The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-07-30
(New York Herald.3


Our first colonial governor has an off,
cial yacht. maintained at the expense
of the people, which rivals in magnifi-
cence the HohenzolIern, of the German
emperor. and the yachts of several other
crowned heads, some of which are in
deed inferior to her in size and splendor.
Just why the governor of Porto Rico
should have an Official yacht, when even
the president has none. is a mystery
in the navy to which she belongs. She
is defended. however. upon the theory
that Porto Rico is separated from us by
water, and that its governor must take
frequent trips around his colony.
This gorgeous vessel is the Mayfiower,
lying last week at the Brooklyn navy
yard. With her full complement of Off
GERS, bluejackets. marines, electrician,
steward, chef, valet for Governor Allen
and maid for his wife-these last two
colored appanages-the MayfiOwer car
rleS some forty souls. Just what il
costs to keep the governors official
yacht in commission Is hard 10 tell but
it must mount up into the scores of
thousands. While the federal govern
ment did not install the three $500 mar
BILE bathtubS. nor the costly furniture.
it maintains them fittingly
In the Mayflower the late Ogden Goe-
let. known the world over as an enthus-
iaStic yachtSman, reached the acme of
asquatic luxury. Nearly a million dol
lars was spent by him in eager lavish
ness upon the hull, the engines, the fur
nishings and the fittings of the boat.
Fast, stanch. luxurious she must be,
said the millionaire, and fast, stanch
and luxurious she was made.
At the beginning of the Spanish war
the heirs of Mr.. Goelet sold her to the
government for nearly half a million
dollars. The hull and the machinery
were the main things desired, and the
costly fittings cut no figure in the pur-
chase. Indeed, the handsome mirrors
that lined the walls of the main hall
way were quickly removed when the
Mayfower assumed her Quaker garb
for war service, and the exquisite silk
lace curtains which draped the mirrors
were painted a sooty hue, too. But the
beautiful parquet floors and the solid
One-piece marble bath tubs were left
as they stood Five-inch guns were
mounted on her quarters and one
Founders in between. Altogether, she
carried twelve guns and a crew of 199
men. As converted torpedo boat de-
stroyer she was attached to Sampson
squadron in April. 1898, under the COM
mand of Commodore Mackenzie.
This swift greyhound of the seas
did admirable duty as a scout, and on
several occasions drew the fire of the
Havana batteries. though she did not
have the good fortune to participate in
the victory of Santiago. as did the
| Gloucester. But the Mayf1ower held up
and sent to Key West under a prize
crew the Spanish ship Pedro, and on
July IS, 1893, while on blockade duty,
chased and hove to the British steam
| ship Newfoundland under suspicion of
] carrying contraband of war. The New
| foundland was sent TO Charleston in
charge of a prize crew also.
The war ended, what to do with the
/ beautiful craft was a problem. When a
! federal overseer for the island of Porto
Rico was decided upon, and the as
sistant secretary of the navy drew the
! billet, at once it was seen that no state
I craft for the safe and speedy convey
ance of our new dignitaries was a part
/ of Uncle Sans national inpediments.
/ Somebody suggested recovering the
MayfiOWer into her original guise of a
| floating palace for Sybarite. PreStOl
twas done, but not soon enough to
serve, and the old time government
aOhI bOipHiH "dS iiIIpIeoSeu mo ser
vice and first carried Governor Allen
! of Porto Rico. U. 5. A. in state to the
scene of his labors- Though the May
/ flower could not watt Governor Allen
/ in regal magnifcence, there was pOmp
and circumstance a-plenty at this in
! itial colonial government function, for
! several real war ships conveyed the
new official and belched forth adequate
salutes as the populace bowed low and
| cried "Salve!"
| Work was rushed on the idayf1ower
though, and by June Is she was out of
dry dock. and eight days Eater she left
| New York for Porto Rico to await the
governors pleasure. A few days later
she bore him back to the states in al
the glory of glinting mirrors, polished