The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-12-11
TWO MAGNIFICENT SHIPS.
THE HOSPITAL SHIP MISSOURI AND
THE TRANSPORT MOBILE.

Most Perfect That Scientific Ex-
penditure and Private BenevO-
Ience Could Make 1.-THE Latter "A
Floating Hotel for Transporting
Uncle Sans Boys in COmfOrt-On
the Mobile They Can Sleep in he'd
and Get Three Cooked Meals IA
Day-Much of the MisSOuri's Equip
ment Due to the Generosity of Miss
Helen Gould.
There are two government ships In port
of which the government and the people
of the United States have reason TO feel
proud. They are the transport Mobile and
the government hospital ship Missouri II
is safe to say that these two vessels are
the best, each in its respective class, to
be found afioat to-day Each is absolute
ly perfect for the work for which it is
designed.
The Mobile is just out of the Cramps
shipyards at Philadelphia. In fact, forty
workmen who came down on her only
completed their work of putting the fin
ishing touches to the vessel yesterday.
The Mobile has beds for over 1000 men,
HANCAAAAAASN''A'ANh
GERS, and besides she has big kitchens,
which can supply hot food for the men
three times day, mess rooms, with ia
b,es at which the men can eat, large wash
rooms, with ample sanitary arrangements,
to say nothing of steam heat and venti-
lation Compared with the Michigan and
other vessels which have been doing trans
70 In
Mobile must seem like the hight of lux
ury.
If a soldier could always travel aboard
the Mobile and be treated aboard the Mis-
souri, when i'll, he would have nothing TO
complain of, so far as the transport de-
partment of the United States is con-
cerned. The Missouri was a famous YES
sci before she was taken into the gov
eminent service.
Before she came to be a hospital ship
she had a gallant record as a life-saver
and a messenger of mercy. The staunch,
steel-hulled vessel belonged 10 the At
antic Transport Line Her heroic rescue
of the sinking Danmark has been immor-
talized on canvas by the brush of Thomas
H. Henry, the marine artist The picture,
a copy of which is shown in the Illus
tration, now hangs on the walls of the
Ocean Club at Long Branch, and its pro-
pretor paid $1,000 for the work of art
The Danmark belonged TO the Thing
valla line and left Copenhagen on her
fated voyage in March. 1889. on board
We're 1876 passengers. Many OF them were
women and children.
On two other occasions has the Missouri
rescued vessels in distress, towing them
safely into port.
A few years after the Danmark incident
the Missouri was sent on a mission of
mercy She went to Russia during the
| famine there, laden with food for the
starving Pictures were made of her when
she started, and when, her work over.
she came home again her return was told
| all over the country.
1t is in honor of such a record as this
| that the Missouri has retained her name,
| the only government hospital ship whose
name has not been changed. 1t had been
| decided to call her the Rescue in har-
mony with the Relief. but the government
yielded for once to sentiment, and she is
to-day as she was. the Missouri
| And now she is a Eospital ship-a model
one of her kind already with record
! The officers of the Atlantic Transport Line
loaned her gratuitously to the govern
ment. She was fitted out mainly by char
! liable organizations and individuals. The
linen, the beds. the changes that have
been made. are of the government the
! splendid appliances the utensils, the
clothing and the delicacies are of private
! charity.
Miss Helen Gould gave to the ship four
diet kitchens. They are expensive affairs,
| and perfect. No gift could have been so
useful The kitchens are operated by cleo
| tricity; the cooking IS done by means Of
| that. There are urns for preparing the
| drinkab.es of the men, and receptacles
where food can be kept warm for hours
! Miss Gould also furnished clothing for
the men, ana a suit of pajamas for each
| patient
And there came a touch of human sym
pathy. In the pocket of each suit was a
| note written in the handwriting Of a
woman expressing the hope that the sick
soldier would soon be well and safe at
home again
The Missouri has many other things
| given anonymously that tradition ascribe
| to Miss Gould's patriotic generosity. The
| Women's National War Relief Association,
of which Miss Gould is member, auxiIi-
aries of the Ped Cross Society and pri-
vate individuals have fitted out the ship
| perfectly.
There is a carbonating plant, an Ice ma
| chine capable Of making two tons of ice
daily, machine for x-rays, an operating
| room with the latest devices of surgery,
model carriers for meals, telephone a
| n.
above all, the wards are free from traces
of dirt. the linen is spotless and constant
ventilation Is assured
Maj. william II. Arthur is in charge of
| the ship, assisted by several contract sur
geons He has fifteen trained army nurses
and fifty hospital corps men. These are
in addition to the ships crew 1t is pc
culiar fact concerning a vessel for whose
excellent equipment so much is due to wo-
| mol ha thaV fg yanfa
nurse or in any other capacity No pro-
vision was made for them in fitting up the
| ship. The men VINO are treated aboard
OF her VIII not forget however, that 50
much of the comfort which they enjoy Is
due to the thoughtfulness and generosity
o. women.
The Missouri is just from New York city
where she has been undergoing repairs
She has made three trips, bringing sicl
and wounded soldiers to this country ano
carrying back medicines and medical sup.
plies. Her first trip Of this kind wa.