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USS Alliance (1877)
Encyclopedia
The second USS Alliance was a screw gunboat
that was in service from 1877-1911 with the United States Navy
.
Laid down as Huron, a screw gunboat of the third rate, in 1873 at the Norfolk Navy Yard, Alliance was launched on 8 March 1875. She was sponsored by Miss Eulalie Boush, whose father, Naval Constructor George R. Boush, was superintending the warship's construction. However, before Huron joined the fleet, she was renamed Alliance to honor the Revolutionary War
frigate
. Ultimately, Alliance was commissioned on 18 January 1877, Commander
Theordore F. Kane in command.
for Salonika in company with Rear Admiral
John L. Worden's flagship, , and reached that port five days later. She returned to Smyrna, and then again visited Constantinople, where she remained into December. She sailed thence back to Smyrna, the new year 1878 finding her in that port. Having spent eight months in the eastern Mediterranean, Alliance sailed for Villefranche
in early January 1878, but returned to Smyrna on 24 February, bringing with her quantities of stores to be distributed among the ships of the squadron.
A few hours after Alliances arrival, arrived at the Pireaus bearing Ulysses S. Grant
on his world tour. During ex-President
Grant's stay, Alliance rendered honors to him on 13 March. Less than two weeks later, while she lay at the Pireaus, the ship received the King and Queen of Greece
, who, after inspecting the flagship, "remained a considerable time on board" Alliance, and departed on 26 March.
Sailing from Havre on 6 August, Alliance reached Cherbourg, France, on the 7th, and remained there for a day, before pushing on for Gibraltar
on the 9th. She proceeded thence to Villefranche, arriving there on the 19th. After returning to the eastern Mediterranean, visiting Leghorn, Italy, between 20 and 27 September, she sailed on a cruise "in eastern waters, making Smyrna her headquarters." Alliance later visited Messina, Italy and Volo, Turkey; after "finding affairs there (at Volo) quiet," the gunboat sailed for Smyrna, arriving there on 11 October. Alliance remained there into December.
, returning to the U.S. late in the year. Reaching Boston on 8 December 1879, Alliance sailed for Norfolk the following day, arriving there on the 14th. For the next five months, the ship lay under repairs at Norfolk, before she received orders at the end of April 1880, to proceed to the Newfoundland Banks, to "search for and establish positions (if found) of the rocks and shoals" reported by shipping in that area.
After that the ship found herself in the Caribbean
monitoring the Colombia
n civil war
in 1885. That year, she captured
the one-gun Colombian privateer
brigantine
Ambrose Light, which was filled with heavily-armed sailors and ammunition. Ambrose Light was flying a strange flag, so the Americans assumed the ship to be a pirate. The ship was taken as prize but later released.
Alliance resumed her activities, training landsmen, soon thereafter, attached to the Atlantic Training Squadron. In 1902, the ship visited Queenstown, Ireland; Lisbon, Portugal; Algiers, and Madeira before undergoing voyage repairs at the Norfolk Navy Yard; subsequently, the ship sailed south to Trinidad, St. Kitts, San Juan, and Jamaica, before arriving back in Hampton Roads on 13 June 1903. In 1904, Alliance was among the ships reviewed by President Theodore Roosevelt
at Oyster Bay, Long Island, on 17 August 1904.
, to serve as station ship and store ship at the naval station there. Regarded as "unserviceable for war purposes", she was decommissioned at San Juan on 7 July 1911, and her name was struck from the Naval Vessel Register
on 9 August 1911. Her hulk, however, remained in government hands until disposed.
Gunboat
A gunboat is a naval watercraft designed for the express purpose of carrying one or more guns to bombard coastal targets, as opposed to those military craft designed for naval warfare, or for ferrying troops or supplies.-History:...
that was in service from 1877-1911 with the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
.
Laid down as Huron, a screw gunboat of the third rate, in 1873 at the Norfolk Navy Yard, Alliance was launched on 8 March 1875. She was sponsored by Miss Eulalie Boush, whose father, Naval Constructor George R. Boush, was superintending the warship's construction. However, before Huron joined the fleet, she was renamed Alliance to honor the Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
frigate
Frigate
A frigate is any of several types of warship, the term having been used for ships of various sizes and roles over the last few centuries.In the 17th century, the term was used for any warship built for speed and maneuverability, the description often used being "frigate-built"...
. Ultimately, Alliance was commissioned on 18 January 1877, Commander
Commander (United States)
In the United States, commander is a military rank that is also sometimes used as a military title, depending on the branch of service. It is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the military, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Naval rank:In the United States...
Theordore F. Kane in command.
1877—1878
On 25 August 1877, Alliance sailed from SmyrnaSmyrna
Smyrna was an ancient city located at a central and strategic point on the Aegean coast of Anatolia. Thanks to its advantageous port conditions, its ease of defence and its good inland connections, Smyrna rose to prominence. The ancient city is located at two sites within modern İzmir, Turkey...
for Salonika in company with Rear Admiral
Rear Admiral
Rear admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank above that of a commodore and captain, and below that of a vice admiral. It is generally regarded as the lowest of the "admiral" ranks, which are also sometimes referred to as "flag officers" or "flag ranks"...
John L. Worden's flagship, , and reached that port five days later. She returned to Smyrna, and then again visited Constantinople, where she remained into December. She sailed thence back to Smyrna, the new year 1878 finding her in that port. Having spent eight months in the eastern Mediterranean, Alliance sailed for Villefranche
Villefranche-sur-Mer
Villefranche-sur-Mer is a commune in the Alpes-Maritimes department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region on the French Riviera.-Geography:...
in early January 1878, but returned to Smyrna on 24 February, bringing with her quantities of stores to be distributed among the ships of the squadron.
A few hours after Alliances arrival, arrived at the Pireaus bearing Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant was the 18th President of the United States as well as military commander during the Civil War and post-war Reconstruction periods. Under Grant's command, the Union Army defeated the Confederate military and ended the Confederate States of America...
on his world tour. During ex-President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Grant's stay, Alliance rendered honors to him on 13 March. Less than two weeks later, while she lay at the Pireaus, the ship received the King and Queen of Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
, who, after inspecting the flagship, "remained a considerable time on board" Alliance, and departed on 26 March.
Sailing from Havre on 6 August, Alliance reached Cherbourg, France, on the 7th, and remained there for a day, before pushing on for Gibraltar
Gibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...
on the 9th. She proceeded thence to Villefranche, arriving there on the 19th. After returning to the eastern Mediterranean, visiting Leghorn, Italy, between 20 and 27 September, she sailed on a cruise "in eastern waters, making Smyrna her headquarters." Alliance later visited Messina, Italy and Volo, Turkey; after "finding affairs there (at Volo) quiet," the gunboat sailed for Smyrna, arriving there on 11 October. Alliance remained there into December.
1878—1904
In 1879, Alliance carried out much the same routine as in her previous time with the European SquadronEuropean Squadron
The European Squadron, also known as the European Station, was a part of the United States Navy in the late 19th century and the early 1900s. The squadron was originally named the Mediterranean Squadron and renamed following the American Civil War...
, returning to the U.S. late in the year. Reaching Boston on 8 December 1879, Alliance sailed for Norfolk the following day, arriving there on the 14th. For the next five months, the ship lay under repairs at Norfolk, before she received orders at the end of April 1880, to proceed to the Newfoundland Banks, to "search for and establish positions (if found) of the rocks and shoals" reported by shipping in that area.
After that the ship found herself in the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
monitoring the Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
n civil war
Civil war
A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same nation state or republic, or, less commonly, between two countries created from a formerly-united nation state....
in 1885. That year, she captured
Capture of the Ambrose Light
The Capture of the Ambrose Light occurred in 1885 when the United States Navy gunboat USS Alliance seized a brigantine operated by Colombian rebels.-Capture:...
the one-gun Colombian privateer
Privateer
A privateer is a private person or ship authorized by a government by letters of marque to attack foreign shipping during wartime. Privateering was a way of mobilizing armed ships and sailors without having to spend public money or commit naval officers...
brigantine
Brigantine
In sailing, a brigantine or hermaphrodite brig is a vessel with two masts, only the forward of which is square rigged.-Origins of the term:...
Ambrose Light, which was filled with heavily-armed sailors and ammunition. Ambrose Light was flying a strange flag, so the Americans assumed the ship to be a pirate. The ship was taken as prize but later released.
Alliance resumed her activities, training landsmen, soon thereafter, attached to the Atlantic Training Squadron. In 1902, the ship visited Queenstown, Ireland; Lisbon, Portugal; Algiers, and Madeira before undergoing voyage repairs at the Norfolk Navy Yard; subsequently, the ship sailed south to Trinidad, St. Kitts, San Juan, and Jamaica, before arriving back in Hampton Roads on 13 June 1903. In 1904, Alliance was among the ships reviewed by President Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States . He is noted for his exuberant personality, range of interests and achievements, and his leadership of the Progressive Movement, as well as his "cowboy" persona and robust masculinity...
at Oyster Bay, Long Island, on 17 August 1904.
1904—1911
The ship's last duty commenced soon thereafter, when she was dispatched to Culebra, Puerto RicoCulebra, Puerto Rico
Isla Culebra is an island-municipality of Puerto Rico originally called Isla Pasaje and Isla de San Ildefonso. It is located approximately east of the Puerto Rican mainland, west of St. Thomas and north of Vieques. Culebra is spread over 5 wards and Culebra Pueblo...
, to serve as station ship and store ship at the naval station there. Regarded as "unserviceable for war purposes", she was decommissioned at San Juan on 7 July 1911, and her name was struck from the Naval Vessel Register
Naval Vessel Register
The Naval Vessel Register is the official inventory of ships and service craft in custody of or titled by the United States Navy. It contains information on ships and service craft that make up the official inventory of the Navy from the time a vessel is authorized through its life cycle and...
on 9 August 1911. Her hulk, however, remained in government hands until disposed.