The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1902-05-22
Engineer Jack Hill is Home for a Long
Rest After a Cruise Of More Than
Three Years in Many Seas.
AT THE COURT OF NEPTUNUS REX
Since Leaving Kenosha Jack Hill has Prac-
teresting Collection of Relics.

>IdCh Hill, ufSI assistant engineer or
the United States warship Brooklyn,
has returned to Kenosha after three
years Of sailing on many seas to spend
a two months fur1ough with his father
and other friends and relatives.
During the years the Kenosha man
has been from home he has visited
nearly every country in the world and
taken part in the stirring times at
tending the closing of the Spanish
war and the trouble with the Boxers in
China. He has travelled more than
hundred thousand miles and has visi-
ted nearly every city Of any size along
the seaboards of the world.
In his long trip, starting from New
York in October, 1899, he spent few
weeks helping to restore peace and
good government in the island of Cuba
and then hurried south for a cruise
along the coast of South America,
touching on the trip the Danish West
Indies, the now stricken islands of
Martinique'and st. Vincent, spending
several weeks in the city of st. Pierre,
hurrying back to New York to attend
the great celebrations IN honor of
peace 'andS the return of Admiral
Dewey, thence to England, stopping
for day in the shade of Gibraltar,
and thenE hurrying on to Egypt, re-
mainingsf for few days in the neigh
borhoodi of the pyramids and then
chi 1Snn fxun &ha1 ~aaS1oc ~ ALo
Philippine islands, patro1ing the beach
for daysain assistingIthe American
armies to land. After a short stop of
the flagship he,hurried on to China to
join With his shipmates in the fight
against .the Boxers, and after peace
had been stablishedShe hurried on to
Australia and about the southern
seas to the Philippines. Stopping for
a few of the winter months he returned
to Hong Kong and Japan and thence
again to China, through the Philip
pines toICey1on and Egypt, then to
Gibraltar, fand back home under the
stars and 'stripes.
In few words this was the trip of
the Kenosha sailor, but it would require
volumes to tell of the experiences
which he had Eduring his journey of
years in the servicesof his government.
The careerEof Jack Hill during the
war with Spain gave him a name
among the naval officers which put
him in line for thesbest berth open in
his departments, sand his conduct on
his long cruise only added to his
1aure1s.
Hill has little to say of the many ex-
periences of his cruise preferring to
refer to himself as non-combatant,
but the great 1ot'of papers and relics
which ado1n his Ehome show palmer
than any words that he must have
been close to the front when the fight
ing was going on. Of course a large
amount of the cruise was given up to
the routine business of the navy, but
from the time the flagship of Admiral
Remy reachedssChefoo on July z, 1900,
there was plenty of work for every
man cupboard.
Hill bears out the stories of every
other returning seaman that the AM
erican troops and the American ships
took an important part with the allied
troops fin the capture of Tien Tsien
and the short brush with the Chinese
which followed. At this time the
Kenoshassboy was detailed for land
duty and sent to the beleagured town
to havescharge of the tugs which were
patroling, the beach under the flag of
the allies. While at this work he saw
ali of the real struggle in China. He
saw the slaughter of the Boxers and
with his own hands stripped from the
body of dead Boxer his uniform and
weapons of war,.swhich were brought
home as a gift to his friends as a
souvenir Of the great fight.
There was much ;of merriment on
the cruise and .Engineer Hill exhibits
with pride his certificate of entrance
into the kingdom of "Neptunus Rex
The initiation took place on the
equator on April IA, 1901, and from the
stories to1ds. of the initiation it must
have had more terror for the sailors
than the guns of a,thousand war ships.
It is certain that the Kenosha man
came through the trying ordeal with
honor and he is now under the protect.
ing power Of Neptunus Rex.
During his cruise Hill managed to
secure many costly and beautiful
souvenirs from the different nations.
In the collection are to be found canes
gathered in Japan which are carved
and decorated in the most elaborate
manner, delicate silks and cottons for
which the Chinese are famous, mar
ve1ous embroidered work purchased
from the captured Boxers in China
and some of the splendid porcelain
ware of the Chinese. THERE'S besides
these things great number of relics
picked up on the different fields of
battle which are of great value as
historical souvenirs.
Hill will remain at home for the
next two months, when he will return
to the Brooklyn ready for another
cruise of three years.
4.