Norwich bulletin., 1913-02-07
UNCLE SAM'S SENTRIES OF THE SEAS
Uncle Sams Revenue Cutters Patrol the Wny Oceans Watch for Ships in Distress-They Save Much Salvage Great Battle Ships Are Only Show Windows of Navy These Traffic Cops Do Real Work.


 New York. Feb. --<Specials Maybe 1ousve noticed that the Worth Atlantic las been on its winter behavior lately Every day or so 8 steamer imps into port to complain that big wave sneaked up on her during the voyage and bit a chunk out of her tunnels Then the stories of wrecks begin to come in. Always tackled to the end, Is the brief statement that a United States revenue cutter took oil the sur vivors or lowed the hulk into port.
 That's the job of the revenue cutter. It's a sort of traffic "cop' of the coast. It looks after the lame ducks of the coastwise traffic and seines the seas for derelicts and represses mutinies and grabs poachers and does all the jobs that must be done and tbat no one else will attend to. The proper rev. enue cutter man is always competent, never gets excited, would go through a powder mill striking phoSsy jaw matches if he had to. and does not lose his temper until some pleasing civilian tells him it must be a grand thing to belong to the navy. Then he unhob- b1es his goat.
 Revenue Cutters Do the Work.
 'HThe navy the revenue cutter man will tell you, lis the show window of Uncle Sams seagoing outfit We do the work"
 And he isn't far from right. No doubt a navy is necessary, like boils in the spring, and there can be no doubt that we have good navy, because none of the stipS have taken ground in weeks and weeks. But when It comes to delivering the goods so you can find 'en on the inventory the rev. enue cutter service is the real twill. The last report of the secretary of the trea sury shows that during the fiscal year 1912 the United States revenue cutters returned s4.36 in the form of property saved from the sea for every dollar expended on it. By way of lag niappe the revenue cutters actually saved 10S persons from drowning and while 2.212 others were on board of vessels assisted. Forty-fve derel1cts Aere destroyed or removed and in recognition of the cream puff appetite of this vain world thirty one parades as Feeatfas were policed- In return congress cut the appropriation Sf28.00O Ae1ow what it was two years ago.
 England Wants to Know.
 Great Britain has a better apprecia- Hon of the value of our revenue cutter eervice. In numerous international maritime conferences the suggestion has been made that the sea using na- tions build derelict destroyers. The United States is the only nation that did build. and the destroyer Seneca has been so valuable that England has asked for a report to guide her own building
 That inquiry came at 8 time when the service needed a kind word, too. The appropriation has been cut so low that the cutters are not repaired any more-they are only patched and cob b1ed-and to make sure of economy congress forbade the appointment of cadets. There are actually not enough officers in the crop coming on to fill the vacancies existing. The school ship Itasca is being used for relief pur- poses The wireless installation on the cutters is behind the tinnes-and they need the wireless every day-and be- cause the cutters can have but two operators the men work twelve hour shifts. But one forgets such things in admiration for what the men of the cutter service have done.
 Townsend Bill Is Approved.
 Tbere are seven cutters in the New YMgsa divfsions~of which the Seneca and Afnkawk are stationed at headquarters. TAA A pac11e 1t at Baltimore, the Onon- dA&a at Norfolk, the Seminole at Will xnfzy4on. the Algonquin at Porto Rico, and 4he Miami a t Key West The the cry that they keep in constant touch fw Wireless In peace they belong to fa@ customs service, under the direc- x4f5h of the secretary of the treasury, sout in war they are automatically merged in the navy. If the Townsend bil1 becomes law the revenue cutter service will be merged with the life saving service under the title of the coast guard. This bin is approved by the men or both SerV1ceS. For one thing. it. will enable the life guards to retire on half pay At present, when they retire they go to clamming starye. The two services are so nearly allied that it seems folly to have kept them separated For years the officers of the revenue cutters have been charged with certain supervisory du- ties over the life savers.
 They are Jacks of All Jobs
 They have also been charged with every other duty that isn't specifically hftched to some one else, il seems. There was the case of the Haytian navy for example. The Terrier had been a New Y ork mans yacht. Haytf bought her and made her into a gun boat. Then one remembered to put eM on her engines. so that when she Etarted for New York to be re- padIsed they brolzR down he1plessly off the Bermuda beach. Somehow her captain got a JuryTig on her and famed her into the gulf stream, where she 6ridited until Charleston S. C. was reached Here he dropped anchor and her New York crew rnutinied-
 Pay us and let US go,~ they demand ed Tor we will kill you
 The captain began to shriek through his signal halyards- By and by the Y Yanacraw, Capt. Watt. edged along side When he heard the trouble he put a crew on board and the Inntineers nnder hatches-
 .eYou air't got no right said fhe sea