Evening star., 1928-12-16
By CoRINNE FRAZIER.

NY strange coincidence, when
- Herbert Hoover, officially known
as the ti1irty-firSt President of
IL the United States (but actually
the thirtieth man to hold that
ofiice), is celebrating his entry into the
White House in March, the U. S. S.
MAyflower, the official yacht, to which
he also falls heir, viii celebrate the
thirty-first anniversary of her COM
mission as ship of the United States
Navy.
Built for a pleasure yacht by ]. N
q. Thompson of Clydebank, Scotland,
In 1896. the Mayflower was purchased
from the Ogden Goelet estate by our
Government in March, 1898, and on
March 10 of that year she was ordered
equipped for war and sent to avenge
the sinking of the Maine.
AS in the case with many a child
of fortune trained solely for the luxu-
ries of life, fate had turned the wheel
and cast the pleasure yacht MayhoWer
suddenly for another role. Later, an
other turn of the wheel gave back her
heritage, and once more she assumed
the aspect Of pleasure craft, though
changed In character, as would be
human being who has been given
role Of responsibility.
Serving as the Presidents yacht,
the Mayfiower's duties (of which
carrying the Chief Executive on pleas
ure cruises is but incidental, contrary
to the general impression) have been
manifold and colorful during her long
career. She is an honorable veteran
of wars; has assisted in the protection
of our naval interests in foreign
waters: has served as flagship. and has
been called upon to act as an envoy Of
good will, conveying important person.
ages on diplmatic and social cruises.
She has the distinction of having
served as flagship for George Dewey,
the only officer to receive the title OF
"the Admiral Of the Navy in the
history of our country. Both Farragut
and Porter were full admirals In The
Navy with permanent rank. but Dewey
alone was "the Admiral of the Navy"
by special act of Congress.
To consider the Mayffower in the
light of a personal luxury attached to
the Presidents household is as mani
festly absurd as to consider his aides,
his official mansion or his cabinet it,
self in that light She is at his dis
posal. to be sure. and often is used
to give him some sorely needed relaxa-
ton or an opportunity to puzzle out
some knotty problems OF State away
from the Interruptions Of his executive
Offices, but she is, first of all, a unit
of the United States Navy.
y 4
TRACING the history Of the May
flower (and from what we can
learn that was her original name), we
find that her first duty with our Navy
was In the capacity of dispatch boat
during the Havana blockade. She was
under Comdr Morris r. s. Mackenzie
and was equipped with four 6pounders
Her first cruise began on April H.
1898, when she sailed from New York to
Newport, thence to Key West, Fla
whence she proceeded to the blockade
of Havana, where she remained on
duty as a dispatch boat until the con-
clusion of the Spanish War
on May she took part in the cap
ture of the Spanish vessel Santiago
Apostol, bound for Havana, and sent hsi
TO Key West. On January 2, 1899
when at Cienfuegos. West Indies, the
Mayfiower took part in the ceremonies
In connection withs taking possession
of Cienflegos by the Army under Mai
Dusenberg. and fired salute of 81