The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-07-07

the old guns look like mere unwieldly
Jumps of metal, bearing ludicrous re-
semblance to the toy guns which boys
sometimes manufacture of lead on the
Irishman's principle take a hole and
pour the lead around it. = The old NOR
tars which fired hot shot into the cities
OF the Barbary coast look like big ket-
ties with somewhat raised sides. and to
the ordinary civilian eye it would seem
impossible to give any designed direc-
ton to shot from one Of them The
Algerines had captured various pieces
from the French and Spaniards in the
century before we went to war with
Whem, and it was our good fortune to
capture some of those pieces, which are
here to excite the pride of visitors. The
queer old inscriptions on them can still
be ciphered and indicate thai one was
regarded as terror to the foe, another
q destroyer, and so on
Historic Matters.
Every avenue and square in the yard
bears historic name. The first avenue
is named for Rear Admiral John A.
Dahlgren, the second for Commodore
Lewis Warrington of the war of 1912,
the third for Commodore Charles Nor
ris of the same war, the fourth for the
immortal Commodore Hull, and SO on
also full of interest. The first appointee,
Captain Thomas Tingey. took the place
Jan 20, 1900, held it 20 years and died
in Office. A melancholy interest attaches
to the record of Captain Beverly Ken
non, who was appointed by the first Pres
ident Harrison, and two years later was
killed by the bursting of the Peacemak-
er on the Princeton at the time when
two members of the cabinet and various
other persons were killed. The sixteenth
commandment was Captain Franklin
Buchanan, appointed in May, 1859, who
went south when the civil war began
and became famous in the Confederate
navy. Rear Admiral Dahlgren was the
twenty-second and died in office in 1870.
The present commandant, Captain J. A.
Howell, is the thirty third and took the
place Feb. 2, 1898.
HERDS Saber.
Our navy department IS rich in relics
and memorials Of many kinds, but the
only ones kept at this yard are the old
guns mentioned. By somebody's awk-
Wardness the United States failed to be-
come the owner of one very interesting
relic, which was. however, a few weeks
ago presented to the Annapolis Naval
academy, and that is doubtless as we'll
This is the famous battle saber of Cap
tain Samuel Chester Reid, who COM
manded the brig-of- war General Arm
strong and won the astonishing victory
at Fayal, Azores, in September, 1914.
With this saber Captain Reid, in hand
to hand fight, killed the first lieutenant
of the British frigate Rota and wounded
several others The blood Of that COM
bat was never washed off the saber and
is still slightly visibl Al the ball given
to Lafayette in New York in 1924 Cap
tain Reid wore this sword for the last
time, it is believed, after which it was
laid away as a precious memorial. His
son, Colonel Samuel G. Reid rendered
it as q free gift to the United States,
and in March, 1890, Senator Voorhees,
of the committee on the library offered
a joint resolution providing for the ac-
ceptance of the sword and the striking
of a memorial gold medal to be pre-
sented to the son. The latter part of the
resolution was opposed SO vigorously
that the matter was delayed some three
years, when Colonel Reid grew indig-
nant and Withdrew the offer. A year
later he presented it to the academy. 1t
is the Judgment Of our naval historians
that the injury inflicted on the British
forces at Fayal resulted in such delay
that they did not reach New Orleans till
after General jackson had had time to
prepare for them. Otherwise, says
Cooper, it is likely the city would have
fallen without a blow and possibly the
whole history of the west have been
changed.
Life of Ship.
OF the floating memorials of the he
roic age of our navy there are few in
deed, as it is a melancholy fact that the