Richmond daily palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1876-1904, 1898-05-21
to anything then aflcat, and the high
est standard was aimed at.

to anything then ancat, ana inc niku
est standard was aimed at.
The first If these to be launched was
the United States, forty four guns, fol-
lowed in the same year by the Constei-
lation aud the Constitution, but as the
war which was existing with Algiers
when the six frigates were authorized.
was ended by treaty in November,
1875, the timbers prepared for the
other three vessels were sold and only
the above named were finished, and It
was not until trouble began seriously
with France that any further move
menf toward providing navy was
made: then, after war had been de-
clared, three more frigates we're or
dered. and. as it is now, so IT was
then, the navy at once became popu
lar, and the best young men OF the
country we're accepted as midshipmen.
and experienced officers of the mer-
chant marine were given places OF
command. In addition to the three
frigates above named, the navy con-
sisted of numerous other vessels rang
ing down from the 24gun ship. such
as the Portsmouth, to the lO-gun sloop
General Green, eight of the number
being merchantmen and not copsid-
cred efficient as war vessels; there
were a few others built by private sub
scription and by some of the states.
In June, 1898, Captain Truxtun. in
the Constellation. captured French
privateer of IA guns which was refit-
ted and taken into the navy under the
name of the Retalias ion, which was in
November of the same year, while IN
der the command of Lieutenant Balm
bridge, retaken near Gaudeloupe by
the French, cambridge surrenderir 6
to three French frigates, and by a
trick, after his capture, assisting his
consorts to escape. cambridge suf
fered long Imprisonment in Claude
loupe, and afterwards in Tripoli, hui
lived to add brilliant lustre to the his
tory of the navy by the glorious vie
tory of the Constitution, under hi
command, over the British frigat,
Java, December 10Th, 1872, in tn.
Brazilian waters through which thu
Oregon has just pas sed.
1t was while at San Domingo tina
Hull, as navigator of the Constitution
won a cask of wine from the captain
of British cruiser by beating him il
an all-day sailing race the EnglishmaI
having expressed contempt for thu
sailing qualities of the American ships
and in great confidence wagering 1
cask of wine on the result. This, o
course, was during the peace prevail
ing between this country and England
prior to the war of 1912.
1t was near Martinique that tn,
United States, in which Stephen De
catur was at the time serving as mid
shipman, with one "a pound shot SUM
a French six-gun privateer and at tn.
same time captured another of s guns
The United States, while under the
command of Captain Barry, put into
Basse Terre under flag of truce fo1
the purpose of exchanging prisoners
the style Of the spanish of the presen
day, treacherously fred upon her
Berry thereupon took a sail arount
the harbor and left the batteries ant
surroundings in much the same shap,
that Dewey did those at Manila. Ii
the meantime Truxtun's fleet. with tn,
Constellation as flagship, had not beer
idle, but had amused themselves by
destroying over 60 privateers in those
waters.
During that period England elaine Z
the right to impress seamen off the
vessels of other nations, and her nava
officers were usually very arrogant in
their demands in this connection. This
practice led to the boarding, while off
Cape Nicholas Mole, of the 24-gun
ship Gauges, C >mmanded by Captain
Tingey, by boat from the British
cruiser Surprise, and a demand for
all seamen on board who did not
have American protection" papers.
Tingey refused to allow search of his
ship and sent the British captain word
that: "A public ship carries no pro-
lection for her men but her flag 90
not expect TO succeed in the action
with you, but | will die at my quarters
before | viii give up man" The
crew was then called to quarters and
the guns manned. the band playing
Yankee DOODLE
1t was off ST. Kits, and about If
teen miles northeast of the island of
Nevis. that in February, 1899, Captain
Truxton in the Constellation whipped
and took as a prize the French frigate
lusurgent, SO guns, after a brisk action
of one hour and fourteen minutes.
David Porter. afterwards celebrated
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