United States Merchant Marine Academy - Midships Yearbook (Kings Point, NY)

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Captain Emery Rice, whose ship fired the first shot at an enemy submarine in World War I, graduated from the Massachusetts Nautical School in 1897 and started to sea with the International Navigation Company. When the Spanish-American War broke out Rice was a quarter- master aboard the S.S. New York. He remained with that vessel when she was taken over by the Navy and renamed the U.S.S. Harvard. From her bridge he signalled to Admiral Sampson the approach of the Spanish fleet. After the war Rice served in the American Line until 1901 when he went around Cape Horn to San Francisco. Three years later he was certified as a master and came to command the Zafiro, the China and the Mongolia. His record in Pacific waters included the rescue of fourteen fishermen during a typhoon. In 1916 Captain Rice brought the Mongolia around the Horn to enter the hazardous Trans-Atlantic run carrying munitions. After our entrance into the war the following year his ship was armed and on April 19, 1917, in the English Channel, scored our first hit on a submarine. Captain Rice continued to sail his vessel across the submarine-infested waters of the Atlantic making eighty-two crossings. His untimely death in 1919 closed a brilliant career. The Navy Cross, awarded posthumously, is among his decorations, which include medals for service in the Spanish-American War and one for distinguished service while commanding the Mongolia. I OF CAPTAIN EMERY RICE 11

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an act to authorize the Construction of eight Attain Vessels of lUar, and for other purposes. Be IT ENACTED BY THE SENATE AND HoUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Secretary of the Navy be authorized to construct eight steam vessels of war with auxiliary sailpower, and of such class or classes as, in his judgment will best subserve the demands of the service, each carrying six or more guns of large caliber; the hulls to be built of iron or wood, as the Secretary may determine: provided, That the aggregate tonnage of the whole number shall not exceed eight thousand tons, and that the cost of building the same shall not exceed three million two hundred thousand dollars: and provided. That four of said vessels shall be built in whole or in part, in private yards, upon contract with the lowest responsible bidder therefor, upon public competition and proposals, due notice thereof being given by advertisement, upon models, specifications, and drawings furnished by the Navy Department and under its direction and super- vision, if, upon full examination and consideration, the same shall be deemed practicable, by the Secretary of the Navy; or the hulls of any portion of said vessels may be built upon private contract in the government yards upon like proposals, models, specifications, drawings, and supervision, and upon like examination and consideration the government in either case furnishing such materials as may be deemed practicable by the Secretary of the Navy. SEC. 2. That neither of said vessels shall be commenced until full and complete models, specifications, and drawings shall be made for its con- struction in all parts and after such models and drawings are approved by the proper authority, they shall not be changed in any respect when the cost will exceed one hundred dollars, except upon the recommenda- tion of a board of survey composed of not less than five officers of the navy, and approved by the Secretary of the Navy; and if changes are thus made, the actual cost of, and damage caused by, such change shall be estimated by such board of survey; and the terms of the contract shall provide that the contractors shall be bound by the estimate of said board as to the amount of increased of diminished compensation they are to receive, if any, in consequence of any such damages. Approved, February 10, 1873.