The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1915-02-25
How Danny" Flew the Flag.


An Irishman, born in County Gal
way, is the man responsible for the
Lusitania flying the American flag
from her stem when she dashed up
the Irish sea to the landing stage at
Liverpool last Sunday morning on the
last lap of her voyage from New
York.
The Irishman is Captain Danny
Dow, Of the Lusitania, the fastest
ship aloat, despite the fact that she
was built eight years ago.
Captain Dow is one of the best-be-
loved captains in the Cunard fleet.
He's loyal British subject, and like
all Cunard captains, is an officer of
the royal naval reserves. But he's
Irish none the less, and first saw the
light of day sixty-one years ago in
County Galway.
Danny" Dow has always been
known as lucky captain. He takes
chances; he drives ship a little bit
faster than anyone else. He's brok-
en- the record of almost every ship
he has commanded-and he's never
been called on the carpet of the ad-
miralty board to explain an incident.
The Scotch have also some claim
to Danny" Dow. For while he was
born in Ireland of an Irish mother
the fact remains that his father was
Scotch to his very finger tips.
Transatlantic passengers by the
thousand know Danny" Dow. He
assumed command of the Luci-as
she is known to every seafearing
man afioat-when the Aquitania was
launched some months ago. Before
that time for some years he was
commander of the Caronia, herself
the largest ship afioat when she was
launched eleven years ago.
Danny" Dow, according to all ac-
counts, has never hesitated to take
chance when he thought a chance
was necessary. And he's never hesi-
tated to rely on his own judgment.
It's a maritime law that British
ship must take a pilot in passing
up the Irish sea. Danny Dow
chose to break that law. He scorn-
ed a pilot, lowered his own flag
raised the Stars and Stripes and
went tearing ahead toward Liver
pool at full speed.
The breaking of admiralty laws
Of possible international complica-
tions, didn't worry Danny" Dow
then. He brought his almost price
less ship and cargo to port in safety
and on schedule time.
There are many stories afoat and
ashore about Danny" Dow. One OF
the more recent ones tells of his
meeting with Captain Hans Reuter-
commodore Of the Hamburg-Amerl'
can fleet, commander of the Water
land and one of his best friends, IN
a fashionable restaurant in New York
not long ago.
The New York papers were telling
at that time of the bitterness be-
tween English and German seamen
because of the war Captain Dow
was to sail the next day, and on
parting he said to Captain Reuter-:
when we are passing down by your
pier tomorrow have your men line
up on the quarterback and see what
happens.
True enough, as the Lusitanla
passed down by the Vaterland, the
crew Of the latter were drawn up
as if for dress parade. Then the
Lusitania dipped her ensign in sa-
lutte and her crew cheered. The
vaterland dipped her flag in re-
sponse, and a lusty cheeer from the
German seamen came over the Wa
ters. The incident was the talk OF
New York the next day.
Most of Captain Dow's service has
been running between Liverpool and
New York. He made few trips to
Boston, one of which was some years
ago. when he had charge of the
Ivernia. Post.