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Naval History and Heritage Command

Naval History and Heritage Command

Commander Asa Walker to Secretary of the Navy John D. Long

U.S.S. Concord, 3d Rate,

Yokohama, Japan,

Feb. 12, 1898.

S i r :-

     1.  I have to report that, in obedience to the Department’s telegraphic orders of January 5th 1898, I left the Navy Yard, Mare Island on January 8th with this ship, and proceeded directly to sea. The passage to Honolulu was made in nine days, during which time the ship was five days under half boiler power, and four days under three quarters boiler power.

     2.  Advantage was taken of the opportunity for target practice with the ship’s battery.

     3.  Arriving at Honolulu on the afternoon of January 17th, I reported to Rear Admiral Miller,1 Commander-in-Chief of the Pacific Squadron, who facilitated my preparations for an early departure.

     4.  Having taken on board two hundred and eighty tons of George’s Creek2 coal, I left Honolulu on the morning of January 22d for Yokohama.

     5.  I arrived in Yokohama at two P.M. February 9th, and reported for duty to the Commander-in-Chief of the Asiatic Squadron.3

     6.  The passage from Honolulu was made in seventeen days and nine hours under half boiler power at the expense of 301 and 870/2240 tons of coal, which gives an average of about eleven miles for each ton of coal consumed, for all purposes.

     7.  By order of the Commander-in-Chief I shall proceed to Chemulpo,4 Korea, as soon as stores shall have been received and the crew given liberty.

Very respectfully,     

Asa Walker,       

Comander, U.S. Navy,

Commanding.

Source Note: TLS, DNA, AFNRC, M625, roll 362. Addressed below close: “The Secretary of the Navy.” Document reference: “No. 2.”

Footnote 1: RAdm. Joseph N. Miller, Commander, Pacific Station.

Footnote 2: Refers to coal from George’s Creek Valley, Maryland.

Footnote 3: Commo. George Dewey, Commander, Asiatic Station.

Footnote 4: Chemulpo is modern day Incheon.

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