The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-05-09
Feats ct the Enden and
Dresden Recall the
Four Year Cruise of
Commodore George
Arson


~ Island OF Juan Fernandez.
Every child familiar with the
story OF Robinson Crusoe has heard Of
that Isolated spot in the South Pacific,
and Of late the place has figured again
IN naval strategy as 1t did nearly two
centuries ago. such is a way history
bas OF repeating itself. Indeed the
recent sea lighting has come precious
close to duplicating the days Of the
buccaneers and their more reputable
Kindred the privateers.
II was in the neighborhood Of Juan
Fernandez that Admiral Won Spec as
sembled his squadron before defeating
the British force under Sir Christopher
Cradock. Near these same waters
the Eitel Friedrich and other German
raiders met surreptitiously the supply
craft sent to give them the means of
continued activities. And in plain
sight Of this island the elusive Dres-
den was finally caught in her tracks
and sent to the bottom ny the English
cruisers But all OF these happenings
pale beside the tale Of the astonishing
exploits Of Commodore George Arson
in the same region when Juan Fer
nandez succored his famished men,
permitted him TO refit his storm
wracked ships and served as a pivotal
poin; for his operations against the
coasts Of Chile. Peru and Mexico.
We shall see that the Wanted
efficiency Of the British fleet is
not 50 old as most Of us might
imagine. The manner in which
Commodore Arson was equipped
for his work in the South Sea
Is striking proof Of the appalling
shiftlessness with which the royal
navy was managed by the Admiralty
in the first half OF the eighteenth CEN
fury. That Arson succeeded at all in
the dangerous mission cut out for him
Is cause for wonderment and evidence
as well Of his remarkable resourceful-
ness and his determined character. a
mere sketch Of Anson's voyage around
the world between the years l74O-4i
inspires Amusement in these days Of
steam and wireless and physical lux
uries for then the wind was the only
motive power food was OF the coarsest,
sanitation sadly deficient and disease
an ever present enemy TO be battled
with. Then, too. ships held the seas
for many long months at time and
navigation was a rule OF thumb pro-
cedure that left many loopholes for
perilOus errors.
Remembering how the Allies have
lately stripped Germany OF her
colonial possessions in an effort to
weaken her resources, the reasons for
Commodore Ansons expedition is all
the more interesting. This bit of his
tory from the record of his voyage is
illustrating:
when in the latter end OF the sum-
mer Of the year 1879 it was foreseen
that war with Spain was inevitable,
Il was the opinion OF some consider
able persons than trusted with the
administration OF affairs that the
most prudent step the nation could
take. on the breaking out Of the war,
was attacking that crown n her dis
tant settlements; for by this means
It was supposed that we should cut
OF the principal resources of the en-
envy. and should reduce them 10 the
necessity of sincerely desiring a peace.
a. they would hereby be deprived Of
the returns Of that treasure, by which
alone they could be enabled TO carry
on a war
The project arranged for Commo-
dore Arson was to sail into the
Pacific, then commonly called the
South Sea, and to harass the Span
ish trade and ports along the whole
western coast II South America and
the Pacific shores OF Mexico. Months
Were lost in the equipping Of his
squadron and we'll nigh a criminal
course was pursued in the manning
Of his ships. Indeed, instead Of be-
ing furnished with a proper compile
ment Of seasoned sailors and trained
marines a considerable percentage OF
the personnel was drawn from the
invalid pensioners OF Chelsea College.
s. long was the squddon in getting
ready that the Spanish learned OF its
organization and purpose, and, pro-
Crast.nating as that nation has al
ways been, II was nevertheless alert
tIuugh to start a superior force FOR
the South Sea some time in advance
az Anson's sailing from England. The
spanish squadron was under the COM
mand Of Don Joseph PiZarro, and so
well Informed was the enemy that
F.zarro actually knew the distinctive
character OF Commodore Anson's
broad pennant Of red and was pre-
pared TO fly it when that decoy might
serve his purp, So.
But the Spaniards paid a fr!ghtful
price for their earlier start. In his
hast TO be off before Arson, Don
Joseph put 10 sea with his six ships
and nearly three thousand men with
or.y four months provisions aboard
Arriving at the mouth OF the River
Plate b revlctual, Pizarro learned that
Arson had touched at the Portuguese
sand Of ST. GATHERINGS, of the coast
Of Brazil and 700 miles to the north
Being overanXious to get around
Cape Horn and into the Pacific IN
advance IF his foe, the Spaniard left
the River Plate without obtaining
supplies. This neglect proved PiZarro's
uudolng. When near Cape Horn he
was overwhelmed by a succession OF
westerly storms that scattered his
ships and drove them steadily east
ward, Scurvy soon appeared amone
f.c crews and starvation added to the
spcrate situation. Matters were
made still worse by conspiracy
among the marines aboard the flag
zip Asia.
Commodore Arson Jared compare
lively "A good deal better, but in round
.Ir Cape Horn he, too, had a des
parate battle with the westerly gale
ali the steady easterly drift OF al
suspected current. Fortunately, h.
had reprovisioned his vessels at 81
Nath' rines.
commodore Arson sailed away from
81. GATHERINGS on the 18th Of Jan