Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1924-02-03
, Vessel w h c h
Was Captured in
War With Spain
andConverted Into
Transport, TIL e n
Transferred to Sig
nal Corps w ork,
Has Retired From
Service After
Quarter Century
Of Activity.
BY LIEUT.. COL. C. de F. CHANDLER,
L. s. A., Retired.

~ manufacturing Tor the StSnal
~ Corps of the United States
Army a submarine telegraph
cable that will soon be laid between
Seattle and Alaskan ports. replacing
a militarytype cable that first estab-
lished direct communication. some
years ago. with our detached but
most valuable territory in the far
north.
The new cable is of the most ap-
proved type for commercial purposes
and should do much toward provid-
ing the governmental assistance for
the Alaskan business interests that
have felt neglected by. their Uncle
Samuel
The boom period for Alaska ended
many years ago. and has been sue
.ceeded by important industries for
supplying minerals and fisheries that
add very materially to world re-
sources.
The prospective laying of the new
cable brings "reminiscences of the un-
usual and interesting adventures con-
nected with the establishment Of the
original cable communication by the
Army transport Burnside.
Even the enlistment of the S. S.
Burnside into the United States Army
was attended with thrills. She was
captured during the war with Spain
by the auxiliary cruiser Yale off the
coast OF Cuba. At that youthful
period of existence, the Burnside was
known as the Spanish merchant ship
Rita. plying peacefully between Spain
and ports Of the West Indies, until
the encounter with the Yale.
The Rita was taken to a shipbuild-
ing firm at New York, converted into
an Army transport and rechristeEed
in honor of Gen. Burnside, who
served with much distinction during
the American civil war. However, the
employment as an ordinary transport
/, was destined to be brief on account
Of the need by the Army Signal Corps
for ship capable of laying military
telegraph cables interconneeting the
most important islands OF the newly
acquired Philippine archipelago. On
q map of the world that group ap-
Pears small and consequently few
Americans realize that in the north
to-south direction. the Philippine
Islands extend approximately one
thousand miles.
The construction of three large
cylindrical tanks in the cargo space
of the Burnside, with the addition Of
special machinery on the decks, ac-
compltShed the conversion into a
cable ship. Naturally the vessel was
not as efficient as one especially con-
structed for the purpose, but time
was the primary consideration for
aiding the Army operations so far
from the home country.
Thirty three cables were laid by the
Burnside in Philippine waters be-
tween the larger islands. connecting
with some 5000 miles OF land tele-
graph lines. making a very satisfac-
tory system of communication. AL
though provided as military neces-
sity, all Of the telegraph and cable
circuits were available for CONNER
cial messages.
Later, as the military need dimin-
tshed and business increased, the sys-
tenn of electrical communication was
gradually transferred into an agency
of the civil government, proving in
valuable in the commercial develop
ment of the Philippines. Thus the
Burnside closely followed the flag"
bringing to a backward people, ac-
cording to our standard of civiliza-
tion, rapid communication Of mes
sages, SO essential for the efficient
Operations Of modern business.
x X X X
THE good ship Burnside, old and
much Scared by accident and ar
luous service. has recently completed
her duties in relation to submarine
cables. 1t therefore seems particu-
larly appropriate at this time to re-
cord the adventures OF this faithful
public servant. 49,.
The tropical waters of the Philip
pines abound with strong tidal cur
rents through island passages where
much of the bottom consists Of coral
growths. Such conditions are most
unhealthy for cables. Consequently,
after. establishing the many inter-
island connections. the cableship was
obliged to remain available for re-
pair and maintenance purposes. In
places, the Iight-type military cables
were literally sawed apart by tho
s3ovsment back and forth across the
shar3 coral, caused by tidal currents
SAt reverse direction.
1t was by combating these de-
structive forces Of neture in the hard
school OF experience that most OF the
crew of the cable ship acquired the
early practical knowledge Of that pro-
fcssion. Later, In Alaskan waters,
we encountered quite different cli-
matte conditions, ancluding much
fog, rain and snow.
4. 1t was the series Of operations I'M
DIR stress Of military necessity. in
localities poorly chaeted and not fire.
quented by commercial cable ships,
tlat brought novel experiences and at