Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1897-11-13

was upon the third attempt, and the
seafaring people Of the east thought that
the many trials were an omen of i'll
luck. In point of fact she was the luck
lest ship perhaps ever fioated, consider
ing the dangers passed through, and,
shaky with age, will help celebrate her
own centenary. She was never dismast-
ed, never aground. Although she fought
some of the fiercest battles ON record,
there were no serious slaughters aboard
of her. She came out of the war of
1919, where she won the nickname Old
Ironsides, with a reputation of being a
lucky ship. 1t was because the enemy's
shot failed to injure her that she was
called Old Ironsidos.
When the war of 1919 broke out, the
Constitution was already renowned.
She had fought the French in 1859,
under Commodore Barry, and also made
a gallant record as Commodore Preblc's
flagship in the Barbary war.
In her first fight, in 1912, thu heroic
Hull was on her deck. II was only an
accident, however, that this gallant tar
won first honors with the frigato in that
France Hull reached Boston with the
Constitution and instructions were sent
on from Washington that nc remain
there. Tho orders were not received by
Hull until his return from "frirate
hunting cruise" during which he had
sent his Britannia majCsty's famous
Guerrero Of IA guns to the bottom. He
put to sea without orders on Aug. 2, and
cruised in the north Atlantic, meeting
no strange sail until Aug. 10. Very late
that day stranger that had been under
surveillance for some hours was made
out TO be an English frigate With col.
ors flying and his crew at tho guns, all
double shotted, Hull bore down on the
enemy.
The Constitution was received with a
steady discharge of broadsidcs from the
Englishman. Some of the British shot
took effect, and all ON board the Ameri-
can frigate, excepting Hull, were anx-
ious to open fire. To every appeal the
captain said, mot yet sir. 4" Whom
within 80 yards Of her opponent the
Constitution fired her first broadside
This was followed up and in 30 min
utes' time the English fore and main
mast went by the board. The mizzen
mast had already fallen over and the
flag floating there came down.
Tho prize proved to DO tho very ship
that Hull was looking for, the Guer-
riere. Her commander, Commodore
Dacres, had sent out challenge asking
to meet an American frigate for the
purpose of having u few minutes tetc-
a-tete." Hull had granted 80 minutes
and took him captive guest to Boston
in the Constitution, for tho Guerrero
had been so badly used up in the fight
that she could not float. The stanch
American ship came off with so few
injuries that the sailors called her Old
Ironsides
While Hull was absent with the Con-
stitution upon the cruise which finished
the Guerrero Captain William Balm
bridge reached Boston to take command
of the Constitution and go upon south
ern cruise. cambridge ranked Hull,
and the Constitution was assigned to
him as the flagship of a small squadron
then i'll southern waters. He sailed for
the West Indies, and ono day late in
December found himself alone with his
flagship in tho presence of an English
ship-of-war, the Java, carrying A guns.
cambridge was bold fighter. He greet
ed the show of English colors with a
heavy broadside They were about oven