Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1892-04-16
OLD IRONsIDEs.
H6ToRY OF ONE OF THE OLD SHIPS
IN THE AMERICAN NAVY.

ON tho Part of Patriotic People of To-
day, Who Are Proud OF Her.
Not many people may know that tho
aid frigate Constitution, so renowned in
nur annals, is still included among the
vessels of the navy. She is dismantled,
~ might bc expected at her age. and is
kept in that condition at Portsmouth,
N. II. She Is craft Of 5000 tons dis
placement, and now carries no battery
IN place of the forty-four guns Of the
days Of her glory.
1t was the Constitution that, after the
inauslhcious opening on land of our war
with Great Britain, eighty years ago,
led off series Of splendid victories on
the sea. The honor of the first capture
of q British war vessel undoubtedly be-
longs to the Essex, Captain David Por-
ter, whose defeat of the Alert occurred
six days before the Constitution de-
Stroyed the Guerrero.
But the Essex carried thirty-two 80
FOUNDERS and the Alert only twenty 49,
FOUNDERS, SO that very soon after open
ing fire the crew of the little British
craft, which, having captured one of our
transports had made up to the Essex,
taking her TO be merchantman, were
compelled to quit their guns and within
eight minutes to strike their flag. This
conquest, though gratifying, was in
evitable, whereas that of the Constitu-
tion was gained over craft nearer her
own size and strength.
But while yielding the laurels of prior
ity to the gallant Essex Oh this score,
the Constitution, under Captain Isaac
Hull, can claim them again for success
in trial of seamanship between herself
and British squadron. Till then af-
fairs were looking gloomy for us at sea
rs well as on land. The British frigate
Belvidere, while conveying fleet Of
merchantmen, had escaped from a
rs our Nautilus had struck to an
English squadron, being the first war
ship captured ON either side. Under
these untoward circumstances the Con-
stitution, returning from Europe, fell in
with British squadron led by the
Africa, n 6i-gun ship.
During four days she was chased by
this squadron. Through calm and
through breeze the flight and pursuit
went on. AT one time she had boats out
towing her; Mt another her crew were
hauling upon kedge anchor that had
been carried out and dropped long dis
tance ahead. On the fourth day the
longed for wind came, and with every
sail set the Constitution drew away from
her pursuers, the scene when five frig-
ates were standing on the same tack and
the Constitution was showing her heels
to her enemies being often recounted
eighty years ago. Some of the historians
describe this as the first of our triumphs
0n the sea in that war.
But in our time, of course, the fame
of the Constitution is more familiarly
associated with her capture of the Guer-
;riere. 1t was on Aug. 10, 1912, that the
two vessels met, both eager for fight
The scene was off the coast of Massachll.
setts. The British craft. commanded
by the gallant Dacres, was first to open
fire, but Hull maneuverod his vessel into
the right position before he replied. The
cnemy's miZZenmast soon Went by the
board, followed by her mainmast. When
by used up that she could not be taken
into port and had to be blown up.
The Constitution was superior in ton
mage and con, ,;lenient, carried moro
guns ;u.i threw Il much heavier weight
OF metal in her broadsides; still the YES
sells were near enough matched for tht
victory to produce IA tremendous impres
zion OH both sides of the ocean. AliSor
describes tho ''slock of this unwontct
naval disaster" in England, where til,
belief that Britanni.. ruled the wave.
was SO profound that the American navy
had seemed to be mere lnouthful fol
her.
That Same year the Constitution. un
der Bainbridge, gained another great
victory over the Java, off the coast o
Brazil. The Java, like her predecessor
was 3S-gun ship, and in the battle she
lost foremast and miZ2enmast, besides (;
part of her bowsprit; while, TO complete
the parallel, like the Gnerricre. she wa
60 wrecked in the fight that she had Il
be blown mp. 1t was great exhibition
of good scamanship aLa superior gun
merry on the part of the American vessel
for, as Cooper says, 1.-The Java had bee1
literally picked to picses by sh"t. spa
following spar until sI- ..au not on
left" Her loss in ,....lcd and wounde,
was very hep.
Final in 1915, under command O
Commodore Stewart, the famous Old shi
made double capture Of the Britisl
1rigate Cyane and sloop Levant.
Old Ironsides, as she had come to b
called during the war, was launched a
Boston III 1897; and who knows bu
when the hundredth anniversary of tina
event comes around she may again L
put into commission, so as to receive Gel
tennial honors:-New York Sun.
A Novel Use of Electric Fans.