Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-05-02
THE STORY OF A
FAMOUS OCEAN RACE


Upshur.
The Admiral remarked retrospectively,
1T was way back in the forties that I
was attached to the United States Sloop of
War, st. Mary's, forming part Of the block
aiding squadron off Vera Cruz and then ly-
ing at anchor under the Island Of Sacrt
ficios. Other Men-of-War were present,
among them, H. B. M. Ship Eurydice.
new craft, just out from England, and I'M
der the command Of Captain Elliot, son Of
the admiral of the same name, and the de-
signer of his ship.
1.-The Eurydice was reputed a crack sailer
in her day. There was much interchange
of social visits between this ship and the st.
Mary's, and their relative merits were fire.
quently discussed fore and aft, John Bull
always maintaining that his ship was the
superior in turning to wlndward as well as
in running, and that he only needed an op
portunity to prove the correctness of his
contention.
Our fellows were equally confident, If
less assertive, and as the time went by. and
these discussions grew louder and longer,
the captain of the st. Mary's. handsome
Jack Saunders of Virginia. agreed to ask
his commander-in-chief, the late Commo-
dore Conner. for permission to race with
the Eurydice. then soon to join the British
commander-in-chief at Havana.
1.-The request was made and refused, much
to the chagrin Of all concerned, and the in
depreciation to John Bull was that the
Yankee was afraid to try 1t.
Some days after this the ships were lying
at single anchor, awnings spread fore and
aft, lower booms out and boats lowered
top-gallant and royal yards down. when the
auartermaster on watch aboard the st.
Mary's reported to the officer of the deck
that the Eurydice was getting under weigh.
A gentle breeze wes Blowing from seward
NM M hn ri oh In
duly reported to Captain Saunders and
soon all the officers and men Of the St.
Mary's were on deck, watching the Eng
hshman and hoping that the commander-in-
chief would not permit him to go off the
coast without giving his boosted powers a
test.
I'm few minutes sail was made on the
Eurydice to royals, the head yards braced
capstan bars. and. in quick order, the
anchor was up. Gated and fshed and the
ship falling off, the head-yards were
braced full. head sails run up. and she
gathered away on her first tack out between
the islands
"Al hope of the longed-for-race had died
out In the hearts OF our people, when some
movement aboard the flagship was observed
ana moment later up went the signal, st.
Mary's under way to get, and chase!'
THE instant the order was Interpreted
and reported to the captain, the scene of
activity aboard of our ship beggared de-
the boatswafn's call, rushed to their sta
lions. and in less time than it takes to tell
awnings were furled, booms rugged In, boats
hoisted. light yards crossed, the anchor
hove short stay and sail made to ROYALS
The wind-a sea breeze-still blowing gent
ly. and the Eurydice already well out clear
of the islands.
1.-THE st. Mary's crew accomplished prod
fg1es, for even crack crew of that period,
when the only steam aboard the ship came
from the galley coppers! In trice the
anchor was hove to the hawse pipe. to
brace about the head yards and hoist the
head sails was the work of another min :
ute. and our handsome little ship gather
ed way and started after the chase. A
few tacks brought her out into the open
sea, the sun was declining and the wind
freshening, the Eurydice was some miles
ahead. The excitement aboard the ST.
Mary's began to increase as 1t became ap-
parent that we were Overhauling our an
tagonist. Every sheet aboard both ships
and the yards trimmed with greatest
nicely.
Eat 8 o'clock both ships went around
on the starboard tack, the Eurydice about
ahead, the wind slightly increasing, and
with 1t. the Yankee more surely closing
I'D on the Brfton.
How well recall the old Eurydice's ap-
pearance as we ranged up under her lee!
Courses, top-sails, top-gallants royals, pile
on pile, her snowy canvas scared aloft,
cleaning like mother of pearl in the glori-
our moonlight, her towering masts SEEM
ing to greet the star-gemmed armament!
AS she heeled toward us. we commanded
a full view of her decks, dark groups of
seamen clustered along her hammock
cloths upon the booms and on the fore
castle head. while aft the moonlight
sparkled on the bright points OF her off, |
GERS uniforms. She carried bone of
white as high as her hawse pipes and
when she majestically rose upon the long
swell. heaving in from the eastward and
rolled to windward, was seen flash of her
FURNISHED copper sheathing. while the
tompioned muzzles of her lee guns drtpped
with brine; cataract of yeasty foam fell
away to leeward. and spreading into a wide
wake OF troubled water, marked her rush
ing course; while ever and anon, the
weather cat head was drenched in show
ers of silvery sprayi
so close were we that the Tong-drawn
thunder meath her leaping figure head