The times., 1899-05-22
CELEBRATING VALOR
ON THE Snip ST. Louis
The Anniversary of a Memoir
able War Exploit.
Passengers Gather in the Cabin
and Pass Resolutions.
Remembered by Patriotic
Gathering at Sea.

New York. May 2l.-The passengers on
board the American Line steamship st.
Louis, which yesterday arrived from
Southampton, celebrated on Thursday the
anniversary of that vessels cable cutting
exploit of Santiago, when. under fire of
Spanish batteries. she picked up the cable
and doggedly held her position until the
last strand had been severed.
The vessel, under command of Capt.
Caspar F. Goodrich, was close under the
batteries. which banged away at her huge
gray bulk as fast as the Spanish artillery
men could load and fire. One well-directed
shot might have destroyed her, as the St
Louis is a passenger steamship and was
not built for the battleship chances which
she took in that cable-cutting expedition.
1t was to celebrate the anniversary of
this gallant exploit that the passengers of
the ST. Louis assembled in the saloon on
Thursday evening. Ferdinand W. Peck,
United States Commissioner General to
the Paris Exposition of 1900, was chair
man.
The programme included an organ solo,
by Lieut.. W. H. Miller, U. S. N. an ad-
dress by the chairman. and a recital of
the war history of the st. Louis. by Capt.
l.
Louis now. and who was her navigating
officer during the war.
poem written on board the st. Louis
during the war by her marine officer, Lieut..
A w. Catlin, who was marine officer OF
the Maine when that vessel was destroyed
in Havana Harbor, was read by Mr.. A.
II. Hinkle, and was greeted with much
applause.
Brigadier General Bates. U. S. A, who
hac fpcf
military attache to the United States
Embassy in London, made an address on
THE War as It Looked from Europe
Mr. E. Berliner recited an original poem.
The entertainment closed with the sing
in of the hymn America" in which all
of the audience Joined.
Then resolutions, drawn by Col. John
Jacob Astor and signed by the chairman
and other members of the committee, were
adopted, as follows:
L. 5. NJ. S ST. Louis.
Resolved. by the passengers of the American
line steamship st. Louis, in meeting assembled,
May Is, ls99, That, upon the anniversary of the
day when this ship cut the cables, under fire Of
the forts of Santiago during the recent war, 1t
proper that should express our recog-
milton Of the important part which the st. Louis,
with her gallant officers and crew, performed IN
that struggle, and we heartily commend TO the
travelling public her Seagoing qualities and com
forts. and also the able officers who command
her; and we feel that the splendid record Of the
81. Louis and her sister ships Of the American
Line in the recent deserves the appreciation
CT patriotic people.
Colonel Astor, who was accompanied by
Mrs Astor and their son, W. P. Astor, said
that he had had a most pleasant tour, but
added that he was glad to be home again.
The war;" he said, advertised the
United States among the nations of Eu
rope nothing has done before. Before
that came about there were many TO be-
lieve that this country had but little in
fluence in the affairs of nations, either po-
litically or industrially.
Politically the United States is now
recognized as a first-class power, and there
has been such an awakening as 10 its in
dustrial possibilities that ! believe our
manufacturers will soon be overrun with
orders from abroad
Commissioner General Peck, who also
arrived on the st. Louis, speaking of the
United States buildings at the Paris Expo
sition, upon which work will soon be be-
gun. said:
There will be five buildings in the main
grounds and two in the Bois de Vincennes,
the annex TO the exposition. which will be
made most important part of the whole.
Our national pavilion will be the only
expensive building We will construct. This
will be on the banks of the Seine, along
side of the structures of about thirty other
nations, with Austria on one side and Tur-
key on the other. Our other buildings
will be annexes to the main structure, bull:
by the French administration, and will be
for exhibit purposes only.
In the Bois de vincennes We viii build
a structure for American machinery
in operation and a building for our
life saving service. The Bois de Vim
cennes is about six miles from the main
grounds and will be very accessible by
rail and by the Seine River connecting
with tramway for one mile, which latter
route will be known as the American route.
the boats and cars carrying the American
flag"
Are the French confident of complet-
ing their work in timer" he was asked.
Mr.. Peck replied:
m. Picard, the French Commissioner
General. authorized me at our final inter-
view on Friday. lay -, to state that
everything would be ready ahead of time
and that in some buildings installations
could be made next August. The iron
structural work of all buildings is prac-
tically In place"
did you find the French officials cordial
In your relations with them?"
They could not have been more so, from
President Loubet, who is a charming and