The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-10-16

ed thence with the company's flag fly
ing. as she had sailed many times be-
fore. But this time. instead OF ply
ing south. she sailed across the chan
mel. and a day or two later the COM
monplace young Enghshman went
abord the Ravenna at Antwerp. She
still was flying the British flag, but
no one recollects having seen the COM
pany's flag over her. Perhaps IL was
lost on the way
The ship took on a lot of ballast
ballast that was packed neatly in
large boxes. which were slowed care
fully. as ballast should be slowed. Then
she steamed away. bound for a Cana
dian port. with crew and machinery
In apple-pie order. The weather was
fine when she started. and IL contin-
ued so for many weeks. Yet the Brit
ish ship Ravenna never made her Can
adam port.
Here this inconsecutive tale Jumps
back TO the coast of the United States;
to he precise, the Brooklyn navy yard.
harbor Of New York. At that time the
yard was sealed to prying eyes and
listening ears. All kinds OF things
might and did happen there. which
were not shouted from the house tops.
One of these things happened one
morning a short time after the mer-
han ship R%avenna had sailed for
Canada. This particular happening
was not apparently an important one.
Orders simply vent TO an American
warship tsome in the yard say that II
was the United States cruiser Column
bla. others that IL vas an auxiliary
cruiser) to put to sea.
Scout duty along the coast was what
the published official orders said. That
Mas nothing uncommon. and none OF
the crew OF this ship noticed anything
out OF the ordinary. She did not scout
idly and aimlesssly. She steered
straight out To sea as fast as she could
go. And IL was a lucky hand that
steered her, for what should she sight.
about 200 miles east OF Sandy Hook.
but a big black ship. evidently well la
den, but motionless and without a soul
on board. The cruiser sent a small
boat to her. and when the sailors
boarded her the wonder grew. for none
could see why she had been deserted.
She was in perfect shape, her bunkers
were fun OF coal, and she was fit to
hold the seas for any length of time.
IL seemed to be another mystery like
that Of the bark Marie Celeste, famous
in nautical history. whose strange sto-
ry never was learned. Perhaps the
captain OF the American cruiser was
surprised as much as his crew. But,
then. many inexplicable things happen
when at sea, m IL is better for the
health of an honest sailor not to won
der and speculate too much. At any
rate, his duty was plain. He took the
big derellct in tow. and she was pull
ed into the waters OF the Hook.
About that time American warships
were not open TO visitors, and the
cruiser did not hang out a sign telling
about this peaceful capture. In fact,
the finding n salvage OF the dere-
lict was not reported at the ship news
station at all. shortly after the crus-
er had sent word to the navy yard two
tugs, the Nsrkeeta and the Nina. came
steaming up h bay with a fine. big
collier. that was sitting rather lower
In the water than empty golfers gen
orally sit She was flying the Ameri-
can nag and the name Of her was Sci
pio. Just a plain. simple collier she
was. but there was a good deal of old
truck aboard of her. Her hold was