there was yet life in him and all the
doctors say that drowning man can
be resusitAted as long as there Is any
life, IL they are properly treated.
There are no surgeons on any of these
transfer boats, and the bad state OF
weather and awful rolling of such n
little boat in such u sea as then
existed, OF course was against bring
ing him back TO consciousness, but to
me IL seems IL would have been bstter
to lose the Cushing. Transfer boats
are small affairs, long and very mar
row, made for swiftness. The officers
in charge are always on top, and the
b,d state of the weather necessitated
the use OF the life lines across the deck
to keep the men from being washed
over board by the powerful seas that
wash over the ship. 1t seems "Breck"
grabbed enc of these as sea washed
over, but tue line parted and he went
ut. 10 attempting TO put life boat
n the water IL was smashed and two
{, re men we're overheard. The Cush-
tig herself was turned around and
vent TO pick these men up. "Breck'
vas not very good swimmer, and the
est swimmer can not live very long
ia such a sea He Was taken al Just
The time our country can not afford TO
obe such a young officer, and few had
his courage and AttAinments.
Merritt, the young engineer officer
Who was b own up on the Maine, was
another OF my classmates and close
friends. Rut his death will be avenged
upon the dastArdly tribe that com.
mitted the outrage. We will certainly
have war with spain, and they will
answer many times during IL for that.
The death Of these two classmates
dis me with horror, and leaves me
discouraged and nearly without Ambi-
lion. l want TO be ordered into one OF
The lighting ships Of the North Allan
.ic squadron, or any ship that will be
n the midst of the war, This will |
very likely be the chance of my life |
lime and | want TO take advantage OF |
I. would like papA's assistance TO |
accomplish this end, Ever since |
irst heard OF the explosion OF the |
Maine | have felt sure there would be |
war, as we fellows pay too strict at
.ention TO our business TO allow
to blow up, especially in an |
,nemy's harbor. To one knowing the |
precautions taken to prevent maga-
lines becoming over heated IL seems |
impossible TO have been an accident. |
The delay In the investigation has |
)nly shown more conclusively that war |
will follow and we are preparing as |
quickly as possible. All the South
Atlantic ships are now here in the |
Vest lndies, and some tourists from
Boston on the mail steamer, told me
yesterday that IN every port they had |
intered they had found American
ne n-ofwAr.
The weather has certainly been
rand the whole time since leaving
Newport and as II is the usual weather
or this time Of year we can expect IL |
or some time. This afternoon / had