Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-10-11
Presents That Have Been Given to
Our Fighting Graft.
SUPERSTITION AMONG OUR SAILORS
The Handsome Silver Dinner Ser
vice of the III-Fated Maine.
SOME CURIOUS DONATIONS


ors as a presage of good luck. it exerts a
marked influence upon the career OF the
vessel
The making of gifts, useful and ornamen-
tai, is not of recent origin; 1t simply mas De
come a more extravagant affair, increasing
in cost as the vessels have increased In size.
Years and years ag5. in the time OF the Ola
wooden warships. 1t was the unfailing GUS
tom to give to the captain OF new snip an
amulet of silver or gold merely TO aliay
superstition as prevalent as was the one
that no shin was safe that should be begun
on Friday launched on Friday, put INTO
commission on Friday. or sail on FRIDAY
But superstition does not govern the sentl-
ment of making gifts to ships To-Day they
are, rather. testimonials of pride, as was
evidenced in the case OF the guhpoat Mt
rietta, when handsome silver service was
presented to that vessel recently on behalr
of the citizens of Marietta, ONO Inc snip
lay in the dry dock, handsomely decorated
with flags and bunting.
1t is a fact, however, that these express
sions of interest and good will from COM
munities most interested in the construc-
ton of the warships come to be looked
upon by the crews of them as possessed
with peculiar mystic powers.
The First MascOts.
These mascots at first We're amulets. then
later took the form of loving cup (as in
many instances nowadays); then side dish
and on, becoming more
until now there is, a rule enough silver
on one vessel to mascot dozen.
The mascot that was provided by the
legislature of Maine for the battle ship of
that name was handsome silver dinner
service, and was considered the best part
of the vessels equipment, barring the ar
nlament. In the center of the broad sides
of the large tureen was the coat-of-arms OF
the state, showing moose ana Il pine
tree surrounded by frame of conventional
scythe and a sailor resting on an anchor.
On each side of this coat-of-arms, upon
stem that started under the handle, were
three pine cones formed into the shape OF a
trefoil. The handles were odd combna-
lions of scrolls and conventional leaf work:
The supports and lower border combined
variations of the Egyptian lotus and other
decorative flowers. The lid combined the
pine cone and the leaf characteristics: the
design of the tureen was embodied In all
the other pieces.
Another OF the ships to receive hand
some silver service was the Baltimore. 1t
was presented by the people OF the city Tor
which she was named. A loving cup was
one of the features. Other gifts have been
made by individuals. such as handsome
painting of Lord Baltimore by Joseph ii.
Rcman, and library of 800 books of
standard fiction and biography
The Chicago, another of the new ships to
be named after a city, was given a silver
service consisting of Dds pieces. There
Were many pieces and of such a variety
and SO elaborate in design that naval Off
other ship would be presented with such a
display.
The Brooklyn carries today beautiful
and costly silver testimonial of unique de-
sign from the city.
San FranciscO's Fine Service.
The pride that San Franciscans took in
the cruiser that was named after the city
was shown in the gift of a handsome
vice of silver and gold for actual use in the
officers messes. The citizens committee
made the request upon its presentation that
the service should be regarded free for
the use OF the different messes of officers,
that if a certain mess wished to enter
tain guests it might have the use of it.
And it mas probably been used more than
that of any other vessel, although while the
Chicago was the flagship of Admiral Walk
er during the naval demonstration at the
time of the Columbus anniversary in 1852
and 1893, the service on that ship was often
used for the entertainment of the foreign
guests. The San Franchises service con-
sists of thirty-two pieces, in silver and
gold. the characteristic feature of which is
a figure of the California grizzly bear,
modelled in solid gold on each of the .arger
pieces. The silver work is finished in a
c. mbination of dead satin and highly pol
ished embellishments of fluted pattern.
The largest piece Is a huge punch bowl for
the captains cabin, with thirty-six cut
glass mugs. The front bears an engraved
representation of the coat-of- arms OF San
Francisco. with the motto. "Oro en- paz,
fierro in guerra" gold in peace. iron in
war;. upon a scroll; and the same motto
and engravingS are reproduced on each
other piece. There is a similar but smaller
punch service for the ward room, and a
beautiful tea and coffee set. The cost was
$500 for the whole.
Other vessels that have been presented
with silver service sets are the New York,
the Atlanta and the Detroit. But several
have loving-cup testimonials The people
of Charleston, S. c., gave to the cruiser
named after that city huge silver punch
bowl; the citizens of Machlas presented the
gunboat named after Machias, Me, with a
handsome punchbowl. When the aldermen
of Atlanta, Ga, went to Pensacola to wit
ness the eVolutions of the North Atlantic
squadron, little more than a wear ago
they took large punchbowl to the cruiser
bearing its name. 1t is now stored at the
Brooklyn navy yard waiting for the vessel
TO 90 into commission.
Unique and Unusual Gift.
A unique and unusual gift for a war ship
was the gold and silver clock given by the
citizens of Philadelphia to the cruiser
which was christened after the Quaker
city. clock that cost $4,000. The design
embodies the several features of the coat
of-arms OF the municipality, and the work.
manshiD represents the skill of Philadelphia
artisans. The dial face is of silver sur
mounted by a golden eagle with outspread
wings. On the right is full-lengIh inquire
of woman in classic garb holding roll of
parchment. To the left stands similar
figure carrying the horn OF pIenty. Below
the face of the clock is shield with the
hull of a ship engraved upon it, surmount-
ed by crossed guns encircled by wreath of
laure.. The frame of the clock case is a
double cable with an anchor at each of the
upper corners. Beneath cnoppy sea at the
feet of the female figures two scrools
one bearing the words philadelphia Ma
neto' and the other ~. s. S. Philadelphia"
The minutes on the dial are divided by
raised golden pegs. and the hands are rich
golden scrolls. Instead of striking the
hours there Is chime of bells which
strikes from ''one bell'' to Eight bells in
true nautical style.
In February, lSs, the common council of
Boston presented to the cruiser Boston the
sister ship to the Atlanta, a set of silk
coiors-eEsisn. jack. long pennant battaEon
nag and four guidons. Another gift OF flags
was full set of silk flags, including those
for rear admiral for ship, barge and gig
for the cruiser Philadelphia, from the Wo-
mans Silk Culture Association, and they
were made of American silk. Another testi-
monial OF this character was a silk fla q
costing $50. given to the battle ship Indl.
ana by Mrs. Elizabeth b. Beardsley of
Elkhorn. Ind. This was the flag displayed
in the battle of Santiago and at the capture
of Ceryera's fleet.
One OF the unique gifts to an American
war ship is an offer by a bicycle firm of a