them for over an hour, and coming no nearer to a conclusion of the difficulty, and with no prospect of convincing them that he had a right to either enforce or even demand their departure, Captain Brown called his first officer, and quietly directed him to take a trustworthy man, thoroughly arm himself and his assistant, get from below a large American flag, secrete it under his coat, slip up to the poop, and at the same time haul down the Japanese flag and substitute the other for it. He was also directed to shoot any one interfering with the execution of the order. The flag was in this way changed without a single Japanese officer on board noticing the change, and they were then immediately informed that as they were on the deck of an American man-of-war, they must leave immediately, and that if one of them remained on board at sunset, he would be thrown overboard. They were also informed that if necessary the two American men-of-war then in the same harbor would be summoned to the assistance of the "Stonewall." When they were shown the American flag at the peak, guarded by two resolute men on either side with drawn revolvers, their astonishment and surprise were unbounded. There was a great deal of excitement and loud talking among them, and when they asked the reason for the change, they were told to go to the American minister for an explanation, and to leave the ship at sunset or prepare to swim or drown. Captain Brown then went below, stationing a trusty officer at the skylight, who soon reported that the Japanese were leaving the ship. On the following day this action was reported to the American minister, who sanctioned it; and it was subsequently given the authority of law by action of Congress, with the full approval of Secretary Seward.

Captain Brown remained at Yokohama, with eight seamen from our navy, in charge of the "Stonewall," until May, 1879. At that time the Mikado's Government was recognized by our own, and the amount due on the pay

ment being tendered and received, the "Stonewall" was transferred to the Japanese.

Through the kindness of the Japanese legation at Washington, I have received a note containing final information respecting the vessel. Her name was changed by the Japanese to the " Azuma," meaning "the East." On the 10th of March, 1869, she started, in behalf of the government of the Mikado, for the harbor of Hakodadi, having in view an attack on the forces of the Tycoon, as the hostilities between the old and new governments were then not terminated. On her way to the north she was attacked by one of the ships of the Tycoon, but received no injury. She arrived at Hakodadi in the month of May, and engaged in at least two fights with vessels of the enemy, which she speedily disabled. She then turned her attention to the headquarters of the rebels, succeeding in demolishing their fort and in killing a large number of those defending it. She fought also with many other vessels, and was always successful. It was at one time reported that she had gone down in a typhoon, but this was an error. She is still in active service; and judging from the facts, we should be disposed to conclude that she has proved to be one of the best investments the Japanese, under the circumstances, could have made.

One of the greatest of English artists, the famous Turner, has painted a superb picture, representing "The Fighting Téméraire tugged to her last berth to be broken up." No one can look at it and fail to be thrilled with the memory of the heroic deeds of the veteran war-ship, wrapped in the halo of glory which not even the glowing colors of the master could perfectly portray. How different will be the final lot of the ram whose fortunes we have followed, and which, during a part of her career, made a brief record on the pages of American history? She started from her ways with deceit written in her papers, and sailed across the honest ocean with a painted lie at her mast-head. She gained for herself no such renown as

even crime can achieve, when it consorts with a mighty courage; and she shed no lustre on our arms, by reason of her failure to meet us fairly on the open sea. But when the old "Powhatan" is tugged to her last berth to be broken up, the memory of her long and loyal service will make every stick in her timbers precious in the eyes of her country. We cannot forget the tears we shed over the bodies of our brave fellows, stricken down upon her decks with the breath of a terrible pestilence; yet we are grateful to-day for the bright picture they set before us of unmurmuring and heroic sacrifice to their country. While we live we shall remember the old ship, not with a foreign device floating above her and a miscellaneous assortment of chop-sticks and pig-tails below, but with the union-jack at the fore, the stars and stripes at the peak, and the heart of her mighty engine responsive to the pulses of a nation's honor and pride.

THE UNITED STATES SANITARY COM

ΟΝ

MISSION.

BY EZRA B. McCAGG.

[Read November 5, 1884.]

N the 15th of April, 1861, appeared the proclamation of the newly inaugurated President, calling for seventy-five thousand men, to cause the laws to be duly executed, and to repossess the forts, places, and property which had been seized from the Union. The intense feeling with which the loyal people of the country had waited for legal and authoritative action was at once manifest. Men sprang to arms with alacrity and in numbers, their pride and patriotism and courage being stirred to their very depths; and unceasing and tireless energy, the fruit of stern resolve and long endurance of provocation, took the place of apparent lethargy.

The nation had been for a long time at peace, and the field for the exercise of its energies in other directions had been so vast, and the danger of war so remote, that its military service was wholly inadequate to the demands of an active campaign of large bodies of troops. Thoughtful men, recognizing the fact that "the waste of human life and the destruction of health and happiness in time of war have been in all ages many times greater from disease than from actual encounter in battle," looked upon this outburst of pent-up feeling with painful forebodings. Some of the most vital forces of the nation, its trained and educated men, with little or no knowledge of camp life, and because of their ignorance in this respect doubly in danger, were enrolling themselves as soldiers; and their hastily chosen officers were at once uninstructed in their duties and hampered in their efforts to enforce obedi

ence to rules by the friendship which had given them command.

Unless the teachings of history were worthless, it was manifest that deaths in the hospital would outnumber those in the field; that more insidious and more to be dreaded than all the physical forces that the Rebels could bring to bear was the danger from those sure attendants on army life, fever, measles, pneumonia, diarrhoea, and their allied forces. It was evident also "that the faithful records of all war are records of preventible suffering, disease, and death;" and seeking to have such action taken as would mitigate as far as possible the misery which military necessities must surely occasion, a delegation of gentlemen from New York visited Washington and petitioned the Secretary of War "for some rigor in the inspection of volunteers, that unsuitable persons might not be sent to certain death in the army; that the War Department should receive on wages during actual duty as many nurses as the exigencies of the campaign might require," and suggested the appointment by the Government of a mixed commission of civilians, distinguished for their philanthropic experience and acquaintance with sanitary matters, of medical men, and of military officers who should consider the general subject of the prevention of sickness and suffering among the troops, investigate the best system of methodizing and reducing to practical service the already active but undirected benevolence of the people toward the army, and suggest the wisest ways which they could use to manifest their good-will toward its comfort, security, and health.

Their memorial was not favorably received; but persisting, they sent in a sketch of a plan for a commission, asking no legal powers whatever, and none of the public money, but simply official public recognition during the war, or until it should be found unserviceable, and a room in one of the public buildings in Washington or elsewhere, with the insignia of a recognized public office.