Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-08-08
CADETS GETTING WISE
Cruise of the Cutter Itasca
and Its Purpose.
TO COACH YOUNG OFFICERS
World Voyage Fits Them Out for
the Revenue Service.
SHIP NOW HEADED FOR VENICE
SHIP NOW HEADED FOR VENICE
Due Home in October, After Visit.
ing Many Mediterranean Ports.
Lively Time at Valencia.

The young men comprising the classes
preparing to enter the United States reve-
nue. cutter service as officers are now on
their annual cruise of instruction aboard
the training ship. Itasca, and when the
cutter returns home early in October they
will have spent three months aboard ship
acquiring a practical knowledge of their
duties. and at the same time having their
minds broadened by foreign travel and
visiting foreign cities.
What Annapolis is to the navy the
school of instruction of the revenue cut
ter service at Arundel Cove. near Balti-
more, is to that service. Here three years
are spent by the young men who are for
tunate enough to be appointed to cadet
ships In the service. receiving an educa-
ton to fit them for the responsible posi-
tions they will hold as officers in the
service. a part of the curriculum at the
Arundel Cove school is the annual summer
training cruise aboard the cutter Itasca,
generally to foreign waters. Until about
three years ago the sailing bark Chase
was used as training ship, and her
cruises were mostly confined to home wa
tiers. In 1907 the 1tasca, then named the
Bancroft and In service as gunboat in
the navy, was turned over to the revenue
cutter service and was fitted up for her
present uses. Since that time the training
cruises have been in foreign lands. The
Bancroft was built by the navy for serv-
ice as a training ship for naval cadets,
assigned to duty as a gunboat and saw
service in Turkish waters. On being turn
ed over to the revenue cutter service the
vessel was remodeled for her present use
and has made three trips with the cadets
aboard to European waters.
Now En- Route to Venice.
The Itasca on her present trip left Bal
timore May 20. and after spending several
days in the Chesapeake bay put to sea,
bound on a cruise to Mediterranean wa
tiers. She has in the past six weeks Wis
tied a number Of cities in Italy, France
and SPAIN and last week was at Messina.
She is now on her way to Venice, at
which port she is expected to arrive
Thursday next. She will then visit Trieste,
Athens. Malta and other ports before sail
ing from Funchal. Madeira. September IA.
for home. The ship Is expected to arrive
at Arundel Cove about October 1.
While the forty-seven cadets aboard
and recreation they have duties to per-
form, and Capt. ]. E. Reinburg, the
commander of the ship. sees to it that
they are performed. Drills with small
arms and the big guns of the ship. in
signaling and in handling sails are a
part of the daily work of the cadets.
Then there are hours that must be spent
in the study of navigation and seaman
ship and other matters pertaining to
their chosen profession. so that the trip
is by no means one entirely given over
to pleasure. The main portion of the
studies of the cadets are. how
ever. made at the school of in
struction at Arundel Cove. The
L. H. ~f -
John e. Reinburg. with First Lieut.. H.
D. Hinckley as executive officer; Sec
ond Lieut.. T. G. Crapster, navigator
Second Lieut.. r. r. Dempwolf, Second
ant of Engineers H. N Wood. Third
Lieutenant of Engineers Martin A.
Doyal and DR.. w. c. Billings. medical
officer.
The Visit to Valencia.
The Paris edition of the New York
Herald. under date of July II. 1909. has
the following account of the visit Of the
officers and cadets of the Itasca to
Valencia, Spain:
THE peaceful invasion of this city by
the American revenue cutter Itasca, with
her forty-seven clean-limbed and bright
eyed cadets, the picture Of virile health,
created a stir in society circles during
the past week. And the departure OF
the visitors. after too short a sojourn
is lamented by many an aristocratic girl
who had begun to take improvised Eng
lish conversation lessons from officers
and cadets In the most fascinating con-
ditions. without grammar or prosy die
tionary to mar the pleasure of interna-
tional communication. The beautiful
artistic exhibition recently inaugurateG
tinuous round OF festivities and dances
afforded the Itasca men easy access to
| the highest social circles. usually con-
sidered rather strait-laced and exclusive
| toward strangers. The Americans. how
ever, came. saw and conquered. and sc
charmed were the valencians by Their
| fine appearance and gentlemanly bear.
| ing that they implored Capt. Reinburg
| the commander. to delay his departure
even one day. that they might organize
grand ball. But the stern call of dis
| cipline and schedule time compelled the
captain to forego the preferred hospi.
| tally.
SPANS Beauties Conquer.
Valencia enjoys an enviable fame fol-
of communication between them and the
gallant representatives Of the American
revenue marine on the present occasion
was decidedly haxy. each party knowing
scarcely anything Of the others language
1t was simply amazing how rapidly and
successfully an entente cordiale' was es-
tablished by wireless methods. The
proverbial resourcefulness of the Amer
lean sailor man in tight place was
called into requisition. and the Valencia
bellies admirably supplemented their lin
guistic deficiency by their large, dark,
changeful, dreamy and expressive east
ern eyes. employing. as a secondary bat
terry. their wonderful fans. In the coquet-
fish play Of which they are consummate
artists. No wonder Capt. Reinburg hast
ened his cadets away from the syren
shore"