Evening star., 1916-05-28

H7 HE remarkable and historic ca
II reer of the coast guard cutter The
tis, covering a period of thirty
FIVE years. is done. Having "outlived
her usefulness" in the cold, matter
of-fact way In which she Is thrown
into the discard as superannuated by
the officials of the coast guard. who
consider only efficiency, she was sold
recently for s25,10o.
In normal times the Thetis would
have fetched, coast guard officials esti-
mate. less than $4,000. The present
scarcity of ships caused many Arms to
submit bids for the vessel Even at
the price of $25,100. however. officials
believe she virtually will pay for her
self on her first commercial trip be-
ocean transportation.
It was the Thetis-a Dundee whaler
that found the explorer Lieut.. A. w.
Greedy and his six surviving COM
panions of the Lady Franklin bay arc
tic expedition. with death only mat
ter Of hours. in the frozen north ana
brought them back to civilization.
This was the great and glorious &C
complishment of this stanch ship,
which successfully battled with ice,
leading the companion ship: the Bear.
in this quest, while third ship. the
Alert. found the way barred to her
utmost endeavors.
This was the feat that brought an
undying and unquestioned glory to her
field Scott schley. afterward hero of
Santiago, and the other naval officers
and men who accompanied him in this
Greedy relief expedition.
\
"1n preparing the Greely relief expedi-
ton OF 1884," commented William E.
Chandler, Secretary of the Navy at that
time, there was neither omission. neg
lect nor mishap. In conducting 1t to
successful issue against the warning ele-
ments there was manifested unremitting
patience and persistency, indom1table
will, honorable ambition and high sense
of duty to their perishing countrymen
and comrades of the army on the part of
all its officers and men. Their achieve
ment has reflected high credit and honor
upon the American navy. and their names
stand recorded in the general order No.
321 of August 5. 1884, I'm which the de-
partment extends it's cordial and earnest
congratulations to Commander Schley.
commanding the expedition. and to the
officers and men Of his command, upon
the distinguished success of their efforts,
and takes this occasion Of publicly COM
mending the courage. zeal and Judgment
with which they executed their difficult
and dangerous duty"
The Thetis had been a steam whaler
plying her occupation in the waters of the
north Atlantic and Baff1ns bay. She was
bought of her owners in Dundee. Scot
land, by the American government ex-
pressly for service In the Greely relief
expedition. Later she was transferred
from the navy to the coast guard. then
the revenue cutter service and did duty
in Alaskan and arctic waters. adding to
her record many notable achievements in
the conservation Of life and property at
sea. For some time she has been sta
toned at Hawaii. patrolling not only the
Hawaiian archipelago, but making peri
odical trips to the Lysiansky and other
outlying islands. known as Bird Islands.
and comprising federal bird reservation.
in connection with the preservation Of the
birds and observation Of their habits.
She was built Of wood in 1881. is
draws II feet 10 inches. with dis
placement of 1.250 tons. Tho expense
to put her machinery and hull in first
class condition, after all these years Of