Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-05-02

the vibrant hum Of the-wind in her strain
ing cordage, the shrill sound of the boats
wain's call. as lacks and sheets, bowlines
and braces were tended, came plainly to
our ears!
'She formed a noble sea picture. the
memory of which has remained with mo
through life! The old st. Mary's. likewise.
must have afforded brilliant spectacle
to the appreciative among the crew of our
competitor.
LAS the bells aboard the two ships
struck four 90 o'clock. our first lieuten-
ant sang out Ready aboutr &c. Helms
alec" and the next instant, the saucy St.
Mary's shot across her rivals bow. took
in royals. hauled down flying jib-the crew
gave three cheers and we bore away for
our old anchorage. having literally sailed
around our antagonist. few weeks later
our captain received letter from Captain
Elliot at Havana. good -humoredly &C
Marys."
The Eurydice was originally thirty
two-gun frigate. launched at Portsmouth
May 90 1913, and as stated above. designed
at the time deemed among the fastest
cruisers in the royal service. She was In
every way a larger vessel than the st.
Mary s-her tonnage, old measurement,
being nine hundred and twenty-one
AT the time of her loss she was return
Ing from the West Indies, having on board.
In addition to her own crew of young, or
binary seamen who were being trained for
the royal navy, a number of men from the
British North Atlantic squadron, whose
times had expired. and likewise, some army
sUpernumeraries from Bermuda and other
West Indian stations. The wreck, almost
In view of her port, was most tragic one.
On Sunday afternoon, March a. 1873, at
$3.50 pm, the ship was running up the
sail. the wind free. the weather clear.
when about two and half miles E. N. E.
Of Dunnose Point. near Ventnor. Isle of
Wight she was knocked down by a squall
tyh Ipy 1,n vivid ,nrvy
and hail, coming down from the cliffs
through kind Of ravne: so sudden and
unexpected was the blast that it was i'm
possible to prepare therefor. Indeed, as
the upper half ports on the gun deck had
been tr1ced up for ventilation. 1t was i'm
possible to keep out the water there and
the terrific pressure of the wind continued
to careen her. until the sea was pouring
over the lee hammock MEETINGS. According
to the report of one OF the two survivors,
the captain recognizing the true conditions.
at once gave the order for every man to
look out for himself. Some few sheets and
halyards were let go, but all too late for
the purpose desired. The ship sank in
eleven fathomS of water and when the
spars above the surface almost to the
close reef bands of the still hoisted topsails.
In sinking, she righted and rested on the
bottom nearly on an even keel. With the
ship there went down her commanding Of
ficer, Captain Marcus Hare. r. N. and 1923
other officers and men. AS stated above,
there were but two survivors. Benjamin
Cuddiford. able seaman, and Sydney
Fletcher, ordinary seaman.
The disaster was notable one in the an
mails of the British naval service. Soon
afterward. the ship was raised. pumped out
and towed into Portsmouth, where for
aught know. she may be to this day.
The st. Mary'S and six other similar
sloops of war were laid down shortly be-
fore the Mexican war and at the time con-
Stituted an important addition to our fleet.
Thew all fine and
l remember hearing an old officer say that
at the time they were built their models
were considered extremely long and tracy!
Having in view the extreme length of mod
ern steam vessels and even the dimensions
of some of our big new schooners the fore
going makes funny reading!
OF the seven ships, the Plymouth and
Germantown were burned at Norfolk with
other national vessels lying here in ordi-
nary in the early part Of the civil war. The
jamestown is used hospital ship at
Fortress Monroe by the United States ma
rine hospital service. the Portsmouth has
been turned over ia the New Jersey Naval
Reserves, and Is used as a practice ship,
being made fast to dock in Hobohen, N. ].
The Albany foundered at sea in 1854.
The Saratoga has been loaned to the state
of Pennsylvania and is used as a school
and practice ship in connection with the
public school system Of that common
wealth. The same applies to the st. Ma
rvs in respect to the state of New York.
The ship has been a familiar feature at the
port of New York during many years past.
Usually, in the spring, this ship, which,
like the Saratoga. is differed by details
from the regular United States naval estab-
ishment. makes a cruise as far to the
eastward as the Azores or Madeira Islands.
which is sometimes extended to Gibraltar
and up the Mediterranean. Again she may
touch at the Port Of Brest or Cherbourg in
France. and at Southampton, Portsmouth
or Plymouth in England
The service which she Is doing for the
public school system in New York, and
incidentally for the country at large. is ad-
mirable. The st. Mary's boys find ready
employment. not only in the merchant ma
rine. but in many walks of life ashore.