Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-01-21

conduct and return OF recaptursd negroes
To this station the United States consci-
eLtiously returned for more than q dozen
years all the Africans taken from Ameri-
can shaving vessels: clothed. fed, educated
ana Christianized them. 1t was an ex-
pensive business. In 1890. according to
the records, the Secretary discovered that
The cost of returning each recaptured slave
had amounted to little over 1900 the
aggregate amount for the 26O being sai4-
a2; This matter of expense. the difficulties
winch oeset the work-the tribal wars the
unhealthy ciimate-and the increasing heat
on the abolition question caused tho egency
h2Giiy TO be abandoned. but not before
fnuch interesting history was made and
a lasting change wrought in that section
OF the dark continent. The Free State
OF Liberia, with government and a con-
stltuiion modelled upon that of the United
states, had. according to the most recent
census, population of 100000 6lUDp II
whom stu take pride in declaring them
selves Americans
Interesting Incidents.
But this is not all. There is wonder
fully full and interesting account of Texas
little navy; detailed description OF Per-
rvs Japanese mission which carried the
seed OF western civilization to the con-
sefvative east: OF Commodore Jones seizure
VI Mohterey and of expeditions to Chile
aho other South American countries There
are, besides all these and possibly most.
interesting of all. the descriptive Letters
sent nome by naval explorers together with
the7r journals. and in many cases their
personal papers. Among these is the IA
NOUS Ice Diary" kept by De Long while
commanding the Jeanette" expedition on
which 1t will be remembered he and his
whole party lost their lives
The civil war records are naturally thu
liose numerous. The war records office "a
engaged now in the publication OF an elal,-
crate work embracing the official records
md I'd.
war OF the rebellion, and 1t Is this vor.
which in a measure has demonstrated the
Importance and the value of this manu-
sSLipl history. For the purpose of this
pupl1cat1on the officers and their descend
ants both north and south generously loan
Gu documents. which in many cases have
now been voluntarily placed for an time
Ill the Keeping of the department
Collection is Growing.
ihoeeo Tor number of years these navy
archives have been gradually growing in
both size and Importance Mr.. Charles w
stewart, the librarian under whose sunar
vision the civil war records have beer COL
iected and compiled, has spared no pains
TO make the chronicle complete Herr md
there he has come across or hunted down
valuable manuscripts, which he has been
able to add from time to time to the col
Iectloh; one OF these was the log of the
siren. lSt3-O5, and another a set of three
DOCKS, containing the original records OF
the American prisoners (privateers) cap
tufed IN the war of 1872 and detained at
Halifax. Jamaica and the Barbados
The last were got in a curiously interest,"
ing way, Mr. Harwood. a gold heater OF
Springfield, Mass. found them among q
lot of waste, handmade paper, which he
had purchased for use in his business from
London junkman for half cent a pound
Noting their unusual character he pre-
vented their destruction and when later Mr.
Stewart heard of them was willing to lend
md q fn,- -1rI e -.
partment. They are probably the only
records of the kind extant and for them
collectors have offered large sums of
money.
For Safe Keeping.
New interest has been awakened in these
naval records and fresh impetus given to
the work of collection of late. The Presi-
dent and the Secretary of the Navy guar
antee that all papers deposited with the
librarian shall be preserved with the ut
most care and be at all times accessible to
the donors. and it is the desire of the de-
partment to greatly increase the collection.
To this end a circular was issued last
month by Mr.. Stewart to the members and
representatives of prominent naval officers
families. 1t was thought that many would
prefer to deposit such papers as were of
public interest with the government, where
they would be safe. well-kept and at all
times available than to keep them taS many
and doing honor to none; and the gen
erous and general response which has
already been made would prove the sup
position correct.
The plan is good and the work i'm
portant one. 1t means not only the preser-
walton OF historical matter of unique char
acter but it promises to benefit both the
navy and the nation by establishing and
in time setting before the people the ster-
ling worth and hardy courage of our naval
men. In reviewing history II is often found
that honor accrues through the aggrega-
ton of events seen in perspective and that
close scrutiny discloses many belittling in
cidcnts In this case, however. 1t seems TO
run to the contrary, for through the open
door Of these personal records the honor.
the valor and the uprightness of the men
who in earlier days established the navy
and built in part the foundations of our
present nation are easily to be discerned
and most clearly to be noted. 1t is his
tory of which every American citizen may
be Justly proud and to which any might
be glad to contribute.