The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1930-10-10

was assigned the task of clearing the
lower Mississippi of pirates and was
so signally successful that he incurred
the hostility of New Orleans mer
chants and even of Governor Clai-
borne Of Louisiana.
Given command of the frigate Essex
in 1872, Porter captured the first Brit
ish war vessel, harried British COM
merce from the Caribbean to Cape
Horn and from Cape, Horn to the
Galapagos took innumerable prizes,
and made the Stars and Stripes re-
spected the whole length Of the Pa
cific. Incidentally, he carried on scien-
tific observations and took formal
possession of the Marquesas for the
United States-a claim never followed
up by his country. The end Of this
glamorous, swashbuckling career came
when the Essex was bottled up in the
neutral harbor of Valparaiso by two
British ships and pounded to pieces at
long range. Porter's resistance was
gallant but desperate one, and after
his ship had been reduced to a wreck
and his deck to shambles, he struck
colors.
Porter returned to the United States
and was at once appointed to the first
board of naval commissioners with
the task of reorganizing the American
navy. Here he served with distinction
until he was assigned the task of
clearing the Caribbean of pirates.
Once again he succeeded, and again
he ran into troubled waters. His zeal
outrunning his authority, he was
hailed before q court-martial and sus-
pended from service for an affront to
Spanish dignity in Porto Rico. In a
huff Porter resigned, and served three
years as commander-in-chief Of the
Mexican. navy. President Jackson, who
understood Porter somewhat better
than his predecessor, rescued him
from this thankless position, and the
old war-dog ended his days unevent-
fully as charge d'affaires at CONSTANT
nople, hobnObbing with the sultan and
composing guide-books of the city.
Edward Preble was something of
the same type Of irascible, fre-eater
as Porter; unpopular with officers who
served uner him, because of his strict
ness and his bad temper, but gallant
and brave officer nevertheless. AS a
boy he had fled from Falmouth (now
Portland, Maine, when it was burned
by the British early in the Revolution.
AS a youth he ran away and shipped
on privateer, was appointed mid
shipman in the Massachusetts state
marine, participated in three sea
fights of the Revolution and was held
a prisoner for a while on the infa-
nous British prison ship, Jersey. But
he never had chance to pay off old
scores against the British since he
died five years before the outbreak Of
the War of 1912, a conflict which
would have given him chance to add
his name to the list of illustrious
American sea fighters.
However, Preble did distinguish him
self in war which constitutes one
Of the brightest spots in our naval
history. For it was he who con-
quered the Barbary pirates in 1SO3-O4
| He first forced the sultan of Morocco
to renew the treaty Of 1856 and then
moved against Tripoli. After six spir-
tied attacks, during which three Tri-
politan ships were sunk and three cap
tured, treaty of peace was signed in
1905 by which the tributes that Euro
pean nations, had paid for centuries
and the slavery Of Christian captives
were abolished. In 1906 Jefferson Of
fered PreDle the position of secretary
of the navy. but his feeble health pre-
! vented his accepting He died in Port
md. N"ire. August 25. 1907.