Commander B.F. Tilley This is Me

 Web References

1. 1. USS Abarenda, Collier AG-14 History

   www.greatwhitefleet.org/abaren - [Cached]

   Published on: 12/14/2004   Last Visited: 7/5/2006

   On 17 April 1900, the Chief of Tutuila (American Samoa) ceded up unto Commander B.F. Tilley of the Abarenda, the duly accredited representative of the Government of the United States of America, the islands of Tutuila and Aunu'u and all other islands, rocks, reefs, foreshores and waters lying between the 13th degree and the 15th degree of south latitude and between the 171st degree and 167th degree of west longitude from the meridian of Greenwich, together with all sovereign rights thereunto belonging and possessed by us, to hold the said ceded territory unto the Government of the United States of America; to erect the same into a separate District to be annexed to the said Government, to be known and designated as the District of "Tutuila".
   
   Assigned duty as station ship at Samoa, Abarenda spent the next two and a half years largely ferrying people and cargo between Apia and Pago Pago, often carrying as many as 50, or more, Samoan natives each trip. Twice during this period, during the winter of 1899-1900 and the winter of 1900-1901, the ship made a voyage from Samoan waters to New Zealand, where she was drydocked in the Calliope Dock at Auckland for hull work. Relieved of duty as station ship by Wheeling (Gunboat No. 14) on 24 May 1902, Abarenda sailed for the United States that same day, and, after touching at Lundy Point, Chile; Montevideo; St. Thomas and San Juan, Puerto Rico, en route, reached the Virginia capes on 9 August 1902. Shifting to the Norfolk Navy Yard at mid-day on the 10th, she underwent preparations for inactivation, and was decommissioned on 4 September 1902.
   
   Following her recommissioning on 3 November 1903, Lt. Comdr. J. L. Purcell in command, Abarenda sailed to Guantanamo Bay and Pensacola, Florida, to support the Atlantic Fleet. She was next ordered to carry coal and ammunition to the European Squadron and departed Norfolk on 23 April 1904. She filled the bunkers of Maine (BB-10), Alabama (BB- 8), Kearsarge (BB-5) and Iowa (BB-4) from 3 August to 20 June and arrived at Piraeus, Greece, on 30 June. After a two-day stop at Gibraltar in mid-July, the collier headed home on 3 August and arrived back at Norfolk where she immediately began loading coal and ammunition to supply the European Squadron. The collier again sailed for the Mediterranean on 14 October, arrived at Gibraltar on 2 November, and soon moved on to Genoa, Italy, to coal more ships. After a brief stop at Gibraltar, she got underway for the United States on 28 November.