The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-05-04
LEV|ATHAN SEEN
AS HISTORY
MAKER
Expected to Mould Events, As
Did Perry's Niagara, by
Naval Veteran.
BY ROBERT s. THORNBURGH.
International News Service.

international News service.
The Leviathan, with the Niagara,
Commodore Perry's flagship OF 1912,
and the Oregon, a unit OF the fleet
which wiped out Spanish naval
power in the Western World in '9S,
is destined to become one of the
famous vessels in American history.
Like those sea guardians of the
past, the giant ocean greyhound has
been thrown into n present-day
struggle to keep the stars and stripes
afloat in the seven seas.
Taken from the German Imperial
fleet during the world war, the
LeViathan---or the Vaterland she was
Unemployed through the Atlantic,
with thousands of American soldiers
on board, back and forth--Hoboken
to Brest-pausing only to provision
and to load and unload her cargo Of
fighting men.
Braved War Peril.
The monster rode the waves alone.
scorning convoy. She braved the
mine fields. Her gunnera battled
with submarines, trusting to accuracy
of fire and the great speed Of the
liner to bring her precious load Of
doughboys safely to land.
And now, at Norfolk, Virginia,
the great vessel is nearing compile
ton into the wonder ship OF all
time. More than So 200, 900 has been
expended by the Government to
make the Leviathan the finest ship
that .'rides the deep blue ocean,"
A highly interesting train OF
thought is aroused by the action OF
the Government in placing the Le-
viathan at the head of the Ameri-
can passenger and merchant fleet,
according to Commander Lynn II.
Rutter, u. 8. N, well-known
naval authority.
During the world war, when
the Leviathan was performing such
signal and wonderful service as a
troop transport and ferry, it was
my privilege to stand on the quar-.
ter deck of the reconstructed Mia
CARA, the famous flagship Of the
renowned Commodore Perry. who
won the battle of Lake Erie during
the war Of 1912, after having been
driven out Of the Lawrence, his
first flagship, by British fire." Com.
modore Rutter said.
THAT fight was one Of the most
decisive and significant fleet ac-
tons ever fought, not only by the
United States Navy, but among all
nations, and the result Of the action
to the United States was not only
the saving to the republic Of the
enormous Great Lakes area, but
the Mississippi Valley and Western
States as well.
THAT battle would have given
us Canada, in all probability, had
our statesmen OF the time been as
alert as our seamen.
Saved u. s. Domain.
Had Barclay, the commander of
the British fleet, won, the territory
Of the United States would prob.
ably have been limited on its west
ern boundary by the Allegheny
| mountains to small territorial lin.
its. with no possibility of becoming
the great nation she is today.
"How many American people
realize that the little wooden. ship
Niagara, scarcely 100 feet long and
manned by a handful of determined
ibackwoodgmen won and saved an
empires territory for their future
Icountrymen?
During the world war it was
my privilege to serve as shipmate
with a veteran of the Spanish
American war, who had done duty
in the engine and fireroom of the
famous Oregon during the battle
of Santiago, on that hot July day
when the Spanish naval power in
the western world was wiped out.
1.-THE veteran wondered II the
American people had any idea of
the temperature below deck, on
the coal-burning ship, on that
memorable Sunday when man after
man, in the prime of physical con-
| dition, was overcome by the heat
and collapsed on the floor plates
only to be picked up by his mates,
hauled up the ash-chutes and laid
out on the deck for a breath OF air
that he might recover conscious
ness and return to duty below in
the inferno of closed fireroom.
u. 8. "Trade Fighter"
but to return to the Leviathan
her mission, although peaceful
and commercial, is nevertheless
| that of trade fighter in restoring
| the American flag to its prestige
on the seven seas, competing with
the pick of foreign ships and the
| cream of foreign personnel.
She will be a wonder ship as
| well as a historical one, in which
| the American travelling public can
thoroughly take pride, undisturbed
by the thought that human beings
down below are suffering for the