The Hawaiian gazette., 1910-01-21
PAINTS BATTLE
SCENE FOR HERO
Grants Brush to Tell Tale Of
Two Events in the Life of
Lucien Young.

San thANNlSCO, january "
Charles H. Grant is busy in his studio
at the Hotel Argonaut, painting for
Capt. Lucien Young the scene of one
of the most thrilling events Of his no.
table career. The picture will show
Captain. Young flagship, the Hist, in
the fight at Manzanillo, in which only
the pluck and the aggressive GOODNESS
of the Americans saved them from de-
structfon.
The Hist is to occupy the foreground
of the picture, with the Spanish fleet
and the shore Notifications in the back
ground. The picture is being done ac-
cording to descriptions of the scene
given by Captain Young, and the facts
will not be idealized.
The picture should have historical as
well as artistic interest, for the bat
tie of Manzanillo was, in some respects,
among the most creditable of the
American victories of the Spanish.
American war. On board the Hist, a
converted yacht, and with converted
tug and a second converted yacht, Cap
tain Young entered the narrow passage
way into the harbor, with orders to de-
stroy the Spanish craft at Manzanillo.
The narrowness of the channel forced
him to within 800 yards of the shore,
which was lined with Notifications arm
ed with high-pressure guns. Instead
of few small craft, however, he found
a feet superior in numbers to his own
and Boosting some vessels as formid-
able as his own. In addition, the har-
Dor was mined.
Young sailed into the face of the
enemy, picking up torpedo which
fouled with cable on the way, and
when the firing ceased the white flag
had supplemented the red and yellow
of Spain. The fight occurred on June
80, 1898. The Americans did not lose
man.
Incidental to this, it is interesting
that Grant has on his easel now part
ly finished painting of the wreck of
| the Huron, which went down near
Kitty Hawk on the 25th of Nov ember,
1877. Lucien Young was an ensign on
board the Huron at that time, and
| for his bravery on that trying occasion
he was voted medal of the first class
| by congress, officially complimented
by the navy department and raised to
the rank of master.
When the Huron Is boats had all been
carried away or stove to pieces and
the vessel, fast grounded and badly
listed, was breaking up with the shock
| of each successive sea which broke
clean over her, Young volunteered to
| attempt to get ashore with a line.
In company of a seaman named Will
liams, he managed to get balsa into
the water and clear of the vessel, al
though he was struck several times by
| spars, and was badly injured. The
balsa capsized three times, but by
swimming and pushing the float before
him, the young ensign finally managed
to reach shore.
On the beach he gathered together
as many persons as possible and work
| ed valiantly in rescuing drowning men
! from the water. Running to the near
est lifesaving station, which the 9th
ers were afraid to open because the
doors had been locked, he broke open
/ doors and chests and launched boat.
This incident made Lucien Young one
of the best known men in the ameri-
can navy, and is always recalled when
his name is mentioned.
The atmosphere for such a story is
indicated in Grants painting. The
| Huron, breaking before the fierce on
slaughts of the seas, appears to be
fighting for a lease on life, while the
frothing waves stretch in menacing
barrier to any man who would attempt
to leave the fated ship.