Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-01-23
Our Sailors Were Needed Thor.

Inc more complete the details NJ
'''e hihsston situation the more appar-
eh' IL is that the services of the ma
rines whom Admiral Davis nromn+,v
ordered ashore were greatly moods,
'''ie' ana mat they We're gratefully
received by the people generally. M
WONDER the people of Great Britain
were amazed and filled with regret at
'"e poorish conduct of the governor Of
the island. Sir Alexander Swettenham
Not only do we have the testjmonv of
the American naval officers. the Ameri.
can correspondents, and the returning
Americans who fled from the island af-
ter the earthquake, but there is ale,
ample evidence from British sources
that the authorities of Kingston were
not equal to the emergency either in
'he protection of property, the main
tenance of order, or the care of the
suffering. The New York Times nub-
fishes letter from Kingston writta,
ny Ralph Hall Caine. This Mr.. Caine
Is a brother of the better known novel;
list. but is himself an experienced
newspaper man and an author of some
repute. His letter is dated last FRIDAY
ana clearly foreshadowed the trouble
that the dispatches make known. He
reports as rumor that as soon as the
extent of the calamity was realized the
British government was asked to send
war ships; but" he adds, "in an at
mosphere charged with conflicting
rumors it is almost impossible to be-
lieve anything outside of ones per-
sonal knowledge or experience" He
then says. evidently from his own per-
sonal knowledge:
Il certainly know that the situation
IL now immensely relieved by the ar
rival of three American warships. the
Missouri and Indiana and one torpedo
boat the Whipple) under command of
Admiral Davis. with men ready to Of
fer guard and surgeons, with medical
comforts and supplies. Without a
moments delay the admiral landed a
body of men as guards. He also ten
dered the services of his medical staff,
but Sir Alexander Swettenham, who
exchanged courtesies with Admiral Da-
Wis on board the Missouri, declined the
offer on the ground that he saw no
justification in the situation for ac-
cepting it. Yet know the presence Of
the bluejackets quelled with opportune-
ness a rising among the prisoners of
the penitentiary and established a
sense of power and authority impos-
sible to overestimate in value. L can
not appreciate the precise feeling be-
hind these diplomatic courtesies and
how far the governor is acting under
know that the admiral's offer was
made in the cause of our common HUI
mainly, and that the aid of eight sur
geons was declined while the hospital
is crowded with 400 or 500 patients,
though the accommodation is barely
sufficient for half that number"
This testimony sufficiently contro-
verts Sir Alexander's ir-natured opin-
ion that cur sailors were butting in
where they were not needed. They
! were needed fast enough: and Mr..
Cain is doubtless well within the truth
when he says that their mere presence
established a sense of power and au-
thority impossible to overestimate in
value" But that our sailors We're not
wanted in Kingston by the British
governor OF the islands is also unhap-
PLY evident, the mores the pity.
But it must be remembered that this
insult to our country for its prompt
generosity and kindness in an hour of
need is only his own voice and not the
sentiment of Great Britain or of ia
maica.