Officers Of The Revenue Cutters News

1808- Subsistence for Army officers fixed at 20 cents per ration, later that year applied to all officers of the revenue cutters. 1843- Captain Alexander V. Fraser, Revenue Cutter Service, appointed Chief of newly-created Revenue Marine Bureau of Treasury (he was, in effect, the service's first "Commandant"). 1861-The Revenue cutter Harriet Lane fired the first shot from a naval vessel in the Civil War. The cutter fired across the bow of the merchant vessel Nashville when the latter attempted to enter Charleston Harbor without displaying the national flag. 1900- An Act of Congress (31 Stat. L., 77, 80) extended the jurisdiction of the Lighthouse Service to the noncontiguous territory, of Puerto Rico and adjacent American waters.

Today (August 4, 2008) marks the 218th anniversary of the enactment of the law establishing the Revenue Cutter Service – the forerunner of the US Coast Guard. The service is as vigorous and important to the nation now as it was in the early days of the Republic. While I recommend in the strongest terms to the respective officers, activity, vigilance and firmness, I feel no less solicitude, that their deportment may be marked with prudence, moderation and good temper. Upon these last qualities, not less that the former, must depend the success, usefulness and consequently continuance of the establishment in which they are included. They cannot be insensible that there are some prepossessions against it…