The Savannah morning news., 1900-09-08
THE HOSPITAL SHIP MAINE.
INTERESTING ACCOUNT or ITs MIS-
SION AND WORK.

bNehHAt baANbteu bftttsh soldiers
Home From south Africa-IrsVed
N OF Great service Ina Taking Care at
the sick ana Moundrd-The Hoxpl-
tal-Shfp a. Now Ia Chinese waters
where she WIN Perform similar
Service.
New York. Sept. G.-Tho American hos
plial ship Maine arrived IN Chinese waters
on Saturday. Aug. q The idea Of a hos
pital ship originated with an American
lady, the wife OF an American long resi-
dent la South Africa.
This ship. generously loaned by the At
lantic TRANSPORT Company. through its
president. Dir. Bernard Baker OF Bald
more. equipped ana maintained az the cost
Of Americans, and Ia charge OF American
doctors, started on an errand Of mercy In
December last for Caps Town. 20 give ala
TO the sick and wounded In the South Az
riean war. As volunteer shlp supple
mcntary 10 the government relief SHIPS.
she was fiited out with many comforts
and iuxuries such as cannot be demanded
Ia times Of stress from an overtaxea war
ofilce.
In the harbors OF Cape Town ana Dur
ban the Maine received 10th tho British
ana the Boer wounded. ana returned In
April TO Southampton. England. with a
full complement OF invallded British sol
diers. The number Of patients received on
board was Sj4. including those treated In
port.
Re-squlpped and revictuaiied IN nine
days. SIRE sailed directly back 10 south
Africa TO bring home another shtpload OF
Disabled soldiers.
On this. her second return voyage. an
july, ] was one OF those who sailed fout
from Southampton TO welcome her For
me. Il was the FIRST and the nearest APP
preach to the horrors OF war. and found
them. even IN this their second stage. sad
and grim. As our boat approached the
Incoming Maine-ihis moving hospital
larger In its number OF beds than most
or the large hospitals Of New York-wo
saw her sides ana decks crowded with
eager faces: men everywhere In invalid
chairs, on stretchcrs. aud on crutchcs .
with legs gone. arms gone. heads band
aged, and all in motley array. No gay
trappings Of dress-parade. only here and
there cap. a Glengary. or fatigue
Jacket. to indicate the soldiers uniform.
We boarded the Maine, ara during the
two hours before We reached the dock az
southampton there was ample opportunity
70 examine her.
The patients. below deck a. well as
above. were IN excellent spirits. despite
their disabilities. and one ana all seemed
grateful for what they termed their good
luck IN having been consigned 10 the
"fanke ship" At Madeira a few ncwspa-
pcrs had been obtained telling ~ the out
break OF trouble IN China and al were
eager for the latest war news. soon we'll
be fighting together ont there" a bright
faced ffishman said 90 me. with evident
impatisnce 60 be himself IN She fray. When
I expressed my preference Tor soldiers as
guardians Of peace. rather than as forces
for war he looked quite dlsgusted. and
said: but. ma'am. what would we be-
affur coin without a biz OF stir-up
oncet In a while truly a Characteristic
race-point Of view Of The interest ana tho
pleasures Of life.
As we approached Southampton the
Maine received hearty welcome from
the American trainng-ship Lancaster.
whose yards were manned with iufty lads
Across the end OF the Southampton dock
a large sign was stretched, kilograms
sent free" and soon every soldier on deck
was scrihbling n home message.
N had been the intention ~ the London
Executive Committee Of the Maine-an OF
whom are women u American birth.
whose energy. efficiency. and devotion are
deserving OF home reeOgniiiDn-again TO
send her back 10 South Africa. But the
crisis IN China had become 90 acute. the
provision for many sick ana wounded Of
the allied forces 70 urgent, with no hos
piial-ship ~ yet under way. that the COM
mittee decided that the need for their ship
was now greater ln the far East than IN
the far South. a proposal 90 this eject
met with cordial approval NJ the British
War once. and On July " the Maine SCI
sail for Chinese waters. She was reported
on Aug. % as having arrived AZ Hong
Kong. on her way 70 her northern sta
ton 20 receive the wounded.
Directly after the departure 81 the Maine
the committee notified the United States
government "a Washington Of her intend
81 destination. and offered a welcome and
al possible aid TO our sick and wounded
countrymen.
The American ambassadors NJ the
courts OF tho allied Powers were also in
formed Of the departure OF the Maine
for China, and asked 60 notify the gov
crnmenfs TO which they nre accredited
that their wounded would receive a cor
dial welcome on the American ship
Prompt and appreciative acknowiedg-
ment has been received from Germany.
Italy. Austria-Hungary, and the other
Powers. A. check for n.00-a most time
~ and welcome gifi-was also received
from Mrs Corning Clark. soon after the
departure Of the Maine. Mrs. Clark ask
ed that the sum be used n possible 20
all the men OF the Ninth United States
Infantry-the first American regiment 10
suffer IN tho Held. J. T Morgau e Com
pany. No p Wall street.. are the treas
urers OF the Maine fund IN New York.
This is the history, 80 far, % the Amer
team hospital ship Maine. N with this
name IL to be linked tho word ''remem-
her" may q be. IN the future with this
si=ter-shsp % mercy. whose activities and
svrnpathies, true TO her Red Cross flag.
-. ....rf,t- ssfln and srorlI-efuhrarfur