Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1901-01-19
A Historic Eel.

During the fight between the famous
United States frigate Constitution,
"Old Ironsides," and the British fri
gate Guerrero, shot from the Guer-
riere carried away the CONSTITUTIONS
bell. After the Guerrero surrendered,
and while her dismantled hull rolled
heavily, her bell tolled lesponsively to
the movements of the shattered craft.
The tones, remarkably clear and me-
lodious, caught the attention of the
midshipmal- of the Constitutions fore
CASTLE who had Leen ordered to hold
himself in readiness to go on board
the vanquiShed vessel and superintend
the transfer of prisoners. While the
transfer was going on and the battered
hull rolled in the long, deep Atlantic
swells, the bell continued to send
forth musical tones, and so the mid
shipman did not forget it. Assisted
by a carpenters mate, he had it, with
all its fixtures, removed and placed in
position on the topgaliant-forecastle
of the Constitution. Around this bell,
about four inches from the crown, is
the following inscription: Peter Sc
cest, Amsterdam. Ammo 1868, me fecit,
which is to say that Peter Secest made
this bell in Amsterdam in the year
1868. The figures carved on the bell,
together with other well-authenticted
facts, indicate that it was long used
on a convent in England, and was Sc
questrated during the Reformation.
Just how it came into use on ship
of war is not so plain. But, once so
employed, it probably became widely
known in the navy on account of its
remarkably fine tone and workman
ship, and SO it had doubtless passed
from vessel to vessel until it finally
found a resting-place on the stout old
timbers of the American frigate. Dur
ing one of the many overhaulings ex-
perienced by "Old Ironsides''-fort the
frigate is like the boys jack-knife,
which had first new blades and then
new handle-the bell was removed,
misplaced and forgotten Finally the
careless hands of navy-yard employees
sent it to the scrapheap with pile of
accumulated rubbish, which eventual
ly came under the hammer and was
disposed of for the good of the public
service. In this way the silver-toned
bell passed to purchaser who placed
it over the door of a large manufac-
turing establishment in a Rhode ISL
and village. The venerable relic can
be recovered by the government, and
it ought to be placed once more on
the forecastle of "Old Ironsides,"
where it would serve to promote the
sentiment that jealousy guards and
preserves national trophies senti-
ment closely akin to that which guards
and preserves the liberties of the peo-
pie and the independence of the ma
ton. In connection with the old bell,
it may not be amiss to mention
pleasing sequel to the famous fight be-
tween the Constitution and the Guer-
riere- Before abandoning his prize,
which was a hopeless wreck, the
American captain, Hull, asked the
British captain, Dacres. if there was
anything in particular on board the
Guerrero which he wished to pre-
serve Dacres said he much desired
to save a large Bible, the gift of his
mother, and Captain Hull sent an Of
ficer for it. Many years later, when
Hull, then a commodore and in COM
mand of the Ohio. met Dacres. an
admiral, at Gibraltar, the gallant Eng
lishman expressed the greatest pleas
ure at meeting his old antagonist. He
was constant in his courtesies and at
tentions, and at a dinner-party given
on board his flagship he showed Mrs.
Hull the treasured Bible which her
husband had saved for him from the
dismant1ed wreck of the Guerriere.-
Capt H. D. Smith in Youths Com
panion-