St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-10-30
THE ENSIGN"
Lifts Great Play at the Grand
This Week

Lifts Great Play at the Grand
This Week.
The Ensign" William Haworth's
new naval play, in its present condition
will be seen here for the first time at
the Grand opera hease tonight, where it
Will remain for one week. The play
com eS strongly Endorsed by the Boston.
Chicago, Philadelphia and other critics
and naval men generally. 1t scored
pronounced hit in all the leading cities
OF the East last season. The author
has invaded a new field in his search
for purely American drama-that of
recent naval history-and if one-half
OF the complimentary things that
have been said about the piece are
true. The Ensign" is certainly
a creditable spiay. In addition to a
story of absorbing interest end
strong cast, it is splendidly put upon
the stage Indeed, great deal is
claimed for it in scenic way. Artists
and mechanics were engaged on the
scenery for months under the direction
OF an eX-Unted States naval officer, and
1t is said that not detail has been over
looked in the staging OF the play. The
gun deck of q man-of-war, with its big
guns looking curiously through the i'm
menSe portfolios, with its lines. ropes,
plements of war in place, the
guns manned, and the crew
ready for action, is one of the
startling bits of realism promised. The
characters-some of them-were con-
spIcuous figures in the chief events of
the war. Among them are President
Lincoln, who. by the way, is introduced
IN a sort of Jableau only; Secretary
Welles, Admiral Earragut, Capt. Wilkes
and Lieut.. Fairfax. The hero, however,
is young ensign attached to the San
Jacinto. and it is with his fortunes that
the play deals. 1t will be remembered
that the capture of the Confederate COM
misSioners by Capt. Wilkes. OF the
United States frlgate San Jacinto. on
the high seas, almost involved
this country III a war with Great
Britain. In the plot of 1.-The Ensign
LieutS. Allen and Blythe, of H. NJ. S.
Warrior, stationed at Havana, were con-
fidentially instructed by their superior
officers to prevent Capt. Wilkes from
accomplishing his purpose. 70 effect
this some plan must be devised to de-
tain the United States man-Of-war
Lieut. Blythe took the nearest method,
and attacked the reputation of an Amer
lean officers sweetheart, under the I'M
preston that the American would as
Sault him, and that the resultant quarrel
would cause the detention of Capt.
Wilkes and his ship by the Cuban au-
thorities long enough for the escape of
the Confederate commissioners. the
young officer selected for the pur-
pose is an ensign of the United States
man-Of-war, but through the calm cour-
aye OF the young sailor, the scheme
failed. Driven to more deperate straits
the British officer tears down our flag at
the American consulate, and, avenging
an insult to his country he would not
resent for himself, the ensign kills the
inSulter on the spot. For this rash act
the hero Is tried by court martial and is
sentenced TO death. He is to be hanged
at the yard-arm of his ship, but at the
last moment he is pardoned by the
president of the United States, through
the intercession of little child. The
company is an unusually strong one.