The evening times., 1898-10-01
LANDSMAH AT THE HELM
Quartermaster of Volunteers
takes Command of a Ship.
PUTS THE CAPTAIN ASHORE
CoOily Assumed Charge of the Mas
sachusetts mad Prevents a Mutiny.
Insisted ON observation-disclosures
Lost His Head and Issued Contra
dictOry Orders.

New York, Oct. 1.-James C. Read
captain and quartermaster United States
volunteers, has had no experience as
mariner, save what he might have gained
at Pittsburg, yet he took command OF
twin-screw steamer of 5000 tons displace-
ment, put the commander ashore quelled
an incipient mutiny, managed the ship
himself, and now opens his brown eyes
in astonishment to learn that he has done
something extraordinary.
The Massachusetts, the steamer that
man, is one of the largest and finest yes
sells bought by the United States Gov
ernment for use as transports. 1t was
a cattle ship, owned by the Atlantic
Transport Company. and piled between
New York and London. The steamer was
turned over to the Government immedi-
ately upon purchase and the officers and
crew who had served In her remained at
their stations, going into the service OF
the United States, though several were
and are citizens of Great Britain. The
Massachusetts will always be remember
ed by Troop b, of Brooklyn, because that
is the steamer on which these volunteer
cavalrymen and their horses made the
trip from Newport News TO Porto Rico.
The commander of the ship was Capt.
John Findlay, d Scotchman, who had done
good service for the Atlantic Transport
Company in command of their cattle
ships. But a cattle ship carrying fifty
or sixty passengers and a load of steers
is a different ship to command from
a transport carrying 1,500 soldiers and
l.JD0 horseS-and a quartermaSter OF the
United States Volunteers as supercargo,
with plenary powers.
Capt. Findlay learned the difference at
Ponce Porto Rico. Ii was there that his
ship ran aground on a coral reef about
four miles from Ponce, and although she
slid off successfully, Capt. Findlay was
succeeded by Captain and QuartermaSter
James c. Read, L. S. V.
Capt Ftndlay was not removed be-
cause he ran the ship ashore" said Cap
tain and Quartermaster Read The chart
showed plenty of water at that place.
The disaster, however. seemed 10 turn
Capt Findlay:s head. He issued con-
Trajectory orders. He kept his entire
crew on duty night, and day. The officers
under him laughed at some of his COM
mands. He lost control of discipline on
board his ship. Eighteen men of the
crew refused to work under him. So l
sent him ashore at Ponce-
Did he resist your authority
Resist" repeated the captain and
quartermaster. No; there might have
been some heads broken had he resisted.
No; he went ashore
Did you guard him with soldiers?'
No. Why? My, clerk and three sailors
went ashore in the boat with him. 1 sent
him ashore at night" The idea of re-
sstence seemed to anuse this officer of
the United States. The whole trouble
with Capt FindIay was that he lost his
head after the ship ran ashore. He was
a rough Scotchman and not the man to
command transport.
Then you took command?'
We'll, took the captains cabin, but
appointed the first officer. H E. Robin
son. acting master, and settled matters
with the men who had refused to work.
And there's an end to that story"
This captain and Quartermaster. U. S..
V, Is thirty years old. His home is at
No. 9l3 Maryland Avenue, Pfttsburg. He
was graduated from West Point, but re-
signed from the army to go into business
with his father. When the war broke
out he offered his services to the Eigh-
teenth Pennsylvania Volunteers. When
he was informed that he could not ex-
pect a commission he said he would en-
list as a private. Major Davis, OF the
Eighteenth Pennsylvania, advised him to
offer his services directly to the War De-
partment He did so and was appointed
captain and quartermaSter. He happened
to be assigned to the transport MasSa-
chusetts, and when the emergency came
he was equipped to meet it.