New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-08-14
on an air of decency and loyalty before 1t again
appears at the polls.
AT PORTSMOUTH.

AT PORTSMOUTH.
Portsmouth, or the adjacent water i'll Ola
England, was the other day the scene OF mar
vellous naval pageant. The greatest sea Powey
the world has ever known collected for review
tho greatest feet ever assembled under Its nag.
There were scores upon scores OF floating lor''
rcsses, with walls Of steel moved by steam ana
harnessed lightning, ard equipped with every
device Of mechanical and chemical ingenuity
for offence and defence. AT the same time
there lay near by, quaint md obsolete. yet
frcghted with majestic memories and most sig
n!ncant suggestions Nelson's old Victory or
Trafalgar. No contrast could have been more
impressive to either the imaginative or the most
practical observer. II was. In militant sense.
the climax OF the Diamond Jubilee. And yet 1t
was destined not to remain unique or ,in-
riyalled but all unwIttngly to be closely paral'
leled In its essential feature within few weeks
compass.
At Portsmouth. In Ncw-England, to-day -
to be witnessed the rival scene. 1t Is drafted
on q lesser scale. as BELTS Nation less directly
and necessarily militant. 1t IS devoid OF the
ceremonial pageantry which marked the Vic
torian Jubilee. But The one central fact Is
there. substantially identical. A feet Is gath
cred Of the finest modern warships OF the world.
favorably comparable with the best beneath the
British flag And close ut hand, In thrilling
contrast lies the ship OF wellnigh hundred
wears ago, eloquent Of the heroic past and or
the first resple2dent triumphs OF American
arms at sea- More than any other ship afloat
more indeed, than any other that ever float
ed-"Old Ironsides" embodics the early tradl-
tons of the American Navy, and reminds the
present generation Of the men and means
through which this Nation impressed It's genius
upon the arts OF naval warfare ana made is
flag feared by foes and honorcd by all on every
and shore.
II Is tr,le that the achievements Of john Paul
Jones preceded those OF "Old IrOnsides' by
many wears; and that they. and especially the
fight off Scarborough Head were among the
most brilliant in all our naval history. But
Jones was compelled TO sail in purchased ships,
sometimes with alien crews. Not until the
Revolution was an accomplished fact. the Fed
eral Union established and the National Con-
stituiion adopted was the construction or
United States Navy begun. 1t is of interest to
remember that such construction was bitterly
opposed. even by so generally sane statesman
as jefferson. He has of late been quoted as
having opposed the acquisition Of any new terri
tory when III WOuIu Ttuullt u nav: w "N'N''''
That is not entirely true, but 50 far as II Is
true II is merely corolary OF the prime fact
that he oppospd the creation of a navy which
might be used Ia defend outlying territories
Despite such opposition however. the Navy was
created. While Washington was President work
was begun on half dozen fine irlgateS' ana
Of these The Constitution became, on the whole,
perhaps the most noted.
The present incident at Portsmouth is eSpe-
clally fecitous because il practically coinmeno-
rates the centenary of the grand old ship. IL
will have been exactly Il hundred years ago on
September 20 next that the Constitution was
launched in Boston liarbor. year later she
made her first cruise. waeing successful war
fare against French privateers The war on the
Barbary Coast followed. In which Decatur AMI
Rodgers led where the captains Of Europe scarce
dare, to follow. But II was in 1Sl2-l3 that
odd lronsides'' Won greatest fame. 1t was
then that the little American Navy matched IL
sci. against the vast sea power Of England and
came off conaueror. Under Hull. cambridge
and Stewart battling n whole English squadron
Kidding AMI rGkng the Guerritre and Java. ana
vanqulSng and capturing the Cyane and tile
Ipvant IN Il single battle the Constitution gave
Fngands naval prowesS the rndeSt shock In
all its history. That was glory enough for one
ship and with its achievement the fighting days
OF "Od IronsdeS" were erded. In later years
There was an hour when patriots dared profane
The mast that Britain srove to bow in vain;
which impious attempt was thwarted by the
immortal ''schoOlboy sc"rn" Of Holmes. Since
then cold Ironsdes" has been preserved among
the Nations treasures. To serve. as she does to-
day at Portsmouth and - sh" may through
another century ia come. as mcmento or great
deeds past and as IN inspiration tc treat deeds
II such be needed in ail timc YET 10 come.