The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1916-03-18

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terranean we read almost daily of feats of
spicuous personal gallantry the part of the
modern seamen. Sailors said to be much
alike the world The United States is not
engaged in war, but if it it is believed that
our dreadnaughts would be manned by the
kind of men that made famous the Constitution,
the Constellation the Kearsarge, the Hartford and
the other old frigates and ships of the line
In the navy department in Washington there
are the records of American sailors daring on
many high occasions. The seaman always is in
danger, being compelled to engage in instant war
with the elements. So it is that where there is
peace land the sailor is never sure of peace at
sea. Wind, the wave and the lightning always
seemingly are ready to declare hostilties, and
then. there the other perils of the deep-the
dereltct, the rock and, when the fog hangs heavy,
the moving ship whose warning signals have been
unheard or have been misunderstood.
In the whole record of serious disasters which
have overtaken Uncle Sans ships in time OF
peace there is not to be found instance Of
lack of discipline, carelessness, or cowardice
The stories touching the bearing of officers and
crews Of American vessels Overtaken by tenn
pestuous seas, wrecked cut to the waters edge
by collision, are such as to make every American
feel that there has been degeneracy in dis
cipline since the days of the elder Porter, Balm
bridge and Decatur.
In the number of men lost the accident to the
Maine leads all the other casualties in that part
of the navys record written in time of peace
In the first month of the year 1870 the United
States steam sloop-of-war Oneida went to the bot
officers and 1872 men 1t is questionable whether
the account of the loss of this vessel be pleasant
reading for British eyes. 1t was a dark night
and foggy The British merchant steamer
Bombay crashed into the stern of the American
vessel and practically carried away its whole
quarter
The British steamer was uninjured. It pro-
ceeded on it's way, refusing to answer the halls
to stand by" which came from the deck of the
Oneida. A large number of the Oneida's boats
stove in and rendered useless. Into what
were left 80 men, told off, placed. Then the
remainder took their places well forward and
awaited death In less than fifteen minutes from
the time of the collision the Oneida sank.
Capt. E. P. Williams commanded the Oneida.
The men he caused to be placed in the boats
were the ships sick. The surgeon ordered
to whom death certainty murmured at the
captains act The surgeon and the sick saw the
men standing on the deck and fearlessly awaiting
the fate which soon came
1t is perhaps, forgotten today outside of naval
circles that Rear Admiral Sicard, deceased,
once lost, by wrecking, vessel under his COM
mand. 1t happened 4S years ago last October, and
the scene of the wreck Ocean island, in the
South Pacific. The admiral then a Iieuten-
ant commander in charge of the United States
steam sloop Saginaw. It the subsequent
heroism of an officer and four of the Saginaw
that marked the account of this disaster one
Of the bright pages of American I avail history.
The Saginaw ran on a reef in unexplored sea.
It was an early hour in the morning. The
manding officer had been deck all night alert,
knowing that he coming to the vicinity Of
Ocean island Speed diminished t. four and
then to two and a half knots while soundngs
with the lead were constantly made. There was
breeze dead astern
Suddenly the lookout called, Breakers ahead"
The command -ras given back the engines.
The topsails had been set for hour and there
was not power enough in the vessels steam plant
to drive the ship back while the wind in the
filed topsails drove her forward. The saginaw
struck the reef ctove great hole in her bow, and
the compelled to take to the boats.
They saved large quantities of stores from the