Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-06-29
j. s. COAST GUARD
TO FILL LOSSES
Plans for Construction Held
Back by Rum-ChaSing
Program.

With the announced award of con
tracts for construction of five cruising
cutters, the United State Coast Guard
turns to a program of rebuilding the
ranks OF its major ships lost in war
and by obsolescence.
Among the ships to be replaced will
be the Inflated cutter Tampa, which
was Summarized off the British coast
with the loss Of lis lives, the largest
naval loss to the United States dur
ing the World War. Picturesque
names. taken from Indian tribes, are
included among the list of obsolete
and condemned ships which have
passed from commission.
The Coast Guard with this program,
authorized and appropriated for by
Congress, thus turns from the more
spectacular business of building boats
for the so-called rum fleet to its orig
inal purpose of keeping up its re-
sources for the protection of life and
property from 1.-The peril of the sea. "
The construction program for the rum
patrol has been completed. the last
ship OF the dry feet having been
launched last month at Camden. \. j.
Coast Guard officers and officials do
not conceal their joy and pride in
again being able to concentrate their
efforts on the original and traditional
service of the old Coast Guard, as
contrasted with the new business OF
rum chasing, which to them has been
a troublesome and unwelcome duty.
Appropriation Made.
The new cutters are to he con-
structed at the Fore River plant of
the Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corpora
ton, at Quincy, Mass, Appropriation
has already been made for the first
three vessels, which will he completed
on or before October 81, 1928, and an
initial appropriation has been made
for beginning the construction of the
fourth and fifth cutters, to be COM
pleted on or before May 81. 1929.
OF latest design and up-to-date equip
ment throughout, the new cutters
will be driven by oii-burning steam
turbines and electricity, will be $50
feet long and have a cruising radius
of about 5000 miles.
Stanchly equipped to stand the
hazards of storm, and the stress OF
towing the heaviest vessels, the ships
will also be armed, each with two
five-inch guns, two threeinch anti
aircraft guns and two siX-pounders.
All equipment will be of the most
modern type, consisting of gyro COM
pass, electric course recorder and
IdlHOIn6LSF uepLH-SOuIulHSs dppdIdt Us.
The ships will have two masts, a
cruiser stern. and small boats will be
carried on the upper deck.
Lost i'm Channel.
The Tampa, which is to be replaced
by one of these new cruisers, was sunk
by a submarine in Bristol Channel
while serving as part of the United
States naval forces in the World War
in the escort of ships from Mediter
ranean to British ports. The only
trace found after she sank was a
ANAL piece Of gunwale with metal
lie nameplate from one of the small
boats Of the Tampa, picked up along
the coast by the son of a British coast
guardsman. It was sent through Of
fetal channels to the State Depart
ment here and turned over to the
Coast Guard. The plate, considered
one of the treasures of the Coast
Guards participation in the war under
the command of the Navy, has been
appropriately framed, and is on dis
play in the Treasury Department.
Other ships which are to be dis
placed include old cutters named after
Indian tribes, such as the Alaska,
built In 1898; the Onodaga, built in
1898, both of which were veterans of
the Spanish-American and the World
War, but which have been condemned
and sold: the Androscoggin and the
Mohawk.
Sails for Alaska.