Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1911-09-05

desk of the Federal secretary of the
navy, Gideon Welles, a communication
from Cornelius Vanderbilt, offering as
gift to the government steamship
worth $500, 900, or the sale TO the govern
ment of an entire fleet of steamers at its
own price.
This was the second offer of ships the
New York millionaire had made the gov
eminent. The first had been written in
the week following the bombardment of
Fort Sumter, and had remained unan-
swered
The second, bearing date of May A. had
been dispatched by the hand of friend,
and on this date, so years ago. this pro-
posal also remained unanswered. The
answer to the public-spirited steamship
owner eventually would be to decline his
offer, which had been made under three
heads: First to rent the Vanderbilt
the largest and fastest of his ships; sec
ondly. the other proposal failing, to make
it a present of the Vanderbilt; thirdly
10 sell the government all the best Van
derbilt ships at its own price.
Secretary Welles did not favor buying
the ships. He did not see his way clear.
apparently. under the powers of his Of
flee, to receive the Vanderbilt as a gift,
and he did not wish to hire her. because,
as he stated in a dispatch to the COM
mandant of the New York navy yard,
the steamer was of a larger and more
expensive description than the service is
supposed to require"
The service was to require all the
ships, of whatever description it could
get, at an early date, and the foresight
of Commodore" Vanderbilt-as New
York loved to call the former Staten Is
land boatman--in recognizing the fact,
and unselfshly placing his ships at the
governments disposal, was to be amply
and somewhat strikingly justified at a
critical moment by the course of events
before the war was year older.
PUBLIC SPIRIT VS.. GREED.
All through the spring and early sum-
mer of 1861 the government was besieged
by shipping men. brokers and spectators
who wanted to sell or charter 1t steam
ers.
Almost any sort Of steamer that would
keep afioat and make half dozen miles
an hour was available as an army trans
port. The war department took over a
great many such steamers. Among them
were craft that were never intended for
such service. Built to navigate rivers
or harbors. they were unfit to send to
sea.
Yet they were crowded to the guards
with soldiers, in the rush to get troops
to Washington and Virginia, and sent
south. to trust TO luck for a safe pas
sage. That luck was on their side was
shown by the few accidents to these inn
provised troop-ships.
For the uses of the navy better yes
sells were needed. and there being few
er of that sort, their owners in many
cases held them at exhorbitant figures
for either sale or charter
A notable example to the rule was
Commodore" Cornelius Vanderbilt. lie
occupied a foremost position as a steam
boat owner, and his ships were the fin
est sailing out of New York. There
was great r-ofit in his business, and 10
Interrupt it by turning over his ships
to the government meant large money
loss
in weighing gains--did not hesitate to
place his entire fleet in the hands #
the government
Il feel a great desire that the govern
ment should have the steamer Van
derbilt," wrote Mr.. Vanderbilt to the
secretary of the navy, 'as she is ac-
knowledged to be as fine a ship as
floats the ocean, and in consequence ot
her great speed and capacity, with a
proper armament, she would be of more
efficient service in keeping our coast
clear of piratical vessels than any other
ship
Therefore, Mr.. Vanderbilt proposed
that the government take the ship at q
valuation to be determined by a board
of three commodores, one of them to
be Robert f. Stockton the only ex-
commodore of the navy at that time,
the others to be named by the govern
ment.
The sentence in which he made this
proposal ended with these words: And
If this win not answer, will the gov
eminent accept her as a present FROM
their humble servant
In order that his motive in making
this offer might be understood. Mr. Vapr
derbilt added: al,
IT am induced to make this communi-
ton because / am DESTROYS of pro-
tecting the government against .specula-
tive attempts to take advantage of its
necessities.
He added that he also wished ito
make it known that there are vessels
Of capacity to meet all their (the gov
ernments) requirements" which could
be obtained without resorting TO those
sailing under a foreign flag.
The Vanderbilt, a side-wheel ocean
steamer of 5000 tons, was one of the
finest ships of her time. Her cost was
$500. 900.
OFFER AN ENTIRE FLEET.
Mr. Vanderbilt next offered the gov
eminent a fleet, including the ships of
his line plying to Nicaragua on what
was then the shortest route to Califor-
mia.
OF these he wrote:
1.-The Atlantic & Pacific steamship
company has authorized me as their
president to offer to the government
the following steamers. viz:
THE Ocean Queen of 2502 tons-is
new and complete in every respect
1.-THE Ariel, 1900 tons-in fine condi-