The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-08-06
FTNLAND'S CAPTAIN
DIES ON WAY HOME
Commander j. B. Hill, U. s. N,
Had Distinguished Career
as Mariner
FAMOUS FIGHTERS BACK
Second Division Men Reach
Port on Big Transport
46 Brides Aboard.

The transport Finland. In from Brest
the distinguished Second Division.
brought back the body of her veteran
skipper. Commander James Beattie Hill,
U. s. N. He had hoped to die on the
bridge, and he did die while still master
OF his ship. when she was several hours
out
His ailment was heart disease, and he
was aware that he had little chance to
to take command. but five physicians
made him stick to his bed. and the Fin
land was brought to Hoboken by her
former executive officer, Lieutenant
Commander William j. Rague. who at
23 wins the glory OF being the youngest
man bossing the bridge of a $4,000 ton
line..
The body OF Commander Hill was
taken to the New York Navy Yard and
will be sent to his home in Pottman, N.
j.. where his widow lives. He leaves
also two daughters and a son. who is In
| the army. He was born in Londonderry.
Nova Scotia, In 1868, and started sea-
going thirty-eight years ago in a schooner.
He had been nineteen years a comman-
der of vessels. sail and steam. and a
| master mariner with the Red Star Line
| since 1888.
First Through Canal.
He took the Red Star liner Kroonland,
sister to the Finland, through the Pan
anna Canal just after its completion, she
being the first big ship 10 make the trip.
In 1915 he became master of the Fin
| land, retaining the post until his death.
He made seventeen trips across the At
| lantic. carrying $4,000 troops without
losing one.
While in convoy in 1917 the Finland
was attacked by a submarine. which sent
| torpedo against her starboard side
Just abaft the bow. making a gap &c by
80 feet and killing nine OF the crew. No
soldier was injured. Commander Hill
personally directed the Smelling of the
| submarine and took his ship into Brest.
A submarine that attacked the Finland
on later trip was sunk by her gunners,
, wlp fired twenty-one shots. Lieut.,
Davis, chaplain of the Finland, said
Commander Hill had frequently ex-
pressed the wish to die while in COM
mand of his ship.
Lieut.-Col. Andrew d. Bruce of the
Second Ammunition Train, the largest
unit in the Finland. was also commander
of all the troops aboard. He has the
decoration of the Legion of Honor, the
Distinguished Service Cross and the
Croix de Guerre with two citations.
Ma jor William A. Snow, who came back
with the Second Ammunition Train, was
greeted on the pier by his father. Major
Gen. William ]. Snow Of the Field Artil-
lery.
Father and Son Hopored.
Major Snow has been wounded four
times. and he and his father say they
are the only father and son in the Amer
lean army wearing the Distinguished
Service Cross.
Capt Arthur B. Walton and Lieut..
w. j. Elmore. both of the Second AM
munition Train. were on duty with their
outfits at Neiderbieber. Germany, from
December until the middle Of July, and
they say a bitter hatred for France is
still smouldering there and that nearly
all the Rhineanders are planning the
humiliation of France within ten years.
They hope for the restoration of a
monarchy and plan to subdue France
and make her subject to the German
| crown.
Forty-six brides and six children came
by the Finland. The brides, thirty-six Of
whom are French. occupied staterooms
and the husbands were assigned to quar-
tiers with the troops.