The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1907-11-21
THE BOOMING CANNON
REcITAlS OF CAMP AND BATTLE
INCIDENTS.
Survivors OF the Rebellion Relate
Many Amusing and Startling Incl
dents of Marches, Camp Life. For
aging Experiences and Battles.

time is something that the American
navy has not often had chance to
learn from actual experience. During
the Civil War, however. there were
times when the commanders OF Fed
eral cruisers discovered what it means
to be dependent upon casual purchases
for the fuel that is the very life of a
modern steam fleet.
Among the naval traditions which
have not risen to the dignity of written
history there is one that recOunts an
adventure of the L. s s. Vanderbilt
one Of the old side-wheel steamers Inn
pressed into the government service and
sel-t out in pursuit Of the Confederate
-destroyers. After a long
cruise in the South Atlantic, she made
the tiny island Of st. Helena. Here
she had to stop. for her bunkers were
just about empty. Fortunately, a
wharf was in sight from the deck as
she dropped anchor, loaded with the de
sired coal.
1t WAS a welcome sight to the wor-
ried commander He breathed easier.
and thought, no doubt that he had
come upon a windfall. Coal heaps
could not be found. in those days, at
every landing place in out-of- the-way
seas. 1t seemed almost as if the sup
ply had been held specially for the use
OF til. Yankee tars. This suppositiOn,
moreover. turned out the exact truth,
In a sense that gave the Vanderbit's
captain something OF n surprise.
A boat was Immediately lowered
away and rode straight to the wharf
where the coal was stored. AID officer
stepped ashore. He found a sandy
headed Scotsman sitting near the heap
of fuel, and reading an old newspaper.
The man said that his coal was for
sale, and the officer asked the price
He was not in a mood to sit down and
spend time dickering. but the owners
answer staggered him.
Thirty dollars a ton, sir
As the price of gold in Federal pa
per money was then about two dollars
and eighty-ive cents, the quotation
meant that the coal would cost Uncle
Sam, in his greenback currency. more
than eighty dollars a ton. The officer
spent some time trying TO beat down
the seller, but it was 10 use The
Scotsman was firm. The bargain was
broken Off, the dealer-perfectly friend
ly, though frln-insisting that while
he hoped that the North would win,
he had been holding that coal there
long time, waiting for an American YES
sci. and. as the owner OF the only sup
ply on hand, he intended to take what
be considered fair profit.
The commander of the Vanderbilt de-
nounced the price as outrageous. up
anchor.' was the order; and. firing ND
with part of the few tons of coal that
remained, the ship put out from the
harbor- The Scot was still on his
wharf, reading his newspaper. as be-
fore If weighing anchor was tried
as bluff, it had not stirred him. A
few hours proved that he had no need
to fear losing his prize
Contrary weather blew UP. and the
Vanderbilt was soon flung back into the
port she had so recently left. now with
the last bushel of fuel gone. She was
at the mercy Of the financier of the coal
heap, but he did Hot raise his price.
nor did he lower it. The Vanderbilt
took a round thousand tons ut thirty
dollars, gold. per ton.
If sandy-haired Scot returned to
= M fro
for the rest Of his life. and "a source of
wonder to home-keepers who had never
been out into. the world, we know that
the lucky individual won his gains less
unfairly than some larger capitalists.
Moreover, he had Incidentally given the
United States government a practical
and valuable lesson.