The Washington times., 1915-12-11
Thrilling Tales Related
In Coast Guard Report
Replete With Stories of Shpwreck Rescues at Sea
and Other Adventures-Steps to Protect
Birds Urged.

Replcte with thrilling stories OF ship
wrecks. rescues at sea. and numerous
other adventures. the report of Capt. f.
=. Bertholf, of the United States coast
guard. was transmitted TO Congress- to-
day. and pronounced mighty inter
estine reading" While the report con-
tains its full quota of statistics and
recommendations, it is made up chiefly
OF narratives OF trips made by the trim
cutters and the saving of seamen and
passengers from watery graves far from
shore by these vessels and by the life
Suardsmen OF the life saving stations
Assistance was given ,5H distressed d
vessels by the cutters and the imperied
lives of l,J0I persons were saved The
distressed vessels carried n total OF
lOao2 persons. Sl3 of whom were given
medical attention by physicians on cut
tors.
Examined 24,S17 Vessels.
Officers from cutters boarded and cx-
amined 24N7 vessels. seizing or report
ing 7i2 of them for violations OF the
law. The fines and penalties incurred
by the seized or reported vessels aggre-
gated $500, 500. Derelcts valued at $751;
coo were recovered. while twenty-six Y
others which menaced navigation We're
destroyed. The value OF vessels given
cargoes. was sl0,921.1 $50.
Among the narratives in the report
Is the story of the loss of the cutter
Tahoma. which ran on an unchartereo
reef in BerinG Sea last summer. The
story of the disaster is told i'm graph,
terms by Commander r. o. Crisp. whc
was in charge of the vessel at the time
she struck the reef. He describes the
futile efforts made to back her off into
open water. and of manning the life
boats while waiting for answer to tn,
-. o. s." calls Immediately sent out.
Other sea disasters referred to in thu
report are the wreck of the Paramit;
in Los Harbor. which was salvaged b,
Jose ephine. near Eli Devil Hills Station
y. c.: wreck of the Edward Lucken
bach off Little Island Station. Va.
and the diss bling of the EvSISn n of ntn ss
| cases and a number OF others coas
guard cutters arrived promptly on tn
] scene of distress and rendered ever,
| possible assistance in saving lives an
! CargocS.
Rare Birds Found.
| The report contains extensive refer
ercnce to the wholesale slaughter O
walrus and birds on the islands in tn
northern Pacific ocean. Several page
| are devoted to the destruction of hir
| life on the Laysan Islands. First Lieu
| w. II. Munter. on board the cutie
| Thetis, reports the finding of man
| birds of rare plumaGe and stranG
, names Among the members OF tn
feathered tribe reported arc blue-facc
boobies, honey eaters. bristle-thiehe
curlews. noddies, wedge-tailed an
Christmas Island shearwaters, turn
| stones. black boobies. Hawaiian, gray
/ hacked. and sooty terms, and black
footed albatross. The report shows tina
the birds are being thinncd out at a
! amazing rate by hunters. and recon
| mends protection for them.
Asserting that the loss of the Tahomt
| in addition to that of the Perry nv
| ycars ago, has seriously cultailed IN
activities of the coast guard. Capital
| BerthoIf said it is imperative that tw
| new cutters be added to the servic
and that $7nO. .c00 should be provided fc
their construction.
Larger Appropriation Needed.