Milford chronicle., 1922-08-11
UNCLE TED'S
BEDTIME STORIES
U. S. COAST GUARD CELEBRATES
1872 YEARS OF SERVICE

DOOk ne was reaQlng.
wonder what, Jack?" asked Ruth.
''WeIl, you know when we got back
from our trip to New York and Wash
ington, Uncle Ted said something
about going to the sea shore some day
before Ions and I was just wondering
if he meant this summer Gee! here
he comes now, maybe he has some
good news.
Hello, kiddies," called Uncle Ted
as he came in the house. I'm late to-
night. Thought maybe you'd be IN
bed"
mo sir" spoke up Jack. Mother
said if I'd cut the grass and Ruth
would help we could wait until you
came. Maybe you'd tell us story.
Better than that, Jack. I'll tell you
a story all right but first of all I've
decided to take you to the sea shore
for few days"
"Hurrah!" shouted Jack and Ruth
in unison as they danced around the
room. me-.
"Now," continued Uncle Ted, lit
doesn't matter much where we go but
I thought would take you to Cape
NAV. New Jersey, because we can
SWIM anu ISL LuS4C anu eSS lily SNN-~
time see some of the wonderful re-
view being held by the u. ). COAST
Guard, whic has the Revenue-Cutter
Service was established by an ACT OF
Congress in August, 1880, and is tne
oldest military establishment IN the
United States. You will see lots OF
things to remind you of the Coast
Guard at the sea shore because the
life-saving service is part OF II as
we'll. For that reason l thought 1
would tell you something OF its MS
tory, not only because it is such an
interesting service but also because
the present administration is deter
mined to bring it to the highest point
of efficiency. g
"The Coast Guard is the name OF
the combined Revenue-Cutter Ser
vice. and the Life Saving Service.
"This service not only patrols all
orr coasts to save those who are
sbipwrecked near shore but the larger
ships patrol the water further out and
many times go miles to sea in answer
to distress calls from ships. TWO shlps
are kept off the Newfoundland banks
to chart the icebergs and warn ships
of the dangers in those waters. This
ice patrol, as it is called has been
maintained ever since the Titanic
went down after striking the ice. 1t
is interesting to know that after the
revolutionary war, the Continental
navy was disbanded and the first sea
force to be created by the Rpubl1c
was the Revenue-Cutter Service, tor
which ten ships we're built and put in
to commission November, 1871. For
more than six years these boats were
the only armed force of the United
States afoat.
"The Life-Saving Service was estaD-
Iished in June, 1878, and the two or
carnations were combined in Janu-
ary. 1915. While the Coast Guard IS
first of all a peaceful outfit and prl-
marily intended to look after those IN
trouble on the water, they are also
keen watch-dogs, for those who try
to smuggle goods into the United
States without paying duty. All the
vessels are armed and the officers and
men are trained in the acts and clr-
cumstances Of war. Whenever we nave
gone to war the Coast Guard automat-
ically comes from under the authoTlcy
of the Treasury Department ana Is
subject to the orders OF the navy:
During the Great War, as part Oh
the Navy, the Coast Guard served WIN
distinction and with one exception the
largest single loss of our naval FORCES
took place when the Coast Guard Cut
ter TAMPA was sunk by submarine |
in Bristol Channel, September 70
1918. 115 officers and men lost their
lives.
''When we go to the sea shore you
will see at least one of the 213 sta
tiOns where men are stationed to res
cue passengers and crew stranded on
our shores. During the past year l,62!
lives were saved by the Coast Guard
and $50 persons in distress were cared
for while the value of the ships ana
cargoes saved by the service totaled
S66 .26O.445. While the war strength OF
the service is six thousand, there are
at present 4,490 officers and men serv-
ing under the motto, 'Sempre Para
tus,' which means, always ready"
''What are they going to do at Cape
May?" asked Jack.
Eight cutters will be ther, Jack, to
give drills and exercises. They are
the Vicksburg, Modoc, Tampa, SEN
eca, Manning, YamacraW, Seminole
and KickapoO. The two most interest
ing ships to see will be the MODOC
and TAMPA. They are brand new,
driven and are the finest
and best type of small ship afoat.
These boats have just returned from
ice patrol duty off Newfoundland, the
work told you about. The VICKS-
BURG is the training ship of the Coast
Guard. She has just returned from a
cruise to the Azores.
you will see some things you will
never forget during these drills with
oars and sails, target practice and
of life-saving. You
see this review will renew an old GUS
tom of celebrating the anniversary of
the birth of the Coast Guard in Au-
gust, 1890.
'Now 1 believe you will enjoy our
trip much more by knowing some
thing of the history of this interesting
service. Well, Ruth, think the sand
man is getting in some good work so
off to bed, both of you and dream of
miles of sand and salt water for we
will be going soon."