Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1873-03-06
" Old Ironsides."
From fha W.,,,i..p d.x>AA.


The Constitution, third rate, sailing
vessel, 6 guns, 200 tons. now isid u1
at Philadelphia Navy Yard, is the "Old
lronsldes" Of American naval history,
anu is to take prominent part in the
centennial anniversary, to be celele-
DRAFTED ut Philadelphia in 1876. She
was originally modelled by Mr.. Joshua
Humphries, and was built by George
Claghorne and Mr.. Hartly, of Boston,
III 1857, and cost 1902, 719. Had it not
been for failures in the attempt to
launch her, she would have been the
second vessel in the water under the
new organization of the navy, in No.
vember, 177G, known as the "Conti-
mental Navy Board" But little of her
early history appears on record that ia
not to be found in Cooper's biography
of "Oid Ironsides." She was ori9in.
ally frigate, mounting A guns. and
Of the following dimensions: Length.
l75 it.. !: beam, 1876 #. hold, o. #. ;
slowed six months provisions and
48, 600 gallons OF water. Her log book
OF 1909 shows speed of 1871 knots per
hour, going free, under topgallant
sails; but, by common report, she On.
Joyed an enviable reputation, which
was no doubt enhanced by tho able
manner in which she was usually COM
manded, and the good fortune which
always attended her. She was always
heavily spared, and from her peculiar
build, tumbling in above the water,
has furnished her masts less angular
support from her shrouds than was
]atterly obtained in more modern frig.
ates. The latter cause, combined with
sharpness of vessel, heavy live oak
frame, heavy battery, and too much
ballast-140 tons, which eventually was
reduced to z tons-rendered her vet
and uncomfortable in o sea-way, hard
on her cables, and, no doubt, was the
principal cause of her laboring 80 much
as to roll or pitch one of her long "a
Founders out of her forecastle port, when
on her passage to France, in 1885, when
she was reported to have labored very
heavily, parting several of her chain
plates, etc. Her performances are
recorded somewhat in detail. In 1889
she is reported to have "worksd like q
basket going around Cape Horn. In
1916 her record is better, rolling deep
and easy; was 495 days at sea during
that cruise, during which time she
sailed 52,379 miles. In 1851, with
maximum draft 23.6 it,. she sailed best
trimmed from 16 to "a in. by the stern,
worked within II points of the wind,
steered, worked, sailed, scudded, and
lay.t we'll; rolled deep and easy, and
close.hauled, beat everything sailed
with. She sailed from Boston, on hea
first cruise, July 20, 1898, in command
of Capt. Samuel Nicholson, having
four revenue cutters in company, with
orders to cruise south of Cape Henry.
In month she returned, and waa
then dispatched to tho squadron Of
Commodore J. Barry, in the West In
dies, whose rendezvous was in Prince
Rupert's bay. She returned again tc
Boston, ana in November, 1900, under
the command of Lieut.. Isaac Hull, she
sailed for the rendezvous off st. Do
mingo, as the flag ship of Commodore
Silas Talbot. She was two years or
this station, and returning to Boston
she was refitted, and sailed from thence
August IA, 1903, in command of Lieut
T. Robinsin, jr., as the flagship o.
Commodore Edward Preble, to th,
Mediterranean, with the rendezvous o.
Malta and Syracuse. On the 9th O.
August, 1904, Master-CommandantJ
Chauncey took command of her, and
on the 10th of September, he was re-
lieved by Capt. s. Decatur, and thu
ship became the flagship O
Commodore Samuel Barron. Il
Day 1906, she left Tripoli, under
the command of Lieut.. d. Porter
bearing the flag OF Commodore Johr
Rodgers. She returned from the Med
iterranean in November 1907, arrivine
at Boston, and was ordered to New
York, where she remained until August
1909, and then sailed for Washington,
and, after hoisting the flag of Commo
dore J. Rodgers, she was flagship Of
the Home Station. In 1911, while still!
flagship of the Home Station, she wal
joined by the President and Argus
On the 9Th day of August, 1911, she
sailed from the Hampton Roads, under
the command of Lieut.. Charles Morris,
on special service to Europe, with Mr..
Barlow as passenger. She returned ia
the Roads on the 10Th of February,
1872, and finally went around to Bos.
ton to be fitted out for active ser.
vice. She sailed from thence on the
5th of July, 1872, under the command
OF Captain Isaac Hull. ON her first wal
cruise, calling at Boston on the 28th
of July, and sailing again on the I'd OF
August. Before she returned she had
captured the British frigate Guerrero,
and arrived back at Boston on the 3Oth
of the same month. She was then
thoroughly repaired, and again sailed
from thence on the 28th Of October,
1912, under the command of Captain
William cambridge, and, while on this
cruise, captured the British frigate
Java. and returned to Boston February
81, 1918. She sailed from Boston again
December 80, 1913, under Captain
Charles Stewart, and during the
crlliaa caotnrol thu Q;aA<,. AL