The evening times., 1900-02-14

tached 10 the Treasury in 1900.
Not a little interest is manifested in
many official circles in the pending bill in
troduced in both houses OF Congress under
the ttle "A bill to promote the efficiency
of the Revenue Cutter Service" Il has
already been reported without amendment
in the Senate.
The bill provides retirement for the aged
and disabled officers who have served faith
fully for many years II is proposed tlat
officers when retired from active service
shall be paid % per cent Of the duty
pay Of the rank held at the time OF such
retirement The bill has the unqualified
approval Of Secretary Gage.
The Revenue Cutter Service was organ
lied in 1870 and has always been regarded
as military IN character. There being no
Navy Department in existence at that time
nor. in fact. until 1898 the service was at
tached to the Treasury Department as a
matter Of convenience. where II has ever
since remained.
The act Of Congress July 1. 1922, author
lied the President to cause the revenue
cutters 70 be employed to defend the sea
coast and repel aostiuties 10 TesseIs and
commerce within their Jurisdiction About
this time the President placed the revenue
cutters at the disposal Of the Secretary OF
the Navy. and seven OF them were accord
ngly employed in the West Indies during
the quasi French war and afterward ia
suppressing piracy.
In the war of 1872 cutters were employed
As dispa .ch boats and for coast defence. On
several occasions they elFaged the enemy
and fought with great bravery and skill.
notably in the case Of the revenue cutter
Surveyor. which was captured by an over
whelming force from the British frigate
Narcissus after defence so desperately
brave as TO cause the British captain TO re-
turn the sword OF Captain Travis Of Mary
land who was in command Of he Surveyor.
thus bearing admlrlnB testimony TO his
galalnt conduct
In 1915 and FOR a number Of years after
ward many Of the most active and gallant
officers of the Navy sought and obtained
commissions in the cutter service and
found excellent scope for the seamduship
aud gallantry which distinguished them
enue cutter on the Northwestern frontier
during the fishery trouble after the treaty
OF ISIS. discharged his duty IN the most
cOmmendabie manner In 1896 several
revenue cutters participated IN the Semi
mole war and maintained their high repu-
taJiCu.
Tn 1897 the President assigned the cutter
service 10 the relief Of storm driven vessels /
Cf commerce after the Navy vessels were
considered TOO large for this duty. They
have continued this service since. Witness I
the saving Of twenty-fOur men of the
British steamer sutton. but a few days
ago on FonWlck's Island shoals the sutton
proving a total loss
I'm the war with Mexico several cutters /
served. and i'm the Paraguayan expedition /
the revenue cutter Harriet Lane was pro
nOuuced by the commodore as the most Z
efficient vessel iu the feet.
During the civil war the cutters were |
actively engaged and Capt Thomas ". |
DUNCAN. OF Baltimore was killed in action I
neer the Virginia shore.
During the war with Spain the service /
took an active and conspicuous part. Thir- /
teen revenue cutters. carrying 81 guns, I
gS officers and J62 men. CO-Operated with /
the Navy in the West Indies.
At Manila one cutter was with Admiral /
Dewey's fleet and four cutters co-operated /
with the Navy on the Pacific Coast 1t I
that carried 10 HOugk0ng the dispatches /
announcing 10 the Government and the 4
world the news Of the victory az Manila /
In ALL the Revenue Cutter Service had /
in active cooperation with the Army and i
Navy throughout the Spanish war. % yes
sells. carrying Il guns. lSl officers. and T25 4
men.
Three other cutters with p officers and i
2l0 men. were ordered TO be transferred 10 /
the Navy. but. because OF unavoidable de-
laws by contractors in finishing their work
the vessels could not be sent 10 the front
before peace was declared
Secretary Gage. in recommending the
passage OF the bill 10 Chairman Frye. OF j
the Senate Committee on Commerce.
said.
Il have the honor 10 acknowledge the
receipt Of your letter Of the 18th instant
referring to me the bill $. 72S Fifty-siXth
Congress. first session. TO promote the eff
fcieuCy Of the Revenue Cutter Service
and requesting me 10 furnish your com
mittee with such suggestions as 1 deem
proper touching the merits Of the bill and
the propriety OF its passage.
Il respectfully return the bill referred
10 with my earnest recommendation for its
early enactment without amendment and
for the following. among many. reasons:
Because. in order that the efficiency Of
the service may be not only maintained
but promoted. fl is absolutely imperative
hat the bill should pass
Because, aside from all grOuDds of eX-
pediency il will be an act of simple JUS
ice TO a service which has distinguished
itself in every field of usefulness in peace
and war from 1890 10 1899. and has earned
It's place in the history Of the Republic,
covering a period of 100 years, alongside
the Army and Navy as arm OF the ma
ional service. offensive and defensive.
Because. in my judgment, no arm OF
he public service has more fairly earned
Dr is better entitled to the proposed leg
slation than is the Revenue Cutter Ser
vice"
WEST POINT CADETSHIPS.