New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-06-03
A SHIP THAT DEFIED SPAIN
THE ST. MARY's RECORD OF OVER HALF
A CENTURY

Washington. June ? (speciaD-The old sailing
corvette St Marys. for the last quarter OF
century the training ship Of NETWORKS public
school system. has just had thorough overhauling
at the Brooklyn Navy Yard and Is practically as
good as ever for her annual summer cruise with
the lads who have fascinated by hctions
based on the delights OF a seafariug career. Grad
yates of the old schoolship to-day command craft
on every ocean. the aUtocrats beyond port
limits OF every class Of American vessels. the
Pacific liners and Atlantic coasting steamers the
fargoing fleet OF big clipper schooners and the
finest yachts Of salt and fresh water and many
OF them too still enduring hardships before
the mast and trimming coal in the bunkers OF
tramps.
The St. Mary's was a famous sloop OF the
ante-bellum Navy, when steam power rare.
before submarine cables flashed messages around
the globe, and in the days Of iufrequent mails
when National vessels heard from
homo for year at a time. She was built at the
Washington Navy Yard in 1913, and named for
one of the richest counties of Maryland. Her dis
placement of 1025 tons large for those days.
but only equal to that of the Annapolis class Of
smallest gunboats r the steel Navy. Small
as she was. however. she once defed the strongest
fleet of Spain, and was instrumental in securing
the independence of Chilli. Then she had a battery
OF smoothbores only consisting OF six S-inch rnuz-
ze leaders and sixteen S2-pounders.
LONG CRUISE
Her first duty in the Mexican War where
she assisted in the landing at Vera Cruz IN lS47
piles of victory. During the next ten years she
explored the Pacific, making the phenomenal record
OF 40 consecutive days on her last cruise
In that ocean she protected American commerce
from Confederate privateers throughout the Civil
War and time saved thirty United States
merchant ships in the Chincha Islands from the
rebel cruiser Shenandoah
IN 1861, while under repairs at Mare Island the
rudder which still steers the St. Mary's was made
for her by the present Chief Constructor Admiral
Philip Hichborn, then serving journeyman
shipwrtght at that navy yard The entire work.
from the selection of the log the hanging OF the
finished rudder. performed by the future Adj
miraI
The ST Mary's memorable experience with the
Spaniards in Gillian waters when she comprised
nearly all the effective force Of United States
squadron in the South Pacific occurred during the
latter part of the Civil War and a few months
after an attempt to blow her up in a Peruvian port
by torpedoes had been frustrated Captain Col
vocoresses native of Greece. and the first of the
line of American naval officers OF that name,
in command of the ship According TO a chronicle
of the time
He CHANGED to be on duty in Valparaiso when
sqaadron under phe comma2d Of Admral Paaon
and was exceedingly active IN his efforts to pro-
tect the rights and property Of American citizens.
spondence with the Spanish admiral. he will pe
long remembered there Somewhat inexplicably ne
d N me mo "a for SaoT Gru fSe1 o de
business portion Of the city and between 1t and the
irQnclad ships Of the Spaniard. -,...--
ana mat b 5eg bstsr oe s c6ryst g be
intended to lombard the place, and would not be
answerabe for any damages that might result
This reused the ire Of the Creek and he fastened
to inform the Spanish admiral, IN language that
was a model of explicituess and force, that the
St Mary's anchored his perfect satisfaction,
and would remain where she was. and added
further:
A MESSAGE THAT WAS EFFECTIVE.
IN the event Of g. bombardment of the city,
e h e hull Of % St M 9onf an y ps
feculy OF the weakness Of my corvette in
comparison with the powerful squadron of Her
Most Catholic Majesty now blockading the port.
but beg sir. 10 remind you that the flag that
floats at her peak represents three thousand guns
the sea-
The correspondence printed in the Span
ish papers, and. besides creating the greatest
or thero r