The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1910-03-13

formed by Carpenter Abrahamson, at
tached to this cutter. when an effort
was being made to get a line fast to a
dereIct found off Diamond Shoals"
For several hours, it appears. Abra-
hanson was dashed to the upturned
keel of the derelict while number of
sharks swan near by. Big seas swept
over the bottom Of the derelict and
had Abrahamson not dashed himself to
the hulk he would have been swept
into the sea with little chance Of be-
ing saved.
The Androscoggin discovered the
derelict on the morning OF January
81 and launched one of her small
boats containing Abrahanson, who
carried a large anger with him for the
purpose of boring a hole in the keel of
the derelict through which line
might be rove and the wreck lowed
into port. The boat could not lie along
side Of the derelict as the seas were
tremendous and for time 1t was
thought that the boat would have to
turn back to the cutter. Abrahamson
said he would try to Jump from the
boat to the keel OF the derelict and
a minute afterwards leaped and land
ed on the bottom of the Inflated
schooner where he was fortunate
enough to get a good hold on the keel.
He made cleat and quickly dashed
himself to the hulk. 1t was three
hours before the carpenter finished
his work. The seas continued to break
over him and numbers Of times he
was lost from view as the derelict
rose and fell in the trough Of the sea-
He remained there until he had finish
ed his work.
Each year a number Of cutters sta
toned on the Pacific coast make cru
, ises into the Arctic ocean and in the
waters of Bering sea where they per-
form duties Of a very important char
acter in connection with the enforce
ment of law. the patrol for the preser-
walton of the fur seal herd and in the
public interests generally. With the
large increase of late years in the
number of merchant vessels plying in
Alaskan waters during the season of
navigation the revenue cutters on
these northern cruises have assisted
in many cases of distress. While
the majority of the vessels on the Pa
cific coast are cruising in northern
waters one or more cutters are retain
ed to safeguard the western coast Of
the United States proper.
! The revenue cutter service Is a mill
tary arm of the government attacked
to and under the treasury department
The service had it's inception in the
act Of the first congress, approved by
President George Washington on Aug.
4, 1890 and constituted the original
naval force Of the country, being Or
ganized before the actual establish
ment of the United States navy. The
first appointment Of officers in tha
service was made from among those
who served in the Continental navy
and large part of the enlisted force
were men who served the colonies
afloat in the great struggle for indie.
pendence. There being at that time
no navy department, the service was
placed under the treasury where it
has remained ever since.
| The officers of the service are COM
missioned by the president and are on
exactly the same footing as regards
rank and pay as the officers of the
army and the navy. Commissioned Of
ficers of the line are appointed from
cadet graduates of the school of in
struction at Arundel Cove, Md. Ca
diets are appointed as a result Of CON-
petitive examinations open to the
country at large. They undergo a
course of instruction. ordinance and
gunnery. mathematics, engineering,
law, chemistry and physics, English
history. French and hygiene. military
discipline of a character as search