USS Despatch (1873)
.jpg)
USS Despatch
|
|
| History | |
|---|---|
 United States
|
|
| Name: | USS Despatch |
| Namesake: | Despatch: As a verb, to send off or away, to dispose of speedily, to execute quickly. As a noun, a message sent with speed. |
| Acquired: | November 1873 |
| Commissioned: | 23 November 1873 |
| Decommissioned: | 9 July 1879 |
| Recommissioned: | 8 June 1880 |
| Decommissioned: | 23 September 1880 |
| Recommissioned: | 19 October 1880 |
| Fate: | Wrecked 10 October 1891 |
| Notes: | Previously the commercial steamer America |
| General characteristics | |
| Type: | Steamer |
| Displacement: | 560 long tons (570 t) |
| Length: | 198 ft (60 m) |
| Beam: | 27 ft (8.2 m) |
| Draft: | 12 ft 4 in (3.76 m) |
| Propulsion: | Steam engine |
| Speed: | 12 kn (14 mph; 22 km/h) |
| Complement: | 81 |
| Armament: | 3 × 20 pdr (9.1 kg) guns |
The third USS Despatch was a United States Navy steamer in commission from 1873 to 1891.
Despatch was the commercial steamer America when the U.S. Navy purchased her in November 1873 at New York City. She was commissioned on 23 November 1873, Lieutenant Commander Frederick Rodgers in command.
Purchased for dispatch duty because of her speed, Despatch was assigned to the North Atlantic Squadron and joined the fleet in December 1873 at Key West, Florida, in anticipation of war with Spain over the seizure of the American filibustering steamer Virginius by the Spanish Navy corvette Tornado. The Spanish had taken Virginius into port at Santiago de Cuba in Cuba and summarily condemned her, with 53 of her passengers and crew executed (see Virginius Affair). After lengthy diplomatic negotiations, 102 survivors were delivered on board the U.S. Navy sloop-of-war Juniata, and Virginius was ordered to be turned over to Captain W. D. Whiting, Chief of Staff of the North Atlantic Squadron. Despatch carried Captain Whiting to Bahia Honda, Cuba, to take charge of Virginius, and took Virginius in tow for Key West.
Despatch remained with the fleet, serving as a dispatch vessel and participating in squadron drills until arriving at the Washington Navy Yard in Washington, D.C., which became her new base on 24 April 1874.
...
Wikipedia