Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-03-26
"Hoodooed" shius.

To the Editor Of The Evening Star:
l am much gratified that the official
christening of the Kentucky battle ship
was with water. despite some opposition
lest the vessel in consequence should be a
"hoodoo'-a fear which has no proper
basis even in a seaman's superstition. be-
cause the records of history are directly
against it.
Edward T. Lincoln, late of the United
States navy and past captain of the Naval
Veteran Association of Illinois, has fur
nished the Union Signal with the follow
ing facts: 49,
The Constitution, "Old Ironsides," the
pet ship of the navy in the war of 1912 and
thereafter celebrated in song and story
and known and loved by every schoolboy,
was christened with water taken from a
spring On Cops HILL where the battle of
Bunker Hill was fought and bottle of
salt water broken over her figurehead as
she left the ways.
The United States ship Hartford, built
in the Charlestown navy yard and launch
ed November q, 1853 was christened by
a fair sponsor, who broke across it's figure
head bottle of Connecticut river water.
and by another young lady. who broke a
bottle or spring water, and by the late Adj
miral Preble, then lieutenant, who con-
cluded the ceremony with like quantity
OF ocean brine. No ship except the Con-
stitution has had anything like the record
navy yard in 1859. consigned to the East
India squadron, commanded by Commodore
c. X. Stribling, and returned to the United
States December 10, 1861. She was COM
missior.ed January 10. 1862, at Philadel-
phia as the flagship of Commodore David
G. Farragut Of the west gulf squadron.
She was in the battles, as is well known,
below New Orleans and was hit over 14O
times by shell from the confederate works.
She also did noble work at Galveston and
Mobile bays. 1t was to her mast that Ad-
miral Farragut was dashed during most of
the fight at Mobile bay, that he might
of his feet She now lies at Mare Island
navy yard, San Francisco, being put in
first-class order for future service The
Hartford has record second to none in
the world as lucky ship. She never had
an accident or any i'll luck, and every old
sailor Is proud Of her and gives unstinted
praise for her services, and yet she was
christened with nothing stronger than salt
water.
In contrast with these two water
ships, lucky. renowned in history and we'll
beloved, the past captain gave the follow
ing particulars as to nine ships:
The President-a large gun exploded and
killed several visitors, government off,
Gals, on the Potomac river The Missts-
sjppf-I.ost on the river of the same name
IN the civil war. The Huron-Lost off Cape
do-Run into by an English vessel in Bonn
bay harbor; over 100 officers and men lost.
The New lronsides-Destroyed by a tor
pedo IN charleston harbor, with large loss
or iife The Tecumseh-Lost In Mobile bay.
with every one on board. The Nipsic the
Vandalia and Trenton-All lost in a hurri-
cane near the Samoan Islands, Pacific
pecan: Inc Iexas ran aground. was sunk.
had many mishaps and is known as the
hoodoo OF the navy. The Maine 'the pride
OF the navy" blown up in the harbor of
havana and nearly 3oo men lost.
March IS, 1898.