The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1883-02-08

That saved the captlves life. And now,
PonderinR it DER with thoughtful crow,
Pm led to this profound belief:
We do not kill our bores, because
| We know each time they hold their jaws
Our ennui finds such sweet relief.
| G.. Lathropin Lie
! THE OLD lRoNSIDES.
Every navy has its favorite ship
around which cluster the most glorious
| traditions of the service-the typical
ship of the nation. The mention Of the
English ,nan-of.war, Victory, calls TO
mind Nelson Trafalgar. The Embuscade
recalls one of tho most brilliant exploits
| of the French marine.
In our own navy, the Hartford and
Kearssgs; by reason Of the exploits
with which they have been associated,
arc popular favorites. Iet, even in the
light of their renown, the fame Ct the
| Old Ironsides rema MS undim,ned. and
she still holds in the public estimation
| the place she made her own in the days
| Of Preble, Hull, cambridge and Stewart.
Eighty years old, of no possible use in
| modern warfare, the noble vessel had,
| after an interval eff nearly thirty years.
! reappeared in foreign waters, as the
bearer to Havre of our goods fof the last
great Paric Exposition. Having dis
charged this missiou Of peace, she has
!urled her sails forever.
The Constitution was built at Boston,
and launched September 20, 1893: She
was rated as a ''foft1 -four-gun frigate,"
though her armament exceeded, some
times by eight, and on one occasion by
eleven, this number of guns. She did
not go to sea until tie Goth of June, 1893,
when she began to cruise against the
French privateers, France and the
United States then being at war.
The Constitutions service during the
| "Quasiwar," as the hostii;ties with France
have since been called, were signalized
by one or two dashing exploits. One Of
these illustrates the spirit of the navy of
that day.
The English packet Sandwich had
! been captured by the French and car
ri, d into Porte Platte. As the Sandwich
was remarkably fast ship. active pre-
parations were made to convert her into
| = privateer for the purpose of preying
Upon English and American COM
merce.
Her movements Hers closely watched
by the officers of the Cons tuition. The
first lieutenant, Mr.. Isaac Hull, repeated
ly urged upon Commodore Talbot the
feasibility of cutting out the blo.:kaded
pri:eteef. Finally orders were given to
make the attempt.
A small coasting slooP. was procured,
manned by seamen and marines, and
commanded by Lieut.. Hull. She was
less trader. The better to conceal the
purpose Of the expedition, the frigate
stood of the coast.
The real character of the sloop was not
| suspected. The French allowed her to
come in collision with the Sandwich. At
word of command, the seamen and ma
rines rushed from below, and despite
| smart resistance, boarded the ship, driv-
| ing the crew from her deck and lowering
the tri-color that foated de6antly at her
peak.
Although the enterprise involved the
storming OF a battery on shore, the
Americans rejoined the frigate without
seamen ha their trouble for their pains.
Port Platte being a neutral port, the
Sandwich was given up to Spain by our
government. and the officers and men of
the constitution lost the prize money.
During the war with Tripoli, many of
the officers and men OF the constitution
participated in the different enterprises
against that pirate STRONGHOLD. Five OF
her midsl,ipmen took part in the dcstruc-
ton Of the Philadelphia, and by the en-
plosion of the Intrepid, which had been
cent into the harbor Of Tripoli IA tor.
pedo, designed to blow up the Tripolitan
| gunboa.s, two Of her lieutenants. Messrs.
Wadsworth and Israel, persisted with
the lamentcd Somers. 1t was believed
that the high-spirited ocean-warriors.
preferring death to surrender, applied
the torch to the magazine of their vessel
and persisted with her.
While the Constitution was lying at
Portsmouth, England. in 1911, an angry
alteration occurred between Capt. Hull,
at that time in com nand of the frigate,
and the English captain in regard to de-
serters. A man had deserted from the
Constitution, and the British officers had
refused to give up the runaway, he hav-
ing represented himself to be British
subject.
A few nights later, an object was seen
floating on the water alongside the Con-
stitution, which proved to be a sailor.
When taken on board the man declared,
in q rich Irish brogue. that he was ma
tive born Ame:ic lean: The next morning
surrender of the lrishman; but. follow.
ing their precedent Capt. Hull refused
to give him up.
Observing some suspicious movements
on the part of the English vessels lying
| near him. Can't. Hull determined to
| change his berth. Two British frigates
had ranged up close alongside the Con:
stitution. The crew of the latter stood
| nearly at the gun, and the pilot ex-
presse doubts of going clear. He was
told to 20 foul, if he could do no better;
but by careful handling a collision was
avoided.
That nj gbt the Constitution was fol-
and all on board the :Old :Ironsides''
anticipated an attempt to repeat TIT at
tack that had been made on the Chesa-
peake. Accordingly the drum beat to
quarters, and every preparation Was
made to repel an attack.
| An officer passing through the batteries
said to the hardy seaman clustered about
the guns that this was a sailors quarrel,
and he should expect good service OF
them. Instantly, as if by spontaneous
impulse, q cry was raised
''Let the quarterback look to the
colors. and we will look to the guns"
The English frigate, noticing the prep
arations, sheered of, and the night
passed without an encounter. Thence
the watchword on board the Constitu-
ton.
During the war Of 1912, the Constitu-
tons traditional good fortune attended
her. At the opening of the contest, she
escaped from British squadron of sew
en- vessels, which for three days and
nights held her In hard chase.
During the chase it fell calm, and
Capt. Hull, adopted the ingenious OK