New-York tribune., 1907-06-30

their ships looking like wax ana make ueih-
selves useful whenever and wherever they can
be handled to advantage by the President In
spite of all this. some people regard the revenue
cutter service "a soft snap ana WISH theS
were in it instead of out OF It
In spite Of the fact that the revenue cutters
do not get into the headlines OF the newspapers
as often as the battleships IN actual war the
record made by the service since the nation was
a youngster is one brilliant series OF victories
and brave exploits. When we had our little un-
nIeasantness with France, IN 179S99, the reve-
nue. cutter Pickering captured ten prizes In en-
Cagements with the enemy, and sister snip
the Eagle took five. The first capture made by
our maritime forces in the War OF 1912 was the
British topsau schooner Patriot which was
taken by the revenue cutter Jefferson. and by
the end of the war the service had TO its credit
\ total Of fourteen English vessels In course
OF the troubles with the Seminoles the revenue
searnen co-operated with the army and navy.
and in the war with Mexico five revenue cutters
were engaged in performing efficient service IN
the attacks upon AIvarado and Tabasco and IN
the blockading Of the Mexican fleet When the
naval force was sent to Paraguay, in 1S5S' the
revenue cutter Harriet Lane assisted CoInIno-
dore Shubrck's squadron so well that the com
manding officer wrote a report TO the Secretary
of the NAVY calling especial attention to the
both in naval engagements and in blockade duty.
the revenue cutters were actively engaged from
the start of hostiIities to Lees surrender; ana
in the Spanish war the gallant services of the
McCulloch the Hudson and other vessels of the
same branch are we'll remembered by fighting
men and citizens alike
According TO a report prepared for the Secre-
tary Of the Treasury the performances OF the
revenue service in the last ten years have paid
pretty we'll in dollars and cents. In the decade.
according TO this compilation. the service has
been useful to the following extent:
value OF v,sseis assisted Including Sc cl G,
T"rSous on hoard vessels assisted 49,
Persons cared for on revenue cutters. 2t+
Lives actually Saved from drowning ooo a.,
vcsscis reported for Violations Of %YI5
Fines incurred BY vessels reported S'o'lo'
Whenever a contagious disease threatens &c
spread throughout the country the Revenue Cut
ter Service is charged with the duty Of enforc-
ing the marine quarantine laws and Of CO.
operating with the public health and Marine
Hospital service in order 10 prevent its dissent
nation In the summer Of 1905 the Gulf Coas'
Of the United States was stricken with yello"
fever Within a short time there were four reve-
nue. cutters. together with 4 fleet Of chartered
vessels under the command of officers OF th|
service. patroIling the waters Of Louisiana, Mis-
Of their work shows that for the first time II
the history of such epidemcs there was not {
single instance of the spread Of the disease
through communication by sea These ship:
were constantly within the infected districts
and though one Of them had TO fight the feveI
among its own crew, not for a day was vigilance
relaxed until the disease was stamped out anc
the country relieved of the fear of its spreading
afar and becoming a scoUrge.
One Of the most important duties of the ser
vice is the relief of vessels in distress Thi
includes assistance rendered to maritime in
terests in saving from destruction property
wrecked on the coast and also the saving o
| lives jeopardized in disabled stranded yes
sells The President designatcs certain cutter
each year, in the stormy months from Decembo
to April to patrol the coast line in search o
vessels in distress. In tho performance Of thi
| duty thousands OF persons have been rescue
| from the pcrils of the sea and property OF tn
value Of millions Of dollars has been saved
| Tho work OF assisting the maritime and com