Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1912-08-10
UNCLE SAM 5 OD WARsIIIPs BOUGHT UP; SOME
G0AS JUNK, OTHERS TO FOREIGN NATIONS
Many Small Hayies Butt UP on
Discarded Vessels of the
United States

.
squadron" made the nation Thrill
with pride only three remain afloat II
The service OF the United States. Tn
famous cruise Of the white squad
ron" to European ports was regarded
as a token that the United States hat
found herself as q naval power, say
the New York Herald. Yet when wa
& was declared against Spain, min
years after the cruise, so out of dat,
were those proud lighting craft tina
only one Of Them the Boston. helpes
to smash Montojo,s feet at Manila
and not y single vessel of the whit
: squadron" was actually engages
against Cerpera Eat Gantiago. Tn,
5 Boston has since been condemned
but was reinstated and ID at present
doing service in Puget Sound 20
The Chicago, one ,.of the first foI
the new navy Is eking out the last
days of her service with the Massa
chusetts Naval Militia. She will soar
be condemned and sold at auction
according to naval authorities.
An interesting question is. What
becomes Of these old vessels? Most
OF them are sold at public auction by
the Navy Department, and, consider.
Ing the purchase or contract prices,
they sell for a song. Many of them
are bought by large and wealthy junk
dealers, who either reft them to sell
to foreign nayies or break them up
for the copper rivets and other metal
and sell the wood for kindling. 0c-
.casionaliy the old wooden vessels
have beams or fittings which may be
sold to wealthy men for use in build.
ing houses.
s The Stiletto, which was the first
torpedo boat Of "the new navy" ere.
ated a great sensation In her day.
She was built of wood by the Her
reshoffs, Of Bristol, r. l., at q cost to
the government Of s25, 1000, and she
was recently sold at auction for $377.
The 1etroit's Action in Brazil.
The last two patches Of vessels dis.
posed of included the cruiser Detroit,
the gunboat Bennington, the old sloop
of war IroQuois, the converted yachts
Hornet and Siren and the torpedo
boats Winslow and Siletto.
The cruiser Detroit, one of the
white SQUADRON which cost when
built $612,500. was purchased from
the government by the estate of
Lewis Luckenbach for $4,000. It
was the Detroit, a pigmy compared
with modern armored cruiser which
steamed alone into the harbor Of Rio
Janeiro In 1884 and overawed the
Brazilian men Of war and the forti.
flcations In the harbor. Early In that
year the insurrection In Brazil had
gained. such Roadway that foreign
shipping in the harbor OF Rio Janeiroj
was seriously menaced. Vessels of |
all nations lay at their piers under
the Brazilian guns and were not all
lowed 10 depart This was the sitna-
ton which confronted Bear Admiral
A. T.. X. Benham when he arrived out
side the harbor with q division OF thei
North Atlantic squadron.
Detroit elufs Brazil. !
The Brazilian authorities paid mol
TO Rear Admiral Benham,s
request that the American merchant
vessels be allowed to depart from the
port, and as result the Detroit, COM
manded BY Captain BRONSON, was or
dered into the harbor to liberate the
detained vessels. Straight toward,
The piers where the ships were de-
Iained the little Detroit steamed. Be-
lore she reached her destination the
fired upon her, but the Del
tToit kept steadily on her way, re-,
turning the fire from her rapid hrei
guns.
The insurgents were frightened; the
Brazilian men Of war locked menac-
ne, but they did not use their guns.
Captain Bronson's acceptance of thei
challenge showed that the Americans
meant business and the Braziliansl
complied with Rear Admiral Benz
lamss request. ,.A 1
The sturdy little vessel which ac-
luitted herself so.well at Rio Janeirol
S now lying at q pier at the foot of
street, in BROOKLYN. Herf
,wners have not decided what they
pill do with her. twas at first in.
ended to at her for passenger ser
ice, but this idea has been abanI
Toned, and the Detroit will probablyi
Ind her way into the navy of some
econd or third class power. - r.
Made History. !. -,
In Erie Basin, surrounded by de- !
unct tramp steamships and decayinS
elics of the sailing vessel days, liesi
he little torpedo boat Winslow, whose
rev covered themselves with glory
uring the Spanish.American war.
The WINSTON was lying off Car.
enas in the fleet which was mann
aiming a blockade of the Cuban coast
D 1898. In the afternoon of May 81 ,
became known that several Span
sh gunboats were lying at piers in
he harbor. 1t was the problem of |
he Americans to draw those vessels ;
ut for q fight So shallow was the {
Eater of Cardenas = Harbor and sol
arrow the channel that so long as /
he Spaniards remained at their piers !
hey were safe. - {
Under Lieutenant Bernadou, the I
tile Winslow dashed across the
hoals to within mile of the town
nd opened fire with her 1-pounders.