The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-01-27

MI making an appropriation 10
IL M rcit her the question OF how
y v the ship looked and on what
lines she was built may we'll be consid-
cred. says the New York Tribune. In
nearly all tho popular pictures OF this YES
sci she is represented with the lines oil
the modern frigatc, which make the bow
considerably higher than tho stern. This
is lust the reverse Of the lines on which
vessels at tho close of the lotn century
we're built. At that time the stern was
built higher than the bow, with the idea
that the ship was to DO driven through the
waves. while the idea Of modern ship
builders is that tho ship shall ride over
the waves. As 1t is recorded of the Con-
stitution that she at ono time made -
knots an hour. 1t is n question if tho 18th
century style is not moro conducive 10
speed after all.
The United States frigate, Essex, which
was built in 1899, on the model of the Con-
stitution, gives a good idea of how the
Constitution originally looked. This watet-
color painting of the Essex was made
1893, by Joseph Howard, and Is still pre-
served in the Peabody institute OF Salem,
Mass. 1t represents the frigate under
full sail, and shows the low cut bow with
what bears n strong resemblance TO II 1t
is not, the survival of the Roman
trreme's back.
1t is doubtful if any vessel of modern
navies has taken such "A hold on the
affections of the people as tho Constltu-
ton, or Old lTonsIdcs, as her staunch bull
warks of live oak came to be called.
Even Nelson's portentous flagship VIC
tory. which is inspected on bank holidays
with such awe and pride by the youth of
Great Britain, cannot boast of as honor
able or as long n career as the Yankee
Constitution. Tho name Victory could
moro appropriately be give TO tho
American favorite, and as for age, the
Constitution was old enough to box the
Nictory's ears long before the British ship
was thought Of.
II must be admitted, however, that the
Brltishers bear off the palm in the matter
of showing respect to their venerable
ship. She has been properly taken care
of and has been kept within easy visiting
distance of the metropolis. where she can
excite the pride and emulation OF budding
Nelson's and aspiring Collingwoods. while
the poor old Constitution has boon tucked
away in an out-of-thc-way corner down
East as If she was SO much rubbish of
which Uncle sam was ashamed and was
/
priation made by congress for repairing
the famous old ship and placing her in
condition and position to be seen by pa
triotc young America, therefore, will be
hailed with delight all over the country as
being eminently the proper thing TO do
even If n little tardy.
Not tho least OF the valuable features of
the grand old frigate is her intense Ameri-
canism. In this day of foreign invasions
in tho territory of American ideas, an
article that is purely and intrinsically
American should be treasured up as a
precious jewel. There is nothing foreign
bred or foreign built about tho Constitu-
ton. Every idea about her was conceived
by Americans, her plans were drawn by
Americans, she was built with American
wood and by American mechanics. and
she has always been manned by Ameri-
cans.
Yet, come 10 think, there was ono for
eicn made article about this ship.
When she was at Boston, shortly
after the war Of 1872, being fitted
for a cruise to the Mediterranean. she was
visited by a distinguished British naval
officer. lie went all over the ship. and
after having made thorough inspection
of her, he returned to the quarter deck and
said: "This is one of the finest frigates.
if not the very finest. | ever put my foot
aboard of; but, as ] must find some fault,
I'll just say that your wheel IL one of the
clumsicst things ] ever saw. and IT is un-
worthy of the vessel Tho American
commander who had accompanied tho
English officer on his tour of inspection,
replied: THAT wheel. sir. is the only
thing English IN the ship. Whom the Con-
stitution captured your British frgate
Java in 1872 our wheel was smashed into
splintcrs by a shot from the Englishman.
After the battle was over the Java's " heel
was taken aboard the Constitution and
fitted IN place of her disabled wheel, and
although We think it is rs ugly as you do.
yet VIC keep II as a trophy
Even in her name the Constitution is am
intensely American ship. She was built
with a group OF warships that may prop
erly be called the nucleus Of the Amer
lean navy. for all tho ships that mad,
such gallant struggle on tho high seas
against the mistress of the ocean dur.ng
the war for independence were DESTROYED
or sold shortly after peace. Tho new
group of warshps was built in accord
ancc with the recon- mcudation OF the sec
rotary of war, April /. 1894. The first OF
tie group 10 get into the water was the a
gun frigate United States. She was
launched in Philadelphia on July 10. l797
The second was the 36-gun frigate Con
stellation, tho United States being popu
iarly described At that time as "A new
constellation anon. the nations of tn,
earth. This ship was launched at Balti
more on Sept. :, 49,. About the same
time were launched the 4i-yuu frigats
President, the 10-gUn frigate Chesapeake
and the S6-gun triGate Congress. The
Constitution, named from that historic
document, which, in spite of tho kind
prophecies of our British cousins, Ia,
survived a century just as the ship So
named has existed nearly century il
spite Of tic protcs; of English canno.
balls, was launched on sept. -. 1877, a
Boston.