Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1898-06-21
II was Commenced in October Of
the Year ITS.
Ezekiel Hopkins was First Commander-in-Chief
Hard Work in Early AmeriC-
an Days.

create one. Four merchantmen
were first pnrchased, hastily
equipped with guns and sent to
sea as cruisers; but their defects
as war vessels soon became GO
apparent that Congress deter
mined at once to set about the
building of navy.
On Oct. 3, ITS, Congress
ordered two cruisers built; and
on Dec. 13 the order was increas-
ed to 80 gun ships, five % gun
ships and 3 24-gun ships. They
were to be ready for the sea by
the following April. The names
given to the thirteen vessels were
Boston, Congress, Effingham,
Delaware, Hancock, Montgomery,
Providence, Raleigh, Trumbull,
Virginia, Warren, Washington
and Randolph. These were the
first war vessels constructed in
the United States.
The first commander-in- chief
was Ezekiel Hopkins of Rhode
Island, a younger brother of
Congressman Stephens Hopkins.
He was appointed to this high
Office on Dec. %, 1775.
At the time of his appointment
Ezekiel Hopkins was brigadier
general in command of the Rhode
Island troops, acting under com
mission from the governor. He
had spent part OF his life on
board merchant ships, and had
also been shirbuilder; conse-
quently he was fitted both by ex-
perience and ability to fill the
important Office given to him. Iu
a short time a fleet of four ships
and three sloops were ready, and
with these Admiral Hopkins set
out to win glory for himself aud
Among his lieutenanis
WAS the famous John Paul Jones,
who was, probably, the most
brilliant and daring naval officer
of the war with England.
The Bahama Islands in the
West Indies were then an English
colony, with New Provence as
their principal seaport and seat of
Government; and hither the new
admiral sailed the new navy. He
the city, captured the
harbor fort and town, and brought
back with him to America the
English governor as prisoner,
eighty cannons and a very large
quantity of ammunition and other
military stores. This brilliant
was godsend to the
lisheartened and Impoverished
patriots. 1t renewed their courage
aud replenished their stores.
Admiral Hopkins was the hero of
The hour, and received a vote of
hanks from Congress for his
great deeds which had redeemed
he glory and advantage of his
county.
Shortly after his return from
he Bahamas he met two English
ships off Block Island and captur
ID both of them. Two days later
he bad an engagement with the
English twentv-nine guusbip
glasgow, but did not succeed iu
it. The public severely
his conduct of this battle,
and in June, 1776, he was ordered
% appear before the congressional
committee. After hearing had
oeen given him, the committee
sent a favorable report OF hit
actions to Congress, which the
after body approved, SO the ADM
'al WAS exone rated from all blame.
He was now placed III charge of
! large number of war vessels,
which Congress was having built.
The task was a difficult one. Mo
ney and mate rial were hard to
get. A powerful English fleet
olockaded the harbors, AMI pre-
vented the sailing of some of his
ships when completed. The PEG
Pile became impatient. The press
accused him OF slowness, of being
, lagea'd in his country's ser
vices. His temper was never of
the best, and he emphatically re-
sented the clamor of complaints.
Again he was summoned to ap-
pear before Congress for invest
CATION. Then the ttsty old sailor
st his temper entirely, and sent
n .,aixl liz a, L. nalnaal a Ganorn.c