The Penn's Grove record., 1899-01-13
Old Point Comfort, Hampton, Nor
folk and Portsmouth Va.

treats, and numberless places OF Iait
historic aud local Interest. No name
was ever more happlly conceived ~
appropriately bestowed, Than Old Point
Comfort. The furl significance Of the
kindly title is h"st lui4 rstuOd by those
who have lived there II few weeks or
an entire season. When that hardy
old navigator, Capt. john Smith, SO
hardy that he married the ped skinned
daughter III twhatan, sought Il ltiuSr
fIom the driving storm, Fe found it
there so exactly To his likBug that he
gave it the name it still bears. AT that
time it was hardly more than Il tumu
lus of sand, deposited by a ceuturied
procession OF serges and pounded by
Neptune's waves into II solid mass, but
it had an itidefinable charm of outlook
and situation that the susceptible Cap.
Smith could moi fail to appreciate
How much more worthy of enthn1ias-
tic admiration is it now When human
ingenuity and art in the expenditure
of millions of dollars from Government
and private sources have defined and
perfected its graceful outlines and
beautitied them with accessories of
surprising loveliness.
Closely connected with Norfolk,
Portsmouth, New Port News and Berk-
ley by ferry boats that cross the inter
vening river and Hampton Roads every
few minutes, these cities rank almost
with Baltimore and other cities of
larger population. and proportions.
Persons residing in Norfolk and Ports
moGth are within easy reach of Old
Point Comfort and its supberbs Hygeia
and Chamberlain Hotels, with their
elegant open verandas aud facilities
for bathing. Here too is Fortress
Monroe, with its magnificent drives,
shade trees, its soldiers and fro@ning
guns. Virginia Beach, Il forty five
minute run by rail has its numberless
attractions, excellent hotels sea bath
ing enchanting drives and bath sea aud
lake fishing. Ocean View hardly more
than twenty minutes ride, offers rare
inducements to those who love restful
quiet. Then there is the United States
Navy Yard at Portsmouth where hun
dreds OF workmen are constantly en-
ployed in constructing and repairing
the battle ships and cruisers of which
our American people have such just
reasons to be proud; and the United
States Naval Hospital with its spacious
finely kept grounds and groves Of grand
old pine trees where visitors a and do
spend entire days of unalloyed pleasure.
Portsmouth is entitled to the appela-
ion If Gateway City of the South.
Gosport Navy Yard as it was origin
ally named, in busy seasons it has ON
its pay rolls as many as l4O0 men, and
sometimes moIe. 1t enjoys a pre-
eminent advantage in that in is almost
absolutely i~mpregnable to attack. A
hostile squadron would have to force
its way by the Rip Raps, the guns of
Fortress Monroe, our own battle ships
In Hampton Roads and twelve miles
of harbor defenses in the shape of tar
pedoes and shore batteries, before IL
would reach a position where it could
do serious mischief. The yard proper
covers an area of 100 acres, all Of
which is enclosed bv a solid brick wall
about fifteen feet high.
The relics gathered here singly and
in groups are many and interesting.
There are guns that we're served by
patriots in the war of the Revolution
and 1872, guns captured from the
British frigate Java by the United
States frigate Constitution and from
British vessels on the lakes by Com
modore Perry. There are pieces of
wreck of the ram Albemarle and Texas
and the United States frigate Cum
berland and Congress, the bell of the
United States frigale Puritan destroy
ed in 1861, %carronades taken during
Mexican war; Turkish stone shot, brass
cannops, etc, all representing different
exciting periods in nj country's naval
history.
Gracefully anchored in its haven Of
rest the broad bosom of the Elizabeth
river, a short distance from the navy
yard, floats the receiving ship Franklin.
During the Civil Wal the Franklin of
$40 tons was the famous flag ship of
Commodoer Farragut's squadron.
Although built entirely of wood was
considered to be one of the most effsc-
tive and powerful vessels in The United
States Navy at that time, She carried
a complement of from 700 to 800 men
officers and crew. If the language of
p~anegyric may be appropriately used
when referring to the leaders in the war
whose genius directed the movement
of the citizen soldiery who gave their
lives, if need be, that the nation might
be saved, what language can be used
rich as is our vocabulary, that shall
give due praise to the humbls heroes
who slumber in forgotten and neglect
ed graves, whose ashes are mingled
with the Southern soil to mix forever
with the clemens, and also those wi ,
happily survived the mighty cohflie
AS we look upon their wan faces,
their empty sleeves, their bent forms,
their gray locks and thsir unsteady
steps we cahnut forget what they sur
fered and endured, or possibly compute
the debt of the nations gratitude to-
ward them. What rhapsody 1i words
could be employed that woul do full