Evening star., 1937-12-19
j. s. CHINA NAVY
UNDER SPOTLIGHT
Panay Incident Recalls
Treaty and Duties of Ships
Along Yangtze.
BY WILLIAM A. MILLEN.

Along Yangtze.
BY WILLIAM A. MILLEN.
What was the American naval gun
boat Panay doing on the Yangtse
River?
Many Americans are asking why this
| country should accept 50 much respon-
sibility for patroling q river in the
heart OF another nation and on the
opposite side Of the world.
The answer is that Americans are
exercising their treaty rights of so
years standing and serving . useful
purpose In the protection of valuable
cargoes, the elimination of smuggling
and piracy and the control of arrogant
war lords who often seek to impose
high tribute on commerce.
China Navy" Under Spotlight.
The sinking Of the Panay by Japa-
nese airplanes on Sunday puts Uncle
Sans China Navy" under the spot
light Of international publicity.
A thrilling chapter Of duty beneath
the Stars and Stripes. the story Of the
Yangtze River patrol is shot through
with lurid tales Of fights with bandits,
watching for smuggling In the opium
trade, bringing hope as we'll as food
and clothing to starving millions, keep
ing vigilant eye over American mis-
sionaries Of all faiths: cannon Of ir-
regular soldiers cracking across their
bows: Of quavering refugees bereft Of
all: Of the mission of being hand
maiden Of United States commerce on
the great inland waterway; of armed
guards on merchant craft: of tribute
exacted by war lords; of eddying VA
ters-of irresistible fioods-of the Four
Horsemen of the Apocalypse, riding
| roughshod up and down the mighty
valley.
The primary purpose of the Yangtze
River Patrol is to safeguard American
lives and property Federal officials
here explain.
And what are those business inter-
ests?
Cargoes for China.
Cargoes of tobacco leaf, refined COP
per. analine dyes, newsprint paper
and kerosene lead the list of the
cargoes Of American ships that are
sent to China. and many of these
and other products find their way into
the hinterland of that great nation
over the major commercial tributary
the Yangtze.
Standing by the American cargo
vessels are gunboats of the United
States Navy. Patrolling the Yangtze
River costs American taxpayers in
the vicinity of 100000 annually.
Out of the Yangtze Valley and
other parts of China come cargoes of
tung oil, Of carpet wool, sesame
seeds, raw silk, goat skins and bris-
ties in major quantities, as we'll as
antimony. hog and sheep castings,
musk, camphor. porcelain. pongees,
human hair. tea. nuts and albumen.
Alertly watching these outward
bound cargoes in American bottoms
or under the supervision OF agents for
United States commercial interests
are these same gunboats Of the United
States Navy.
The Panay, with its load of refugees
and bent on its errand Of mercy, Is
gone, victim of a merciless bombing
and machine cunning, but her sister
ships of the Yangtze Patrol carry on.
The former Washingtonian, Rear Ad-
miral Edward J. Marquart U. s.
Navy, who served here in 1888 in the
Navy Department. is commander of
the Yangtze Patrol and maintains
his headquarters aboard his flagship
U. g. S. Luzon, which is now at
Hankow, a central point on the nav
igable portion of the great river.
Other Gunboats in Patrol.
The other gunboats of the Yangtze
Patrol are the U. S. S. Guam, Oahu,
Monocacy, which is named for the
Maryland river, near Frederick, and
the U. S. s. Tutuila. The United
States today has a modernized feet
on the Yangtze River, for most of
these vessels were constructed in
China about 1928. Some are equipped
with Diesel engines, while others burn
coal. All are of the shallow draft
necessary to traverse the river in
times of lower water.
The old Yangtze River Patrol was
composed Of the U. S. s. Villalobos,
Palos. Monocacy, Ecano. Isabel, Pen
guin and Pigeon. Some of these ves-
sells have been shifted elsewhere, and
others have gone into the discard
only the Monocacy remaining of the
old-timers. Some of these older craft
had done service In the Spanish
American War. Admiral George
Dewey in the battle of Manila Bay
captured the Elcano, and for many
years this erstwhile Spanish craft
sailed the Yangtze, flying the Stars
and Stripes.
The Isabel, yacht, is still in service
In the Orient and has recently been
on duty at Manila. P. L The Pigeon
is with the pig boats" of the S-type
at Manila, attached to Submarine
Squadron S. The Penguin is also at
Manila, no longer with the Yangtze
Patrol.
Built at Mare Island.
The Palos and Monocacy were built
at the Mare Island (Calif) Navy Yard
and shipped like disassembled automo-
biles to China and re-erected there
Such vessels of shallow draft, built
for the gorges of the Yangtze, could
i'll Withstand the hea wing uvaves If the
Pacific. The Tutuila, Panay, Oahu,