USS Boston ( 1884 ) The fifth USS " Boston " , a protected cruiser , was launched 4 December 1884 by John Roach & Sons , Chester , Pennsylvania , and commissioned 2 May 1887 , Captain Francis M . Ramsay in command . " Boston " , being the second cruiser of the New Navy completed , was not ready for active service until 1888 . She then made a cruise to Guatemala and Haiti to protect American citizens . She joined the Squadron of Evolution 30 September 1889 and cruised to the Mediterranean and South America ( 7 December 1889 – 29 July 1890 ) , and along the east coast in 1891 . " Boston " departed New York 24 October 1891 for the Pacific via Cape Horn , arriving at San Francisco 2 May 1892 . Except for a prospective commanding officer ' s cruise to the Hawaiian Islands ( 11 August 1892 – 10 October 1893 ) in which it provided a shore party in January 1893 that bolstered the overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy , she remained on the west coast until laid up at Mare Island Navy Yard 4 November 1893 . Recommissioned 15 November 1895 , " Boston " joined the Asiatic Squadron at Yokohama , Japan , 25 February 1896 . She remained in the Orient protecting American interests for the next four years and during the Spanish - American War took part in the Battle of Manila Bay ( 1 May 1898 ) and the capture of Manila ( 13 August 1898 ) . She remained in the Philippines assisting in their pacification until 8 June 1899 . " Boston " returned to San Francisco 9 August 1899 and went out of commission at Mare Island Navy Yard 15 September 1899 . She remained out of commission until 11 August 1902 and then rejoined the Pacific Squadron . During 16 – 25 June 1905 she helped represent the Navy at the Lewis and Clark Exposition at Portland , Oregon , and between 23 April and 10 May 1906 she helped care for the victims of the San Francisco earthquake and fire . She went out of commission again at Puget Sound Navy Yard 10 June 1907 . From 15 June 1911 to September 1916 , she served as a training vessel with the Oregon Naval Militia and was loaned to the United States Shipping Board ( 24 May 1917 – June 1918 ) . The Boston was converted to a freighter by Seattle Construction & Dry Dock in 1917 / 18 . Her guns were most likely removed when she was laid up at Bremerton between 09 - 16 and 03 - 17 . On 18 June 1918 , she was recommissioned at Mare Island Navy Yard as a receiving ship and towed to Yerba Buena Island , California , where she served as a receiving ship until 1946 . She was renamed USS " Despatch " , the sixth U . S . Navy ship to bear that name , on 9 August 1940 , thus freeing her original name for use on the new heavy cruiser " Boston " ( CA - 69 ) . The old ship was reclassified IX - 2 , 17 February 1941 . " Despatch " was towed to sea and sunk off San Francisco 8 April 1946 . Two of " Boston ' s " 8 - inch ( 203 - mm ) guns were placed at the new Seattle Naval Hospital in 1942 . After the hospital closed the guns went with the site to the new Firlands Sanitarium owned by King County in 1947 . At some point after 1952 the guns were moved to Hamlin Park , in Shoreline , Washington . However , county records do not indicate when the guns were placed in the park or why it was done . Awards . The " Boston " / " Despatch " earned the following awards in her career spanning six decades –