The Kendrick gazette. [volume] (Kendrick, Idaho) 1892-1968, 1915-04-02
IDAHO
When the George Washing
ton" Sailed the OAR
danelles.

NAAASAAS0e
If the allied troops succeed in
battering it's way through the Dar-
danelles it will be an epoch-making
event, but it will not detract from
the fact that it was an American
warship which first succeeded in
passing the guarded gates.
The incident is one of the almost
forgotten deeds which dot the pages
of history. 1t was in 1900; the
ship was the George Washington,
and it was under the command of
Captain cambridge, who later be-
came famous. The ship had on
board one of the strangest cargoes
the eye of man ever rested upon,
veritablc Noah's ark so far as con-
tents were concerned, consisting of
100 negro slaves, half million dol
lars in gold, four lions, four tigers,
four parrots, cattle, antelopes, pre-
cious stones and works Of art.
When the George Washington
reached Constantinople the Sultan
regarded it with amazement. The
American captain was taken before
the eastern ruler to explain who he
was and how he got in. The Sui
tan had never before seen an Amer
lean flag and knew nothing of the
United States. Captain cambridge
assured him that there was such
nation, however, and that it's peo-
pied part of a continent discovered
few years before by Christopher
Columbus. The Sultan looked very
dubious, but managed to say that
he would accept the statement at
it's face value, although his knowl-
edge of Christopher Columbus and
George Washington were very mea-
ger.
The strange cargo carried by the
American man-o'-war was an assort-
ment of presents for the Sultan
sent him by the Dey of Algiers, and
the circumstances surrounding their
presence on an American war YES
sci do not rebound to the credit of
this country, although the policy of
this nation in that regard was the
policy of the other nations of the
world as we'll. 1t was during the
period when this country paid black
mail to the Dey of Algiers in order
that the nations commerce might
be unmolested by Algerian pirates.
The George Washington" had been
sent to the Dey with this annual
tribute, and after performing its
mission had been sent to the Sultan
by the Dey. One can imagine how
the blood of the American captain
boiled when he received his orders
from the Dey, but resistance was
useless and circumstances compelled
him to acquiesce.
The captain therefore hoisted the
Algerian flag but allowed it to re-
main over his vessel only until he
was out in the seas when he again
raised the Stars and Stripes. How
he was to pass the forts at the en-
trance to the Dardanelles was a
question. Finally he solved the
problem. Sailing down to the forts
he saluted and made as to anchor,
but all at once hoisted his sails and
under the astonished eyes of the
commander of the fort, sailed by
and was soon out of reach of the
cannon. When the Sultan heard
how the entrance had been gained,
the bold deed awoke his admiration
for the young American captain but
incensed him against the forts COM
mander, and it was only through
the efforts of Capt. cambridge that
the latters life was spared.
1t is also worthy of note that the
insult to the American vessel was
climax to this nations humiliation
by the Algerian Dey. Admiral De-
catur soon afterwards brought the
Dey to terms.
Now the scene along the Darda-
nelles is vastly different. The banks
are now lined with splendidly equip
ped forts which are being lombard
ed by the strongest fleet ever as
sembled in time of war. The
Queen Elizabeth, the greatest
war vessel built, carrying guns
which can shoot projectile weigh
ing 1900 pounds. a distance of %
miles, is one of the'attacking squad
ron, and it is probable that the rule
of the Turk over the Dardanelles,
uninterrupted since 1853, will soon