The San Juan County index. (Aztec, N.M.) 1890-19??, 1900-05-25

CHARLES STANHOPE COTTON.
commanding the quarterback battery,
consisting of eight S-inch guns. On
the morning afterwaT6 he had the
privilege Of witnessing that famous
fight that revolutionized naval war
fare. Later Nj. Cotton was transfer
red as an ensign to the feet Of Admiral
Farragut in the gulf and as a lieuten-
ant served on the Oneida in the bat
tie Of Mobile bay, becoming executive
officer of that ship the following Janu-
airy, when not yet % Year, old.
After the war Lieut.. Cotton was or
dered with the Shenandoah to the Ash
attic station, cruising through the wat
ers Of South America, Africa, and In
dia while en- route. From that time
until the beginning of the Spanish war
he served in many ship and at many
Of the shore stations. While COM
handing the old Monocacy on the Ash
attic station he made several interest
ing trips to Corea and did much to
extend our cordial relations with and
open up the trade of the Hermit King
dom.
In the summer of 1882 the Monocacy
was, for three weeks, the only foreign
ship of war in Corean waters during
the very strained relations existing be-
tween Corea, Japan and China. Her
commander was so fortunate as to be
able to maintain cordial relations and
intercourse with the representatives Of
those countries. and as a mark of con-
hdence and of the esteem entertained
for the United States, he was furnish
ed with a copy of the treaty between
the three powers within an hour Of its
receipt from Seoul, by the representa-
tive of one of them.
In the spring Of 1888 he conveyed,
IA the Monocacy, our minister to Co
rea, Lucius H. Foote, and the members
of our legation, landing them at Che
mulpo, and accompanying them to the
capital, Seoul. where the ~ratihcations
Of the treaty between the United States
and Corea were formally exchanged,
subsequently to which the king receiv-
ed or minister, the members Of the
legation and the officers of the Mo-
nocacy in state, 1t being the first occa-
sion upon which foreigners were pre-
scented to or received by his majesty.
They were also entertained at dinner
by the minister of foreign %affairs, the
first e given by Coreans to foreign
ers and in foreign style. including i'm
ported china, glass and wines, and the
use OF table cloths, napkins, knives
and forks. spoons. etc.
The Monocacy, under Commodore
Cotton, vas the first ship to salute the
national flag Of Corea. adopted prior
to the ratification Of the treaty.
In the summer Of 1883 he conveyed
from Corea to Japan. en- route to the
United States, the first embassy ac-
credited by Corea to a foreign power
other than Aslatic.
These statements are chiefly of in
terest because they mark the origin Of
a new era for the Hermit Kingdom,
her emergence from her she'll Of seelu-
sion and isolation; her intercourse
with outside "barbarians," and her
entrance into the great brotherhood Of
nations.
During the war with Spain Captain
Cotton commanded the auxiliary
cruiser Harvard, which, with the aux
iliary cruiser st. Louis. Capt C. f..
Goodrich. commanding. was employ
ed upon scouting duty to the eastward
Of the Windward islands. to watch for
the approach Of Admiral Cervera's
feet. On the forenoon OF May IL the
Harvard arrived at st. Pierre, Martin
ique, and on the afternoon OF the same
day Admiral Cervera's fleet appeared
on Fort de France. a few miles south
Of ST. Pic-re. Capt. Cotton Immediate
~ cabled the hrst report to the navy
department az the arrival OF the Span
lsh fleet. and sent Lieut.. Theodore
Porter Kane with the United States
consul at Martinique 10 Fort de
France TO observe its movements.
Lieut.. Kane was thus the first military
omeer OF the government to see Ger
Vera's squadron aftet II left the Cane