COURSE ELEVENTHE MINNEAPOLIS
Mr. Chapin’s cruise was on the Minneapolis, sister ship to the Columbia, and it started on August 25, 1906, from New Haven harbor. The ship steamed down the Sound and by Race Rock Light and anchored off Block Island in the evening with the port anchor, in seventeen fathoms, sixty fathoms of chain out. A protected cruiser, the Minneapolis did not rate a band, but she carried one till the Dolphin came along and commandeered the musicians. The next day the ship steamed out to sea for a hundred miles and then after a diversity of courses came to anchor in Menemsha Bight. Target practice, while the Minneapolis was steaming at a rate of ten knots, made one afternoon’s work. In it the division’s team struck hard times, but in the signal contest later the division redeemed itself, Quartermaster Palmer being an easy first among the signal force of the battalion in the Ardois branch and Quartermaster Ferris making an especially fine showing with the semaphore work. The division has for several years been strong in the signal branch.
When Governor Woodruff chose a naval aide it was Mr. Chapin who was selected for that high honor, and when the next commanding officer of the Second was nominated, Dr. Beach moved up to a lieutenant’s stripes. Beginning in the ranks Dr. Beach went upon the staff as assistant surgeon and then back to the Second as ensign.
For a number of years the division had combined with other commands in the Elm Street Armory to attend an annual military service in a Hartford church, but in thefollowing December it decided to attend a separate or sailors’ service, and the church of the Rev. Dr. Main was selected. It is a question why this was chosen, but a legend has it that the choice was on account of the nautical hint in the pastor’s name and that in the denomination, the Baptist. In a sermon on intelligent patriotism Dr. Main interspersed a number of sailorlike yarns to illustrate several points. He told the story about Nelson’s disregard of Parker’s signal at the battle of Copenhagen; and that of John Paul Jones’s answer in the fight with the Serapis.
LIEUTENANT CARROLL C. BEACH
LIEUTENANT CARROLL C. BEACH
LIEUTENANT CARROLL C. BEACH
One of the most loyal and faithful members the division ever included had enlisted a short time before in the United States Navy, Seaman John J. A. Connor, andwas now on the battleship Connecticut on the always memorable trip around the world, bombarding friends with welcome post cards.
The eleventh anniversary banquet was enjoyed in the Hotel Garde in conjunction with Admiral Bunce Section, Navy League of the United States. Admiral Caspar F. Goodrich told about his personal interest in the Naval Militia, an adjunct necessary to the Navy, as he declared, and Corporation Counsel Arthur L. Shipman talked as an attorney to the gathering, telling about the influence of the navy in Guam and Samoa, where the Navy was still administering the government.