Evening star., 1905-11-05

cutters Winona. Alert and Penrose, and
the chartered vessels Grace Caroline, Spy,
Noreta L., Sonny Boy, Beulah D., and
small launch tender Typsy.
In order to give these auxiliary vessels
the proper authority they were all officered
by commissioned or warrant officers Of the
revenue cutter service. Effective quaran-
tine regulations were made and carried out
In such manner as to least interfere with
commerce. Captain Ross at once estab
lished a systematic patrol by stationing cut
ters at the most advantageous points in
order that all merchant vessels might be
challenged to ascertain whether II was nee
essary 20 detain them.
1t was the duty of officers to acquaint
all vessels with the quarantine regulations
by boarding them. Every one was thus eX-
posed to chances of yellow fever on vessels
coming from infected ports. constant
and vigilant lookout was kept up day and
night to see that no vessel passed the pa
troll lines without examination. The dis
comforts attending this duty cannot be de-
scribed. Officers and men spent weeks on
small launches without adequate quarters
facilities for messing and exposed to
heat, wind, rain and countless mosquitoes.
The commanding officer Of the Alert re-
ported that 1t was necessary to burn sui
phur in the cabin of the boat to drive out
the mosquitoes and make the place habit
able.
For over three months no liberty was
granted to any one in the patrol fleet. and
all hands were busy night and day, vigor-
ously engaged with the various duties OF
the patrol. The WinOna alone has Cruised
over 5000 miles and the vessels of the fleet
have spoken or boarded 1,S25 vessels, hold
Ing them when necessary for fumigation
or detention. At the Ship Island quaran-
tine station fifty to hundred vessels
could be found at all times, having been
sent there by vessels of the revenue cutter
service. The cutters made frequent trips
TO Snip Island to see that the vessels Or
dered there had actually arrived and in no
case found their orders to have been dis
obeyed.
A letter from Surgeon Eugene Wasdin, in
charge of Mississippi quarantine matters, to
the commanding officer of the Mississippi
sound patrol fleet contains these words
In all the history of our maritime quaran-
tine patrols there is no record of a service
equal to that which you have rendered.
Notwithstanding that there were two un-
usually severe gales, reaching hurricane
violence, the efficiency of the patrol was In
no wise impaired. When the violence of
the gale drove the Alert to seek some pro-
lection in the Little Rigolets. Lieut.. Brock
way stood a watch on the bridge at the
Rigolets In the height of the storm to see
that no vessels passed through the draw.
If one of the boats was temporarily dis
abled, the officer in charge boarded in a
small pulling boat On one occa sion q bad
| leak occurred in the Alert. She was brought
clear of the water and repaired in three
hours and promptly resumed her station.
The effectiveness and good purpose of the
patrol were soon recoZniZed and appreciated
by all masters of vessels coming In contact
with 1t. The only difficulty was In making
the vessels understand the authority of the
chartered boats. Lieut.. Brockway reports ;
"On assuming charge of the Grace Ia
chartered boat the greatest obstacle I had
| to overcome was to get the vessels passing
through the Rigolets to understand that the
Grace was enforcing the quarantine regu-
| iations of the United States and not of the
state of Mississippi. During the first two
weeks of my duty here found 1t necessary
to overhaul each vessel and call the atten-
+, ton of the master to the revenue flag and
my uniform and explain that the Grace was
| now enforcing the quarantine laws of the
| United States. refrained from using force
on several occasions to compel vessels to
| stop because / knew that they considered
| the Grace Mississippi boat and that she
! had no authority over them. This condition
| OF affairs made 1t necessary to get under
way at ell hours of the day and night and
| frequently II was necessary to make long
runs in order to overtake vessels. AS soon
as the character OF the Grace was estab-
lished conditions were entirely changed. In
stead of vessels running away from me
l they would come up to my station at the
bridge, unless boarded them sooner, state
| their destination, and ask what the require
ments were
l Careful supervision was had over all Ash