Evening star., 1900-06-23

nature and object Of the service In which
they were about to engage. and said that
on landing the men should first surround
the forts to intercept the fight OF the
rajahs, and on no account commence hos
tilities nor fire a gun unless attacked. At
2 o'clock in the morning this force left the
ship In a launch, four cutters and a life
boat. with Lieut.. Shubrick, In a wha a,eboat.
leading. A safe landing was made a mile
north of the town. In the town were 2,OO
inhabitants 600 fighting mem, with five
forts. owned and commanded by the rajahs
or chiefs. The Americans proceeded to in
vest the forts, as prearranged. when shot
from one opened the battle. In little time
the most of the fighting was hand to hand,
but the forts were carried and dSmantled.
the outworks consumed by fire. from which
the town caught and burned, and the Ma,
lays driven to the jungle. the engagement
lasting two and one-half hours. The scat
tered forces were brought together by the
signal agreed upon-'Yankee Doodle" play
ed on two bugles-and embarked under
cover Of the marines. reaching the ship at
10 o'clock. An unsubdued fort fired at the
boats without effect
In the report made by Lieut.. Shubrick he
commended Sailing Master Barry. who
year before was attached to the Friend
ship. and the officers and men: reported at
least $50 of the enemy killed, among them
Poolow N. Mahomet. the principal rajah
engaged in the seizure of the Friendship:
the capture of colors, arms and field
piece, and the destruction of the guns In
the forts. The American loss was: Killed.
w. P. Smith, seaman. and B. T. Brown.
marine. Eleven were wounded.
The next morning. February Z, the Poto-
mac ran within less than a mile of the
shore and reduced the fort of Tuca de
Lama. which had fired on our boats the
day before. This was done in half an hour,
and when the firing ceased numerous white
flags were displayed on the shore.
MaInys Laugh Mt Warming.
The Malays in this section had laughed
when tod hat
ship to punish them and when friendly
native said that the seizure of the Friend
ship would be avenged in twelve months.
the idea secuted The year was not
quite up when the chastisement came and
they were suing for peace and for forgive
ness for past offenses. and promising that
no further outrages would be committed.
The commodore bade them be at ease and
to say to the rajahs that the guilty had
been punished for the outrage on the
Friendship. and they must be cautious how
tney ever again provoked America; that
his countrymen would continue to visit
these ports and they need be afraid Of no
future attacks by big ships If they
Quoted themselves with justice and hui
manity.
Levi Woodbury. Secretary of the Navy,
In acknowledging the reports of Commo-
dore Downes. expressed the regret of the
President that fuller Information was not
obtained before the attack as it was de-
sirable that a previous demand should have
been made for restitution and indemnif1ca-
ton. Commodore Downes later justified
his course in making the attack at night.
stating that Decentralization in the day
would have ended in one Of two ways-the
natives would have fed. leaving empty
hutS, which, If destroyed, could have been
rebuilt in short time; they would
have. from their forts and junges. severely
punished. II they had not totally defeated.
his light divisions In either case the
Americans must have been virtually de-
feated and an impression left on the in
habitants that We had not the power to
punish them for outrageS on our commerce.
He stated that while making arrangements
to open communication with the chiefs
he felt it to be his duty to take steps to
cut off the retreat of those who Dartic!-
rated in the piracy of the Friendship. and
while in execution of the only feasible plan
he fired upon ard the action uT,ayoid-
ably commenced. He learned after the
attack that the whole of the population
We're concerned in the looting of the Friend
ship.
Had Beneficial Effect.
The results of the action were soon seen,
at least in the northern section of the ISL
and. by the increased trade. and the good
will of the natives has in large measure
continued to this day.
After touching at some of the ports IN
that section the Potomac continued her
voyage. leaving Canton in May and visit
ing a number of Pacific ports, doubled
Cape Horn and reached Boston in August.
1894 having sailed 61.ND miles without the
loss Of spar and without losing a man
except in battle. AS she had avenged the
outrage on a Salem vessel and secured i'm
munity from attack, especially on vessels
In the pepper trade. in which a number. of
Massachusetts vessels were engaged. her
welcome to Boston was very notable one,
ard before she went out of commission
there were entertainments on shore and
aboard her in her honor, including d ball
given the ship by the commodore.