The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-10-09

The good borough is some times sur
prised to find itself described as a little
place way down in the corner OF Vir-
ginia," till the surprise melts into COM
placency when youthful naval author
tiles pronounce it one of the most fas-
cinating of ports, and their elders place
it on record as "a populous city NO
doubt the United States commander 10
whose opinion l refer especially had en-
loved Norfolks pleasant society. Fer
haps he had unused among the ola IonDS
that cluster about the lVy-clad WaAs Oh
venerable st. Paul's church, and wan
dered through the winding ways OF the
antique and once court ENDS OF the town;
But ii was beyond that his gaze passed
and rested upon Norfolk, or more proper
" speaking the Gosport, navy yard. His
practised eye recognized the value of its
propinduity to that superb outer harbor,
Hampton Roads. and the fact that the
inner harbor was so seldom frozen and
the winters of the locality were so mild
that work of all sorts could be carried
on at all seasons of the year without
interruption.
mo navy yard belonging to the United
States he reports, from its geograph-
ical position, is more important than that
at GOSport, Va
all these points and many others beside,
and urged upon his government the i'm
portance of holding the place after it had
been taken and burned, with stores OF
seasoned timber and even numbers of
beautiful ships OF war on the stocks.
The spot lying just beyond the hospit-
able town of Portsmouth was most prob
ably named after GOSport, near England
Portsmouth, and was, old tales tell US,
first used as q careening ground for Eng
fish ships. Later the British estab-
lished a marine yard there.
Then Virginia began brisk preparations
for establishing navy. Though
meagre, indeed, is the data to be collected
we know that board of naval commis-
sfn W. cd in MaN xtyhi al
later on gave his commiSsion-the yell
lowed document signed by Jefferson and
framed in wood from the old Constitu-
ton, hangs now upon the walls of the
Writer-to James Barron as commodore
of all the armed vessels of this common
wealth"
These vessels, built at chickahominy
South Quay Hampton and GoSport
though simple and plain of structure
were fast sailors and of light draught
and though used principally for defend
ing the waterways of the Old Dominion
did no mean service. They harassed
crippled and captured their foe whenever
possible, and when impossible, darteC
into the safety of bay and cove, or wheT
driven TO extremity sank their vessels
and retired inland. Their commands
numbered ships. hrigs and brigantines
carrying from L TO "A guns, four and six
Founders, sloopS, SchoODerS galleyS anC
armed pilot boats, and they are thought
TO have hoated a flag of red and white
stripes with the rattlesnake device and
Not only was James Barron commodore
of these Virginia Vikings" but under
him served his two sons, James and Sam.
uel-bOth distinguished later on in thC
navy OF the United States-and Richard
Dalei Richard Barron was a captain al
through the strife, and William Barron
a lieutenant OF the Virginia navy before
he died in the service of the United
States
The Barrons made various important
captures, while the Liberty one OF the
ships they commanded, though in 20 ac
tons, is thought to have been the sole
vessel Of the indomitable little force thai
escaped the enemy. 1t IS apropos of these
stout seamen, sometimes dubbed web
footed, that we return to our more
tons, for The Richmond" purchased
by the citizens of some of Nirginia's chic,
towns, was fitted out under command OF
4 Barron and after Virginia had lent the
yard TO the United States, in 1899, a Bar
ron was its superintendent. After it wa:
bought by the United States QS0D tha
same Barron was ordered there int
entire, undivided command
In 1926 James Barron the youngest be
came commandant and urged upon tn,
secretary Of the navy the need of proper
storehouseS and workshops and MANY
other improvements. Indeed, he furn
ished a plan and estimates for floating
dry dock and also made earnest protests
against building wharves and docks il