Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-06-22

making a final assault which, it seemed
likely, would be successful
The advent of Uncle Sans patrolman
Of the seas put different appearance on
the engagement. however. and the pirates
stood not on the order OF their going. ou
went. AS they took refuge in foreign ter
rtory. it was not possible for Capt
Brown to undertake reprisals. He STOOD
by. however, till all immediate danger had
passed and then left, after leaving Capt
Fay of the Prinz Joachim an ample sup
ply of arms and ammunition with Whlch
TO repulse the pirates il they should at
tempt another assault. The big liner was
subsequently, got off the reef and mace
her port in safety.
Aside from the suppression OF piracy
the revenue cutter service was twice call
ed on during the past year to deal with
the twin high crime of the seas. mutlny.
The first case of this kind arose on the
Haitian gunboat Terrier. which was pro-
ceeding to Philadelphia for repairs. On
the way up the crew revolted and the
captain William F. Watt. put in to
Charleston harbor TO appeal for aid from
the revenue cutter Yamacfaw. which was
lying there under the command Of Capt
Horace B. West. who at once dispatched
a force Of eighteen men. headed by Lieut..
r. l.. BrocKway to lake charge OF the
stua alton
When Lieut. Brockway came over the
side backed by his rif1emen, resistance
on the part Of the crew to their captain
melted away. Lieut. Brockway spent the
rest of the day in listening to long his
tory of grievances from both the captain
and rebelious sea-lawyers, and the up
shot of the whole matter was that he
left an armed guard on board the vessel
until the difficulties on both sides were
settled
The second case of mutiny in American
waters during the year also occurred on
the attention of the revenue cutter
Winona by the vice consul Of Uruguay at
the port of Mobile, Ala, who sought as
sistance from the government vessel in
broken out on board the Uruguayan bark
Brema The Winona proceeded at once to
the mouth of Mobile bay, where the
Brema was anchored. and, after reducing
the crew to order. the commanding officer
was able to adjust the dispute, with the
result that the Brema proceeded on her
voyage.
Mariners assert that the year just end
ed was probably one Of the most trying
periods for shipping Of any twelve
months during the past quarter century.
Gale after gale swept the Atlantic and
gulf coasts. while the unusually low
temperatures of the winter months
caused ice blockades, even as far south
as Chesapeake bay. with consequent suf-
fering and danger to all who follow the
sea Such conditions offered unusual
opportunities for heroism on the part
Of the revenue cutter service. and in
every instance the opportunity was i'm
proved.
Possibly the most daring feat Of the
year was performed by the Yamacraw,
the same vessel which suppressed the
mutiny on board the Haitian gunboat.
In the teeth of raging August gale,
this cutter proceeded to sea over the
bar at the mouth of the Savannah river
when, owing to the fact that buoys and
other aids to navigation had been swept
away other vessels would not make the
attempt.
Three times she grounded; and each
time had she stuck, it would have meant
death to al. on board from the pounding
seas. But she got over at last and the
passengers and crew of the crippled
steamship Lexington owe their lives TO
the fact that Capt. West took the chance.
During this same storm the Yamacraw,
together with another revenue cutter.
the Seminole. rescued eleven vessels all
told This unusual record was equaled,
saved eleven vessels in ten DAYS during
a wild February hurricane off the south
ern New England coast.
During the same month and the month
preceding there was ice blockade.
lasting SIX weeks in Chesapeake bay. as
a result Of which traffic in those waters
was often entirely suspended. Had it
not been for the revenue cutter Apache,
thousands of people would have been
reduced to dire straits; not alone the
crews Of the frozen-in bay craft, but also
the island inhabitants and the mainland