1903-04 Volume 28 No 1–5 - Phi Delta Theta Scroll Archive

THE SCROLL. 567the latter vessel, he visited various ports in China and Australia, and sawquite thoroughly the Phillipine group- He was placed on the retired list fordisability, contracted in the line of duty, in December, I902, and has settledin Philadelphia, at 1209 Vine street.The following extract is from a letter by Bro. George L.Darte, Pennsylvania Alpha and Zeta, '96:At present I am financially interested in the Providence News and havebeen for the past two years struggling and endeavoring, with indifferentsuccess, to make a second Dana out of a Darte- After leaving college I wasappointed United States Consul at St. Pierre, Martinique, F. W, I., and tookmy post sometime before the outbreak of the Spanish-American war. Whenthe clash came i confess I was a bit nervous over my position, feeling that Imight be called upon to do things, and wondering if I could do them withoutmaking a break. I was right in the district that in sentiment was Spanishbut under French government.It would be rather wearisome (to you) for me to go into any great detailof my experience there, but there is one thing you might perhaps be interestedin—which was the location of Cervera's fleet by Lieutenant Kane andmyself and the fact that he and I gave to the government the first informationof Cervera's whereabouts.Early in May, the Spanish hospital ship Alicante entered the harbor ofFort de France, and a few days later the United States ship Harvard, undercommand of Captain Cotton, Lieutenant Beal and Lieutenant Kane, of themarines, dropped anchor at St. Pierre, some fourteen miles away. In theafternoon of the same day I received word that another ship, presumablythe Alphonso XIII. had entered the harbor of Fort de France aod was incommunication with the Alicante. I immediately informed Captain Cotton,who at once ordered Lieutenant Kane to make an investigation; I was toaccompany him, because I knew the country. The difficulty was to getthere quickly. The only means of communication between the two placeswas by means of a small steamer that made two trips daily, the last boatleaving at 2 o'clock. Now as it was after that time when I received myinformation, you can readily understand in what a predicament we were.It was impossible to secure horses, and even had we done so, the journey byland would be at least thirty miles and over steep mountain passes.Finally, after much difficulty, we secured a native canoe with four men torow it, and left St. Pierre at 9 o'clock in the evening. To make mattersworse, a tropical rainstorm sprang up, and we took off our shoes and stockingsin case we should have to swim for it. We reached Fort de France athalf-past two the next morning, and, after reconnoitering for a while, discoveredthe Alicante, but no trace of the Alphonso XIII. Wet, tired anddisgusted, we silently landed and made for the hotel to dry our clothes.Then we went out on the beach. About half-past four, just as the mistwas beginning to lift, we discerned around the point what we considered tobe a number of vessels. As it grew lighter the misty outlines took definiteform, and there before our eyes lay the much-sought-for fleet of Cervera.As we stood there the torpedo boat destroyer Furor left the fleet andsteamed into the bay. It landed some officers, who left dispatches with theSpanish consul. You may be sure we did not make any effort to go up andshake hands with them. On the contrary, we kept very shady. The Terroralso steamed into the harbor and remained there for two weeks, as she wasbadly disabled. After the Furor joined the fleet they steamed out of sight.Afraid to trust our news to telegraph or telephone, we managed to secure ayacht and steamed back to St. Pierre. I immediately sent cipher messages