Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-10-09

having our men become acquainted with
the foreigner on his home ground, as
result of which. 1t is claimed, our men
become more broadminded and fair in
their treatment of the foreigner and of
one another. The foreigner also has an
opportunity to become better informed
as to American manhood. and on the
whole the idea seems to be to implant
a feeling of respect each for the other.
-
A glance at q map of the world which
hangs on the wall in the office of the
bureau of navigation at Washington
would soon convince any one of the vast
territory covered by the United States
Navy. Large pins stuck all over the map
show the location of the various vessels
some at Hongkong. at Nagasaki in
Japan, at ports of the Philippine Islands.
at Guam, at India ports. scattered among
various ports on the Atlantic side of Eu-
rope, up and down the Atlantic seaboard
Of the United States and South America.
up and down the Pacific seacoast Of the
United States and South .America-and,
In fact, almost every conceivable place In
the world-there you Will find the watch
dogs of Uncle Sam, on the lookout for the
doing of acts of mercy as we'll as taking
care that American citizens are respected
wherever they may be.
Little known naval history is that of
the many small foreign wars in which the
United States Navy has taken part. These
usually took place in times of peace and
attracted very little attention and were
soon forgotten. In 1880. just before the
beginning of the war between England
and China. and while endeavoring to pro-
tect the property of American residents
In Canton, China, the Portsmouth was
fired upon by one of the Chinese forts.
An apology was demanded and refused,
The commander of the Portsmouth i'm
mediate1y attacked the forts-four i'm
',:cnse affairs built of massive granite
apology was promptly made and the in
cident closed.
In 1850 the English were getting the
worst of it in a fight with the Chinese
while several American war vessels were
standing by watching the scrap, but the
American commander, Tatnall. could not
stand seeing the white man the under
dog. and. exclaiming. Blood is thicker
than water" waded In and licked the
Chinese.
In 1897 the American bark Rover had
been wrecked on the coast of the Island
OF Formosa. and 1t Was reported that her
crew had been murdered by the savages
The officials disclaimed all knowledge of
the affair, but Commander Febiger Of the
Ashuelot could not see it that way He
landed 300 men, drove the savages into
the interior. burned their huts and res
cued the men.
There was that little ARRAY down in
Paraguay in 1850. when Capt Shubrick,
with q small fleet decided to take decl-
sive action against the people of that
country for firing on the United States
steamer Water Witch. A prompt apology
and payment of indemnity was made by
the Paraguayan government.
The kOra0Dc rntxed vz.iff, fha ri
States In 1871. trading schooner was
captured and destroyed and the members
of her crew murdered. A United States
war vessel showed up very soon after the
AFFAIR was reported, and when it left that
part Of Korea there was much greater re-
spect shown Americans in that part of the
world thereafter. Again. in 1870, boat
expedition from the Mohican cut out the
piratical steamer Forward, which had
been operating on the coast Of Mexico
manned by a crew of filibusters. Scores
OF incidents Of this kind could be emu
merated, and are what is known as the
'unwritten history" of the American
navy.
A good example of the old navy is that
of the L. S. S. Tyler, which took part in
the civil war. This craft was a stern
wheeler made entirely Of wood, boarded
up on the sides and the top--exactly like
q housewife guns poking out Of port
holes on either side. This formidable war
mortar boats. which were nothing more
than scows with a board fence around
them and the mortars standing in the
center. This fleet, together with the Lex
ington. bombarded the Confederate bat
teries within !, 200 yards Of Pittsburg. and
won the day. The Constellation now
used as recruiting ship, is good Illus
tration OF the sailing war vessel of the
time of the civil war
Going back to earlier times. there Is the
Demologos, designed by Fulton and built
In New York in 1914. A description of
this vessel as published in Scotland at
the time may be interesting: Length on
deck 300 feet: broad. 300 feet: thickness
OF sides, Ii feet of alternate oak planks
and cork wood: carries A guns of
which are 1OO-pounders; quarterback and
forecastle guns, forty-four Founders. and
further to annoy the enemy attempting
to board can discharge 100 gallons of boil