New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-12-06
Old lrOnsides.

| At Wood, Dialogue & Co.'s yard, at
I, Kaighn's Point, undergoing thorough re-
| iuvenation, lies the United States ship
Constitution, or "Old Ironsides," OF heroic
memory. For many years previous to her
| arrival at this port, in 1871, shewas used as
| val Academy at Annapolis She was
| brought to the navy yard here with the
| intention of having her rebuilt as steamer,
| retaining only enough of her old timbers to
| 'swear by," as q naval officer expressed it,
that she might keep her old name. But
| that idea was abandoned, and then it was
| proposed to fit her up as an interest
| visitors, but that also came to
naught, and now "Old Ironsides" is being
put in condition as naval training ship
| At the old navy yard she was rebuilt from
| the water line, replanked and launched,
| but when the navy yard was moved to
League Island, Wood, Dialogue & Co. re-
ceived the contract to complete the repairs,
which will be finished on or before the first
of January. She will be thoroughly rugged
and equipped, will carry battery of long
thirty-twOpounders and complement of
ninety four men, including twenty four ma
rinea, besides nine commissioned officers of
the navy now on the Potomac. The P0to-
mac is q rotton and worthless old hulk, and
will be broken up or sold, and all her ser
viceable equipments are being transferred
to the Constitution Although the latter will
probably never 20 to sea again. she is
being put in ship-shape, and will be we'll
she is intended. She will be provided
with steam heating apparatus, which will
give an even temperature throughout the
ship. Her cabins are handsomely finished
in black walnut and ash, and all her ap-
pointments will be complete and comforta-
be The object of the government in pro-
viding training ships for boys is to secure
for the service trained corps OF intelligent
and robust men. An intelligent and indus
trious boy who enters training ship ard
improves the opportunities afforded bin
ought to be able to command a merchant
vessel by the time his term of enlistment
expires. A boy to enter training ship
must be not less than sixteen nor over
seventeen years old, at least five feet one
inch in height without shoes, and measure
thirty inches around the chest He must
be strong and healthy, intelligent, and free
from any physical malfOrmatiOn; he must
be able to read and write, and must have
the consent of his parents or guardian.
Any Philadelphia boy possessing these
qualifications, who wishes to enter a
training ship, can do go by applying on
board the Potomac now lying at Kaighn's
Point. He will have to serve until he is
twenty -Ouo years OH. OlIll uo 10 clSu Uctu
he will remain on the training ship. After
that he will be transferred to q sea-going
vessel, where he will have an opportunity
to perfect himself in the knowledge of
sailors duties, including practical navigs-
ton. 1t is fitting use to which to put the
grand old ship, which has carried to victory
some of Americas most illustriOus sOne-a
ship which never struck her colOrs and
never lost mast in action-tO make her a
e,bool fov tha oduoatiOn Of corpo of
thoroughly skilled Americ IN sailors, class
which, if it ever existed, has almost en-
tirely disappeared from our navy. A
naval officer said to a Times reporter,
YESTERDAY: sour seamen are almost en-
tirely foreigners; take a ship with coIn
plement of $50 men, and excluding the COM
missiOred officers, you will not find twenty
Americans" "Old Ironsides,'" as the Con-
situtiOn has been afftctionately called for
three quarters of u century, is the most
venerable craft now in the American navy,
and her history is story OF gallant ex-
pIoits, daring deeds ard brilliant successes.
She was nodded by Joshua Humpbries, of
Philadelphia, and was built in Boston by
George Claghor4e ind Mr.. Hartley. She
was laid down in 1896 and launched Sep
TENDER 20, 1897. Captain William Michel
SON was her first commander From 1903
to 1905 she foeted the broad pennant of
Commodore Preble, the intrepid sailor vino
taught the arrogant ard rapacous Bashaw
OF Tripoli to respect and fear the infant re-
public. On the fifth of July, 1872,
commanded by Captain Isaac Hull,
she sailed from Annapolis on one
of the most memorable cruises that
ship ever made. She passed the capes on
the twelfth. and from the seventeenth to
The twentieth she was pursued by the
English Commodore Broke's entire squad |
ron, consisting OF five frigates, the Africa,
Shannon, G lerriere, Belvedera and Acolus,
but she evaded them ALL and month later /