The Portland daily press., 1896-12-07

occasion with their presence. May ek'oee
little ships ever maintain the honor :.
the American flag and do credit 10 Vn0
cities whose names they have taHSn
Differed and manned by this brave "
our united country, we know they o.
ways will. The idea of building then'
was this: In time of peace they cah
carry the flag and protect Americans
abroad as well as the larger ships Ohao
cost SO much to maintain and keep ~
sea. They can 90 into rivers and mucn
shallower waters than battle ships, ana
large cruisers. On one occasion the Ooi-
um nia sent to the Isthmus could set no
nearer than twelve miles to the shore. In
this we follow the safe example OF Ens-
land. At the recent commandment Oh
Zanzibar the British flagship was loss
than 5000 tons and the rest of their hees
WAS made up of smaller gunboAts than
these. So they are in every sense moss
useful vessels and their design 10 crsdie
to the Navy Department.. OF the six now
building the Vicksburg and Newport are
the first to launch, and they now Beat
upon this broad river where, since the
ship Virginia in 1907, 30 many triumphs
Of the ship builders part have yearly had
their berth. Commodore Perry was
"heart of oak "and the pride Of the navy,
and it is appropriate that descendant
of his, and her companion, both fran
the rosebud garden of girls and rep
resenting, too. the united Blue and the
Grey, should stand as sponsor for the
twin ships."
At the conclusion Of Gen. Hyde's ire
marks he was loudly applauded and
cheered.
70 the toast of "The fair ladies and
our united country" Gen. hyde called
upon Mayor Trewbridge of vickshurg
who gracefully responded. After paying
very pretty compliment to the ladies
Mayor TrowDridge spoke on "Our re-
united country" Ee said that if ever
time should come when Uncle Sam
needs troops and men to defend his ma
tional honor the people Of Vicksburg
and the South would not be found want
ing. "Some years ago." said Mr.. Trow-
bridge, 1--WE had strange flag in our
part of the country. We believed that
this flag represented our rights bat you
knocked that idea out of us. When the
Stars and Bars went down we came hack
into the house of our fathers. We buried
forever the Stars and Bars and took for
our flag the glorious Stars and Stripes
and by that flag we will stand to the
last. " Great applause.)
Mayor TTow bridge read a dispatch
from yicksbnTg which stated that at one
O'Clock salutes were fired in that city
and the bells were rung in honor Of the
newly chrlstened vessel This statement
CAUSED q renewed outburst OF applause.
The to ct to the President OF the United
states having been drunk standing, 6en.
HYDE proposed as toast "The United
States Navy; the pride of the country
from Maine to the Golden Gate" Some
seven years ago / asked the Secretary OF
the Navy to send officer here to exam
inc our facilities for building war ships
On his favorable report. we started Witn
the Machias and Castine. To his judo
ious aud wise advice we have owed much |
ever since He might well be called the
Godfather of the Bath Iron Works call
upon Philip Hichborn, the Ohief Con-
structar OF the Navy"
Construct Hichborn made an appro- |
pirate response. Mayer Bibber responded
for the City of Bath and Hon. Har old
II. Sewau also spoke clog uently.
The Newport delegation returned home
tonight, but Mayor Trowbridge and his
daughter and Mr.. and Miss LIE Fargo
will remain rs Gen. Hyde's guests over
Sunday.
MoCausland clsans and stores wheels
for the winter four 81. 30.