Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1874-06-10
A Visit to Annapolis.
WASHINGTON, June 5th, 1877

your correspondent an opportunity on the
3oth day of May Decoration Day. to visit
another of those many places in the neigh
borhood of the National Capital that pos
sess historic interest. Aside from this the
place of the visit has the honor to be the
capital of "My Maryland" and to be one
OF the oldest settlements in the State.
To vary the monotony of railway ride
we concluded to 60 by the way of Baltimore
thence over the blue waters of the beau.
tiful Chesapeake to our destination
Leaving Washington at s o'clock in the
morning we reached the monumental city
at an hour when few people were yet stir
ring and went on board clean and COM
Portable little steamer that was Just get
ting ready for lis early start. 1t was love-
ly morning, the sun shone clear and bright
and in the harbor Of Baltimore life was in
full activity on board the numerous vessels,
while The city yet slept. Few of your
readers are probably aware of the impor-
lance that Baltimore is fast gain ing as
commercial centre, threatening to rival
New York in its shipping and carrying
trade, and ranking now as the second COM
mercial city in the union. Steamers de-
part regularly for England, Germany, Hav-
ana and the West Indies, and the trade with
| tharp ho, al ~l1
proportions. The result is largely due to
the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company
| which has favored the city at the expense
Of its rivals and is constantly extending its
lines in the Southern and Western States.
We steam out of the harbor, passing Fort
| McaeDry, the old fort that so CALAMITY re-
pulsed the British troops in 1914, and Fort
Carol, an old stone Forttin the middle of
the stream. Tue country on both sides s
very beautiful, that part on our left side
being known as the eastern Shore re-
nowned for its peaches and vegetables.
For some time we have seen at a distance
the smoke from a large steamer coming up
the bay, and as the boats gradually ap-
proach each other, we fiud it is one of
the steamers just coming in from Bremen
Germany; her decks are crowded with pas
sengers, nearly all Of the Storage, that for
the first time greet he friendly shores OF the
United States. The bay gradually widens,
until we turn point and find ourselves i'm
mediately in front OF the City Annapolis on
the shore OF the Severn river On The OPP
| posite side of the shore is the navy yard,
now but little used; in the waters are two
men of-war, used as exercise ships for the
naval cadets.
Annapolis dates its existence back for
nearly two hundred years, and was known
before Baltimore was ever dreamed Of.
! Hence it's streets present quite IA European
look, narrow and crooked, and many of the
buildings are of ancient architecture. From
three circles, occupied respectively by the
! State House. the Govern ors Mansion, and
St. AIMS Episcopal Church the streets eradi
ate, being connected by cross streets. AL
| though dull and slow in business its APP
| pearance is very much improved since the
last time we saw it, in 1861, when Burn
| sides forces were gathered together here
for the expedition along the coast of North
Carolina. The State House is an old square
brick building, situated in a pleasant little
park, and ornamented by fine dome, from
which most delightful view meets the eye
of the observer. The city is almost sur
rounded with water, in front the river
Severn and behind that the beautiful Chesa-
peake, on the sides the tributaries to the
river The landscape is almost perfect,
timber, prairie, hills and water com dining
to making it one of the very finest i q this
section In the Senate cham Der Washing
ton in 1888 resigned his position as COM
mander-in-chief to the Congress of the
United States assembled here The room
is almost unchanged in appearance, and a
picture commemorative OF the event adorns
the WALL together with Washin tons ad-
dress and the reply of Congress. The Ex-
ecutive Chamber is adorned by pictures of
all the Governors of the State of Mary
land, and presents a fine appearance
The Naval Academy grounds form the
| chief attraction to the visitor to ANNAPOLIS
They front on the river, and are enclosed by
buildings consisting of the officers quar-
tiers, school-rooms, sleeping rooms &C., &c.,
of the cadets. An old port situated on
point in the river is enclosed under a roof
and used as placed of instruction in
| gunnery. The 30th Of May is graduating
day, and cadets and officers all appear in
full Uniform. A dress parade is held o.
the beautiful parade grounds, drill gone
through with, and the diplomas delivered
to the graduates by the Secretary of the
Navy. For a month they have leave of
absence and then return to their places as
midshipmen on men-of. war for three years
cruise. Were it not for the Academy An
napolis would be but an Insignificant place
aside from the historic interest attached tc
it. The Sociaty is chiefly formed by the
families of the officers stationed here
Every morning and evening the naval bano
tho