New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-01-10
THE PANAMAN NAVY.
Admiral "Jef" and HIS Three Ships
-Happy-Go-Lacly Methods.

Panama, R. P. December q
Say, JEFF, I'm goin' ashore this afternoon"
"An right Charlie: when you comm OF
again?"
Some time tomorrow mornin', 7 suppose"
'Thatll do; but don't make It any later, as I
may want to 60 ashore myself tomorrow after
noon"
"AU right" Charlie" answered. and retired.
That colloquy is a fair index 70 the discipline IN
the Panaman navy which swings on a lazy anchor
about two miles ofrshore from this city. we'll out
beyond the line of mud fats that mark the limits
of the 22foot tide which GIBBS and flows along this
rugged coast
I visited this navy the other day. and It was
while seated the quarterback Of the flagship. Just
after breakfast, which is regularly served at II
o'clock, that heard the conversation quoted above
Charlie" otherwise Colonel Charles Ross chief
artilIerist Of the flagship Tres Noviembre. lounged
into the presence Of the admiral Of the navy Cen
eral II. o. Jeffries. and without the formalty OF
salute. announced his intention Of going ashore
JEFF" the admiral. made his response. and the
incident closed when Charlie" in civilian dress
and small straw hat, louuged forward again.
ceremony being carefully eschewed.
AS Charlie went forward JEFF" remarked:
There's good fellow. He's been down in this
country with for a long time, and we've been
in pretty tight places together. but have al
ways managed to get out. During the last revolu-
ton were together in little tugboat and went
Up one of the small streams that lead inward from
the coast OF Cauca. We had idea there
any Liberals around until we ran right into a nest
Of them. They embushed us properly and for
about two minutes had the hottest kind OF
time. They shot the boat full OF holes. and It is
wonder any Of us got alive. Charlie had washed
his undershirt that morning and hung II out to dry
During the firing forty-two bullets went through
the garment. When got back to Panama Char
lie showed the undershTt TO General Albac. who
asked. Did you have 1t on when that done2
Charlie didn't see Adams joke but he is good
fellow. all the same. and I always want him with
me when there's anything dom, ashore or afoat-"
"JEFFs a FUNNY FELLOW"
And few minutes later, when. with Charlie
the negro captain Of the flagship and the English
man who serves as tho ships chief engineer.
were ahoat IN a small pulling boat. bound shore
ward Charlie" said IN a casual way:
''IefS certainly IS a funny fellow. He will 60
ashore for two three days. come OF some morn
ing before breakfast and then. when we want 10
go ashore in the afternoon. tell US to be back be-
fore shutdown. because he doesn't want 10 stay
cooped up on a ship all his life. and means TO take
q little shore leave himself after SHUTDOWN
The spirit Of tho whole Panaman navy appears
IN these incidents and conversations. The officers
are on too intimate terms OF friendship permit
them. through any of the grades. 70 enforce rigid
regulations, 70 exact those official oourtesss
common on the warshps OF other nations. The
navy itself IS quite woudrous AFFAIR. and thor
oughly in keeping with the free and easy manner
characteristic OF the commissioned and enlisted
personnel
This navy consists OF three ships-the Tres No
viembre (Aagshipl. the Medelin and the Chuquito.
The last is called torpedo boat In any other
harbor OF the world she would rank tug.
medium sized and generously supplied with deck
houses and awnings. She do something like
twelve knots hour, and holds the speed record
Of the Panaman navy. OF arInor she has none and
her torpedo equipment IS still dream Of the fut-
ure; nor has she gun platforms for armament OF
the other classes.
The Chuquito is commanded by Colonel Arose
mena-all the titles in this navy are borrowed from
the military braEch-and when used at all il IS for
little excursions up and down the coast in the Vi
cnity Of Panama She passed the flagship. shortly
after went aboard that vessel the other day. la
den to the gunwales with gay crowd Of excur-
sionists bound for Taboga Island Her passing was
without incident except that she scurr!ed by at top
speed. the presence OF the admiral aboard the flag
ship being no reason why she should dip her coors
or otherwise note his existence.
The Medelin is former fruiter. She was found
somewhere up the west coast Of Central America
diminutive republics in whose navy she was
classed the crack ship. She brought down
10 Panama in tow her machinery being disabled
by an accident. To this day the damage has not
been repaired. and the Medelin swings the length
Of anchor chains with each tide. Further than that
she may go. Her black hull floats high
of the water, disclosing to view one blade OF her
propeller ana goodly part OF the rudder. In the
technique Of this very remarkable navy tho Mede-
lin ranks as troopship transport Just
she is very busy engaged in performing the ardu-
Gus duties Of a quarantine boat In port where
quarantine regulations not enforced
THE TRES NoVIEAfBRE
OF the flagship Tres NOviembre there is some
thing better to be said Just how this ship cane
into the possession Of Colombia nobody now in au-
thority in the navy seems to know. She pur-
chased several years ago from OF the Central
American republics. and has been in active service
ever since. The ship was. when Colombia got her
known as the Padila. By that she was
known until she steamed into Panama one fine
morning nearly two years ago, and with a few
shots sunk the Lauterra and killed General Carlos
AIban. and then away without compelling the
surrender of the city OF Panama. After that en-
ga gement her name changed 10 the Twenty
first OF Noyember-the Colombian Fourth OF July
and now, since the Panaman revoIutionists estab-
lished their independence her has again been
changed tho Third OF November.
This vessel built originally for the fruit SER
vice on this western coast and had some accommo-
dations for passengers. She is product OF Lon
donderry, Ireland. the date OF her launching being
a matter OF much uncertainty and concern. or
about fifteen hundred tons displacement she is
seaWorthy. Wholly without armor. she is able to
present fairly good appearance. due to the open
mounting Of some modern, small cabred. breech- |
loading guns There are two pieces aft, on
either quarter; two just forward of the BEAM and
one 15pounder Driggs-Seabury gun. with telescope
sghts-to which sights the attention the visitor
is particularly called-mounted forward. tho !
When was aboard this ship the other |
day the officers and crew were much excited over |
the news that additional guns. including
rapid firing and Founders, were expected In a |
day or so TO complete her armament
Aboard the Tres Noviembre IS constantly |
running into tho unexpected In the flush of pa |
triotlsm which suffuses the republic, thu fact
that the flagship Of the navy boasts OF coat-of
arms except the Irish design. very beautifully done
In stained glass and given prominent place in the
skylight the wardroom. has been overlooked |