The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1897-10-22
OUR BOSTON LETTER.
Comparisons May Be Odious
but Are Also Inevitable.

but Are Also Inevitable.
OLA Ironsides and the Visiting Warrhips
Invite Them Some 60 d Figures The
Sailors Lookup and Hardships of the
System-Theu Old Figur hrad Symph-
ony Conc rts Not Self Supporting The
Horseless Engine Fad Parties-The
Flower Mission or Dramatic Interest.
We are learning a great deal by com
parison the present week. They say
comparisons are odiOus, but they are also
inevitable, when we are celebrating the
centennial of an old-time warship and
to aid in that jubilee we have the flower
OF the new navy with us. The Consti-
tuition was a great ship in her day, but
her day has gone and will never return.
She had none of the elements of strength
that now enter into the construction of
either commerce destroyers or defense
vessels To assist in the picture that
furnishes an object lesson on the growth
and power of the American navy, she is
viewed with general curiosity rather
than as an object of power For her past
she is honored and respected, but not
as she should have been, when sails and
spars are. SO easily obtainable and would
make her appear as of old-a pride of
the sea.
When viewed and judged from the
standpoint of cold figures and arma-
ment, Old 1ronsides is now and always
was weak vessel as judged by our
present standards. She is 175 feet long,
45 feet wide and has a mean craft of 20
feet She weighs, or d!splaces, 2200 tons.
To again invite comparison, she is juet
the length of the torpedo Boats Dupont
and Porter, and is As feet shorter thal
the torpedo boat Farragut. She is
feet shorter than the Nantlc, now in the
navy yard dock, which displaces only $40
tons, being 80 feet wide and only II feet
inches draft. She has a little great-r
displacement than Farragut's flagship.
the Hartford. But the Massachusetts,
our present Bay state pride, is 34S felt
long; the Texas, that looks small. sol
feet; the New York, $50 feet, and the
Brooklyn, 400 feet In displacement, tie
Constitution suffers also by comparison,
as the Massachusetts has a displacement
of II, 2SS tons.
EEs.uagiI aH y
When looking over the old frigate
many people are anxious to find the
heroic statue of General jackson that
once constituted the figurehead of the
vessel, but it is not there. 1t is, on the
contrary, on exhibition at the Food Fa r,
though just why it should be up there
during this centennial week is hard to
explain on patriotic grounds. That it
should be exhibited somewhere is very
appropriate for Constitution week.
when one of the great fleets of the United
States is to be present in Boston harbor
to celebrate the centennial anniversary
of the famous American battleship, now
returned from her wars and her wander
ings to seek repose at the place of her
birth. But why make it an adjunct to
a food fair? That is not at all appro-
PIRATE.
Asoyou may not care to travel up to
the Mechanics building to see the old
figurehead, which once was stolen prop
erty let me say to you that it is not a
thing of beauty and a joy forever. Jack
son was not a handsome man, it is said.
but this figure is enough to make a home
ly man hide his head in shame. OF
it was not made to be seen at
close quarters, but eveM at a distance
do. not believe it would be fattering
representation of anything bearing the
human form divine. Such another rude
and uncouth figure I do not think has
a place in history. No matter how it
looks, it should be on the old ship the
present week.
If the result of the comparison of the
present warships with the Old Ironsides
s finding that we have advanced ma
-erially in the art of shipbuilding, an in
spection of the vessels will also show the
methods of discipline on board ship are
not keeping pace. The place of imprison-
nent of common sailors is no more invit-
ng than it was 100 years ago. Imagine
| small, dark closet way down in the
hold of one of these big ships. One small
,andle to give light, no air except what
comes from a transom over the door and
'ut a common stool and plain cot to rest
APSii SiiN Ou nave q plSluIG VI Il war
ships lookup. Into this dark hole a sail
n may be placed and kept for weeks, and
ven kept in ignorance of the crime with
which he is charged.
That this is no romance is demon
trated by a case which came up in the
United States court here last week It
vas a habeas corpus action in behalf of
esse G.. Grain, and the petition alleged
hat he had been held continuously I'M
er arrest since October, 1896 (and this
7as not denied), but it was only until
anuary, 1897, that Grain was furnished
With the charges against him. Grain
vas an acting coxswain on the Mont
emery. He refused to do some scrub
ing work at the behest of a messenger, {
7ho claimed to come from the officer of J
he deck He was Immediately seized
nd put in irons in the prison of the ship. ]
lie is now in the naval penitent'ary at
he navy yard at Charlestown. For this {
einous CD crime he was sentenced to {
wo years in. prison by the court martial
The Symphony concerts have again
ONE to please the music lovers and with /
flattering attendance. In view of the !
eneral enthusiasm, as evidenced by the '
remiums paid for choice seats il viii [