USRC Richard Rush (1874)
Encyclopedia
USRC Richard Rush was a of the United States Revenue Cutter Service
which served in the coastal waters of the western United States and the Department of Alaska
. With a displacement of 179 tons, the vessel was 140 feet long, 23 feet in beam, and drew 8' 10". Propulsion was provided by both a 400 h.p. steam engine driving a single propellor, and a schooner
-rig of sail.
Rush was built by the Atlantic Iron Works in East Boston, Massachusetts, launched 14 March 1874, and commissioned 21 July of that year. Fitting-out was completed in New York, and on 15 September the cutter sailed for San Francisco, arriving there in early 1875 after rounding Cape Horn
.
From 1877 through 1881 Rush completed four cruises in Alaskan waters. Thereafter the cutter was based in Port Townsend, Washington
. In 1882 Rush was at San Francisco where the Royal Navy corvette
HMS Comus
took aboard the Marquis of Lorne, Governor General of Canada, and his spouse the Princess Louise
, daughter of Queen Victoria, for their trip to Victoria, British Columbia
. An anonymous note threatened the British ship with destruction when the couple boarded, but a search yielded nothing, and Comus was escorted out to sea by the American cutter.
In 1885 the cutter was decommissioned and the hull and other fittings sold. The machinery was used in a new, larger vessel of the same name.
United States Revenue Cutter Service
The United States Revenue Cutter Service was established by Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton in 1790 as an armed maritime law enforcement service. Throughout its entire existence the Revenue Cutter Service operated under the authority of the United States Department of the Treasury...
which served in the coastal waters of the western United States and the Department of Alaska
Department of Alaska
The Department of Alaska was the designation for the government of Alaska from its purchase by the United States of America in 1867 until its organization as the District of Alaska in 1884. During the department era, Alaska was variously under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Army , the United States...
. With a displacement of 179 tons, the vessel was 140 feet long, 23 feet in beam, and drew 8' 10". Propulsion was provided by both a 400 h.p. steam engine driving a single propellor, and a schooner
Schooner
A schooner is a type of sailing vessel characterized by the use of fore-and-aft sails on two or more masts with the forward mast being no taller than the rear masts....
-rig of sail.
Rush was built by the Atlantic Iron Works in East Boston, Massachusetts, launched 14 March 1874, and commissioned 21 July of that year. Fitting-out was completed in New York, and on 15 September the cutter sailed for San Francisco, arriving there in early 1875 after rounding Cape Horn
Cape Horn
Cape Horn is the southernmost headland of the Tierra del Fuego archipelago of southern Chile, and is located on the small Hornos Island...
.
From 1877 through 1881 Rush completed four cruises in Alaskan waters. Thereafter the cutter was based in Port Townsend, Washington
Port Townsend, Washington
Port Townsend is a city in Jefferson County, Washington, United States, approximately north-northwest of Seattle . The population was 9,113 at the 2010 census an increase of 9.3% over the 2000 census. It is the county seat and only incorporated city of Jefferson County...
. In 1882 Rush was at San Francisco where the Royal Navy corvette
Corvette
A corvette is a small, maneuverable, lightly armed warship, originally smaller than a frigate and larger than a coastal patrol craft or fast attack craft , although many recent designs resemble frigates in size and role...
HMS Comus
HMS Comus (1878)
HMS Comus was a corvette of the Royal Navy. She was the name ship of her class. Launched in April 1878, the vessel was built by Messrs. J. Elder & Co of Glasgow at a cost of ₤123,000....
took aboard the Marquis of Lorne, Governor General of Canada, and his spouse the Princess Louise
Princess Louise, Duchess of Argyll
The Princess Louise was a member of the British Royal Family, the sixth child and fourth daughter of Queen Victoria and her husband, Albert, Prince Consort.Louise's early life was spent moving between the various royal residences in the...
, daughter of Queen Victoria, for their trip to Victoria, British Columbia
Victoria, British Columbia
Victoria is the capital city of British Columbia, Canada and is located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off Canada's Pacific coast. The city has a population of about 78,000 within the metropolitan area of Greater Victoria, which has a population of 360,063, the 15th most populous Canadian...
. An anonymous note threatened the British ship with destruction when the couple boarded, but a search yielded nothing, and Comus was escorted out to sea by the American cutter.
In 1885 the cutter was decommissioned and the hull and other fittings sold. The machinery was used in a new, larger vessel of the same name.