The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-03-17
PREPARE FOR DUTY
IN NORTHERN SEAS
Revenue Cutters Get Orders to
Sail Soon for Alaskan
Waters.

over two weeks of the active cruising
time remaining, the officials Of the ser
vice arc turning their attention TO the
next important duties tho cutters will
have to perform. that OF looking after
shipping in Alaskan waters and in pro-
tecting the seal herds from raids by
Japanese and other illegal seal hunters
who visit the Alaskan seal rookeries
each spring and summer.
orders assigning officers TO the ships
that Will compose the Bering Sea fleet
in the coming summer nave been is
sued, and Instructions sent TO the com
handing officers of the ships to put
their commands In readiness to start
north. The first vessels TO leave homo
waters for the north will be tho new
cutter tnalgu, which is under orders
TO sail April 90. She will be follow ed
closely by a large fleet Of commc rcial
vessels.
Heretofore the old cutter Bear, which
was originally Il British steam whaling
ship. has had the honor of leading the
fleet on the Pacific to the northern
waters. but this year she is to give
place to the newer vessel, which is bot
ter fitted FOR work in ice The Bear.
with the cutters Tahoma and Manning.
Will closely follow the Unalga to
Alaskan waters, they being scheduled
TO leave Pacific coast ports May /.
To Patrol Alaskan Waters.
Under the direction of the command
inr officer OF the Herring sea patrol tho
cutters named Will form the fleet that
VIII patrol Alaskan waters throughout
the summer and Will perform the many
and various duties that devolvc upon
the cutters in the Bearing sea territory.
IL is thought probable that tho old
cutter Bear will be designated again
this summer to make her annual trip
TO the Arctic TO visit the settlements
along the Alaskan coast in American
territory. The Bear is the only YES
isel that ever visits many Of these out
ot-world settlements and her yearly
visit is looked forward TO with much
pleasure by the residents OF the cN-
tremc northern section OF the country.
II has been decided not to use the
old cutter rhetis as tie roating home
for the United States court for the
district Of Alaska on the summer trip
OF the court tC the different points on
the Alaskan coast TO hear civil and
criminal cases. The Thct!s Is in need
Of extensive repairs. so II has been
determined to use tho ncwly rebuilt,
cutter McCulloch for the service. The
McCulloch is now doing duty ON the
California coast, with headquarters at
San Francisco.
While engaged In breaking ice in
Bucks barber, f.wgmoginn Reach. Me,
in order to free imprisoned vessels. the
half-rcntury-old woomcn-hull cutter
Woodbury. met with mishap that Will
put an end to her activities for Few
days. In ramming ~: extra tough piece
Of ice a plank or TWO on the starboard
how OF the cutter was stove in. causing
her to leak badly. Tho report 10 the
department regarding the matter stated
that the pumps of the cutter wcr>
aolc TO take care OF The leak, and that
the ships carpenter would make re
pairs as soon as tho vessel grounded
on a low tide. she is at Rockland, Me.
Record ns Ice Smashrr.
In the past week. before the accident
occurred To the Woodbury.. she con
tinucd TO make Il record as an ice
smashcr. ana for the good wori, she
was doing. In spite OF her advanced
years. Reports from First Lieutenant
Randolph Ridgely. Jr., commanding the
old utter. tell OF having freed the
schooner Owl ana the gasolene power
sloop Lizzie : from the Ice in North
iihrbor, while She was opening the
channel in l'oN Island thoroughfarc,
and also OF the rescue OF several per-
sons in a disabled motor boat found
Off White Island. and which was taken
into safe harbor
Recent severe blows on Chesapeake
''ay have given the cutter Apache
plenty of work to do, and In addition
10 the floating of the schooncrs Alcrt
ana Nellie. Of which mention has been
matte, Captain Gamble reports having
aided the schooner Magnolia, Of Bal
timore. and the Emma y. Faulkner
ana Gcncsta, OF oxford. Md. which
We're in trouble in the Tired Avon River.
near oxford The Faulkner was freed
from ice that was carrying her ashore,
ana was taken into Il safe harbor. while
nc other vessels were noatcd aI,er
st'andinS. Tie Magnolia was bows
Out OF the water. and the Gencsta was
ashore her entire length, and 10th on
h"rI sand bars. Ii required all the
SIKH OF tho wrcckcrs IN tho crew OF
The apache TO tioat the vessels, but IL
was finally done ana they we're taken
INTO safe harbor at oxford. Md
4" tid or Schooner.
Responding TO notification that the
schooner Helen =. was in distress in
vineyard Sound. the cutter Acushuct
went to her aid. She was found ~ -
heavy ice field thar threatened her de-
Struction. and the powerful little cut
Ter mad task in breaking her free OF
inc Ice and taking her into Vineyard
Haven fot harbor. Tho rescue Of the
Helen l.. was timely. and She was taken
INTO port unchanged.
TO Join the cutter Seneca in ice ma
troll service The cutter Miami is due to
reach New York to-day from Key West
ria, her station. She is scheduled 10
take on stores and necessary equipment
AZ New York. and March 20 she leaves
that port for Halifax. Nova Scotia
which Will DC the headquarters OF the
cutters during TIA" ice ;,atrol season
Second Lieutenant OF Engineers j. W
Glover, who has been on duty in the
Office OF the CHIEF engineer OF the SER
vice. Treasury Department. for several
years past, has been ordered to Join
the cutter McCulioch for service in
Alaskan waters. He will leave here FOR
the Pacific Coast April |. Mr. Glover
Is senior In his grade. and Is doing sen
duty previous to being promoted He
viii be succeeded in the department
here by Second Lieutenant of Engineers
w. NJ Peall. from the cutter Seminole.