The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1874-02-28

Letter FROM Annapolis.


Letter froih Annapolis.
ASNAPoLIs, Feb, 25th, 1874.
An unworthy trick was praciiced upon
Mr., McAleese, Of the Baltimore city dol.
egation, on Friday last He sent to the
Clerks desk what purpOricd TO be the
petition Of 10000 citizens Of Baltimore
city against local option. Ii was after
wards discovered that the names were
those Of $4,000 petitioners to the General
Assembly Of 1870, against the running of
the cars on Sunday on the city passenger
railways. The heads Of these petitions
had been cut Of, and the names appended
to petition against local option. One of
the headings had thin paper pasted over
II, bat the printed matter could be read
through il, and this led to the discovery
Of the trick. Mr.. McAleese at once arose
and asked permission to withdraw the pc
tition, stating that he had been imposed
upon. The trick reacted against the OPP
ponents Of temperance
On Saturday last, the House not being
in session, | employed the time, in compa-
ny with two friends in visiting the Naval
Academy. The Cadets were at target
practice on board the U. S. Sloop Of War
Santee, A guns, practice ship Of the Naval
School. The target was about mile and
half distant, the shot ~ Founders. From
the old battery, now the gymnasium, We
witnessed the course of the shot The ri
coehet shot were very interesting, dipping
as many as seven times, before expending
their force. In one of the departments
noticed bronze lion, captured on board
the British ship Macedonia, by the U. S.
frigate Constitution. This is not the only
trophy of our naval prowess to be seen in
the Naval Academy At the entrance to
the steam department are two large cannon
planted in the earth like gateposts, on
which are brass plates inscribed as follows
" Captured from the British Frigate Con-
6ance, on Lake Champlain, Sept. 18th,
1914, by Com. McDonough.' Melon
ough, as your readers are doubtless aware,
was a gallant sou Of the Diamond State.
He and Decatur were born within thirty
miles Of each other, the latter at Chester
town, Nd. The Peninsula between the
Delaware and Chesapeake bays gave us
two Of the greatest naval heroes Of the
last war with England. Commodore Jones
was also from the Peninsula, think, from
Dover. In the Armory saw many tro-
phies won by our gallant navy in the war
Of 1Sl2-1Sl4. There were British and
French flags, festooncd all around the in
terror of the building Among them
noticed the flag of the y. S. Sloop of War
St. Lawrence, Commodore Perry, with
the ever-memorable motto " Don give up
the Ship" and along side of it the flag Of
the Little Belt, captured on Lake Erie,
Sept. 10th, 1913. Our successes upon
the Lakes gave to our Navy a prestige
that will ever attach to the " left arm" of
our national defence, the Army being
considered the "right arm or the more
powerful oe the two forces. As | gaEed
upon the red cross of St. George, emblaz-
oned upon the numerous flags displayed
in this department, could not help think
ing that American tars were the only ones
who had won such trophies from Old AL
bion, in modern times The names of our
naval heroes-Hull, Decatur, McDonough,
Perry, Porter, will ever live in the memo
~ OF those who cherish becoming pride
in the achievements of our gallant navy.
The deep interest with which / regarded
these time-worn battle.fags, caused the
scenes in which they had acted part, so
described in Cooper's Naval
History, to pass in review before me.
could have fingered for hours in this de-
partment alone. But there were many
other objects of interest in the same de-
partment, not the least of which was o
Gatlin Gun that discharged 400 balls in
minute. 1t is beautiful arm, as bright
and glittering as polished brass and steel
could make it. II is upon the principle
Of the revolver, except that the barrels re.
volve while the ammunition chamber is
stationary. In the same department are
specimens Of every known variety of fire.
arm, from the old flint lock, to all the i'm
provements Of modern times. Also, every
variety of shot and shell, and torpedoes Of |
every conceivable pattern, including some
taken from Charleston harbor, made out
Of iron-bound kegs, and tin cans, holding
over hundred pounds Of powder. The |
deadly and determined character Of the !
ate internecine war, is nowhere better
svinced than in the preparation Of these |
destructive missiles. In the lower part Of |
he Academy grounds is Ram, construct
I'd on the principle Of Winans' Cigar Ship, |
which was captured in Charleston harbor. |
There it lies, upon supports constructed of |
brick masonry, curious memento Of the |
ate "onpleasantness" between the North |
md the South.
In the Severn river, off the Naval Acad
envy wharf, lies at anchor the double-tur- |
reted iron-clad Amphitrite. Through the |
polite attention of Capt. Farquhar, Of the |
'loop-of-war Santee, we were placed in one |
'f the ships small boats in which two men |
rowed us out in the river and put us on
The iron monster. With the aid of Ian |
fern We explored its dark recesses, all I'm |
der water, the engine-room, mess.room.
&c. We also went into tbs |
turrets, and looked at the monster / 5-inch |