New-York tribune., 1902-02-02
NAME OF KAISER'S YACHT.
THE METEOR WILL RECALL THE MOST
FAMOUS VESSEL OF GERMAN NAVY

One of the most dramatic episodes of the Franco
Prussian War furnished by the solitary naval
combat of that great struggle is commemorated by
the selection by Emperor William of the name
Meteor for his American yacht. 1t will be
called that this name also given TO the unsuc-
cessful challenger for the Americas Cup Thistle
when she purchased by the Emperor several
years ago. 1t is quite natural that the Emperor.
enthusiastic he is all matters pertaining to
his navy. should desire TO perpetuate in his
private vessels the name of the most illustrious
ship in the imperial naval annals, the little cruiser
Meteor. that won the glory OF being the first Ger
man-of-war to meet and beat an enemy's ship
in fair and square yardarm 10 yardarm duel.
What the name of Kearsarge is in American naval
annals that of Meteor is In those Of Germany.
on the outbreak Of the Franco -Prussian War in
August. 1870, the bulk Of the German navy was
closely blockaded in the Baltic ports by the
whelmingly superior force of the French fleets. At
the time there absent foreign stations only
four small cruisers. of which the Meteor was one,
being the only representative of the German navy
in the South Atlantic. The other three ships were
soon closely blockaded-one at Fayal and in
Japanese ports-but the little Meteor managed to
evade the vigilance OF the French squadrons and to
keep the freedom OF the sea until November I.
when she into the harbor OF Havana and
found there at anchor the French dispatch boat
Bouvet. whose path she had frequently crossed
during her cruises in Caribbean waters The
Meteor had hardly to anchor when the
French mail steamer Nouveau Monde started out
bound for Havre. and the Meteor slipped her moor
ings and started in pursuit. OF the MORO. how
ever. the Frenchman. seeing that he was pursued.
put back and both vessels returned TO port where
Captain Franguet OF the Bouvet. incensed at the
Germans audacious attempt to capture the Nou-
Veau Monde right under his nose. delivered chal-
lenge 10 Commander Kumor OF the Meteor 10 meet
him three marine miles of shore and fight IT to
a finish. The challenge was instantly accepted
The two vessels pretty evenly matched.
being Of almost exactly the same displacement.
While the Bouvet carried five guns to the Meteor's
three. the latter of heavier calibre. The
Bouvet. which ranked as a dispatch boat had
somewhat the advantage In speed OF the Meteor
which was classed as a first class gunboat. Both
We're bark rigged screw steamers carrying a con-
siderable sail spread The Meteor had but sixty
officers and men in her crew, as against eighty
carried by the French vessel Both were wooden
ships. and of course, carried no armor protection
About noon on November the Meteor steamed
out past MORO Castle in search Of her antagonist
Escortng her went the Spanish flagship fernando
Cortez. with Captain General de Rodas and a host
OF spanish naval and military officers board and
squadron of Spanish gunboats
soon after leaving the harbor the Bouvet was
sisnted far to the northward and was soon seen to
the captain of the Meteo% tba ue bodas signaed 70
neutra line ana could begin the combat soon as
he came within range. The ships Continued 10
approach each other rapidly until when about five
miles distant from the coast they were only about
a a. Quarter ] OF mile apart Then the Bouvet began
none OF which however took serious effect The
'ISte'i responded with her less numerous bur
heavier battery, and both vessels were en-
veioped in smoke clouds. The sea was perfectly
CAIN ana the wind too light to clear away the
smoke, so that both combatants continued for half
an hour TO fire almost at random.
suddenly. through the smoke cloud the Bouyet
Franguet had decided to take advantage OF the su
perior strength of his by laying his enemy
aboard and carrying her in the good od-fash-
loned way with cutlass pike and boarding axe
Commander Kumor had barely time to pipe ali
hands to repel boarders when the Bouvet crashed
lnto NM tnlucktly for the gallant
whose men were all along the rail ready TO lean
upon the Germans deck. the shock the collision
was so great that IL brought down his main and
mizZen masts by the run, and the tangle OF wreck
age hanging over the side made boarding imnossi-
Bile. While the ships In this position luckv
shot from the Meteor went through the BoIlvet's
boiler. completely disabling her and would un-
doubtedly have been forced to had Z nor
been that some of her fallen rigging fouIed
the screw of the Meteor, rendering her also com
pletey helpless. Captain Franguet finally got clear
and seeing no chance of successfully continuing the
combart in his disabled condition hosted sail on his
continuing to fire at each other while the Germans
made frantic efforts to clear their screw and n
possible, head off the enemy's retreat. They had
just succeeded in getting under way and were
reached the neutral line and a gun from the SPAN
ish flagship gave warning that the combat must
cease. Apparently none the worse for her encOun-
ter, the Meteor steamed triumphantly into Havana
in by tug. Captain General de Rodas highly COM
pimented the captains OF both vessels on the GAL
lantTy they had displayed. but unhestatingIv
awarded the palm of victory to Commander Kumor
one hour and most stubbornly contested The
Meteor lost two men killed and three wounded the
loss of the Bouvet being man killed and nine
wounded. $1,000