Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-08-09

tured sixteen and aided in the capture of
two others. In the war Of 1872 revenue
cutters again gave a good account or
themselves, and the first prize taken in
that war was the British schooner Pa
triot, captured by the cutter Jefferson. In
the war of 1872 fourteen British vessels
were taken by revenue cutters.
''Semper Paratus" Their Motto.
This work has been kept up by the men
of the services. who live up to their motto.
''Semper Paratus"-always ready-and
Spanish war will not soon be
forgotten. Thirteen revenue cutters CO.
operated with the navy one of which. the
McCulloch. was the subject of cOmmenda-
ton by Admiral Dewey in one Of his re-
ports to the Secretary Of the Navy. in
which he speaks OF that ship as being "a
valuable auxiliary to the. squadron 1t
was during this war that the revenue cut
ter Hudson, Lieut.. Frank H, Newcomb.
commanding, took part in the action at
Cardenas. Cuba. In this engagement such
bravery was shown by Lieut.. Newcomb.
his officers and crew, In the rescue Of the
torpedo boat WinslOw from immi nent dan
ger of destruction by the shore batteries.
that Congress awarded a gold medal to
Lieut.. Newcomb and silver and bronze
medals, respectively. to the officers and
the members of the crew of the Hudson
The services of the vessels Of the reve-
nue. cutter feet are If anything more val
liable in time of peace than in war. and
their work, as defined by law. consists in
the enforcement of almost every statute
bearing upon the maritime interests of the
nation. Its duties embrace the protection
of the customs revenue involving the
right of search OF all merchant vessels
arriving within the United States or with
in four leagues thereof If bound to a port
in the United States: the suppression of
piracy; the search for wrecked and miss
inc oil In 90 1,o
trality laws. by preventing armed expe-
ditions against neighbOring and friendly
governments; the suppression of mutiny;
the protection of the government timber
reserves: the construction and the inspec-
ton of life-saying stations and the drill
ing of the life-saving crews; the enforce
ment of law and the protection of prop
erty in Alaska: the protection of seal and
other fisheries in Alaskan waters: the de-
struction of derelicts and other dangers to
navigation; the rendering of assistance to
vessels in distress and aiding the ship
wrecked: the enforcement of the naviga-
ton laws and of the national marine
quarantine regulations; guarding the safe
ty of the public at yacht races and re-
gattas; the supervision Of anchorages at
certain ports: the protection of the sponge
fisheries in the Gulf of Mexico and the
Straits of Florida.
Enforcement of the marine quarantine
laws and cooperation with the marine
disease are important duties of the reve-
nue. cutter service. What the officers and
men of the service did in the summer of
1905 to prevent the spread of yellow fever,
which had appeared on the gulf coast of
the United States, is still fresh in the pub
lie memory. AS a result OF their efficiency.
for the first time in the history of such
epidemics not a. single case of the disease
was communicated from one vessel to an
other. Four cutters and fleet of char
tered vessels constantly patrolled the in
fected territory. the men exposed to the
disease at all times, but vigilance was
never relaxed until the fever was stamped
out.
Winter Coast Patrol.
Another duty of the service. and one
that lies close to the hearts of the peo-
pie, is that of aiding vessels in distress.
Every year. from December to April 1,
when storms rage at sea, a fleet of cut
ters patrol the Atlantic and Pacific coasts
with crews constantly on the lookout for
vessels in need of aid. The greater the
storm the greater the vigilance, and every
| winter the vessels of the service save
hundreds of lives and many thousands OF
dollars of valuable property.
While the winter patrol Is only kept up