The San Francisco call., 1897-10-17

, cross the Constitutions bow; but the lat
ter, wearing a an opportune m moment, got
/ his head to the westward as soon as the
frigate. Alter this maneuyer the vessels
were within pistol shot, and then fol-
lowed some very clever seamanship.
| Whenever the Englishman tried to get
into position 10 fire a broadaide al
the Constitution the American ship did
the same. and this was Kept up for nearly
an hour, with an occasional shot from
either vessel.
The English man being to windward at.
tempted TO ram the Constitution on the
quarter. She ran her iibboom into the
Constitutions mizzen rigging, by which
operation she suff red most, for the guns
OF the Constitution were so trained that
they shot off the head OF the British bow
spirit, and this parting the forestays
caused the foremast TO topple overheard.
The Constitution shot ahead, taking care
10 avoid being raked, and in separating
the stump of the British bowsprit tore
away the Americans taffrail.
Some excellent seamanship followed,
but the Englishman having lost his fore
mast was at the mercy of the Constitu-
ZION, which luffed up under mis- quarter
and engaged for short time in a hand-to-
hand hight with the yardarms locked. A
few minutes later the enemy lost his miz-
zenmast and had nothing standing but
his mainmast, with the yard shot away
in the sings. His fire ceased, the Consti-
tuition boarded her tacks and luffed across
the Bri.isher's bow. passing to windward
OF her antagonist just two hours after the
battle had commenced. Commodore Balm
bridge noticed that the British ensign was
down, and as the enemy's fire was silent
the Constitution hauled little to wind
ward 10 repair her slight damages and to
make certain that nothing serious had
happened.
In about an hour the British ran up an
ensign, and at this invitation the Ameri
cans returned to the attack, but when the
enemy saw that the, Constitution was pre-
pairing to ire the ensign was rapidly
hauled down and a lieutenant wen aboard
to take possession. of the prize. She
proved to be the British frigate Java,
Captain Lambert, bound for the East
Indies with several important officers on
board. An investigation of the prize
showed that she had been literally picked
TO pieces with shot. Sixty OF her men
were killed and one hundred wounded.
Her captain was mortally injured and
several inferior officers were killed. After
removing the wounded to the Constitution
it was considered expedient to destroy the
Java and she was blown up at sea.
And in all this bitter engagement the
Constitution did not lose a spar Nine of
her men were killed and twenty-five
wounded, which was about one-quarter OF
the loss of the British crew.
The Constitution next commander was
Captain Charles Stewart, and he it was
who, on the 20th of February, 1915 sue
ceeded in varquishing and capturing the
British ships Cyane and Levant.
This battle was clearly won by magnif.
cent seamanship. The Constitution
sighted the enemy in the afternoon, ana
at 80 o'clock, when darkness was coming
down, decks cleared for action. a few
minutes later the two vessels of the enemy
hailed each other. hauled up in the wind
with their heads northward and prepared
to engage. They next tried to weather
the American frigate, but failing in that
they hauled up their courses, and with
the three vessels forming ar equilateral
triangle, the Constitution to windward
the action commenced.
Unceasing fire was kept up for a Quarter
of an hour, and when the smoke cleared
away Captain Stewart saw one of the We
sells under his lee beam, while the other
was trying to get TO windward of him
Pouring broadside into the ship abreas,
OF her the Constitution instantly threw
everything aback. let fy the lib sheets and
backed swiftly asiern, and by this manen-
yer forced the enemy 10 wear ship under
raking broadside and to run off to leeward
From thence onward the battle NO.
fought by moonlight The Constitntion
came around on her keel and crossing the
stern of the larger ship, raked her win
good effect, and as the Constitution ranoed
up on his weather quarter down came tbe
British ensign, and the second lieutenant
who was sent 10 take possession. founa the
prize TO be the British ship Cyane. Can
tain Falcon.
While this little incident was taking
place the o:her ship had run To leeward
and had been forced out of the combat bv
the crippled condition of her rieeine
Being dark she did not know that the
Cgane had struck. and at O'Clock again
bore down on the Constitution. The
American received her with heavy firing.
and little later down came the second