Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-03-16
A SHIP WE LOST TO THE BRITISH.
Captured From Decatur In 1915, Has
Been in the English Navy Since.

Captured From Decatur In 1915, Has
Been in the English Navy Since.
From the Kansas City Star.
Do you know that the British have one
of our warships tied up at dock in Lon
don, flying the British flag and regularly
commissioned in the British navy? What
is more, she is called the President, and
on her bow is the figurehead of John Ad-
ans, carved out Of huge chunk Of
American wood and handsomely gilt.
The admiralty for the better part of a
century has taken every means to pre-
serve this magnificent trophy. Thousands
Of pounds sterling have been spent on re-
pairing and renewing the President, al
though she is worthless for all practical
purposes.
She has been kept in commission as re-
ceiving ship. For quarter of a century
she has been lying at her present berth
near the East India docks, most of the
time stuck in the mud. There is some
doubt whether, she would float, and it is
probably true that she would go to pieces
if sent as far out to sea as the mouth of
the Thames.
The Americans captured more than three
times as many warships from the British
as did the British from us.
The distinguished British officer who first
called the President to my attention kindly
offered to pilot me down to see her one
fine summer day in London. We found her
moored at a quiet dock her deck rooted
over, stove pipes leading up her bulky
sides and permanent stairway built from
the main deck to the floor of the pier.
We We're received on board with every
mark of consideration There, mounted at
the stern, was the Identical wheel with
which the President had been steered on
that memorable day, January 10, 1915,
when, 'hogged' and almost waterlogged,
after putting the Endymion out of action,
she was compelled to strike her flag to a
vastly superior force.
We We're shown guns the quarter deck
with which Decatur so severely punished
seemed as If he might achieve a magnifi-
cent victory. We walked on the deck
which, as evening drew on, had been slip
perry with American blood after one-fifth
of the crew had been killed and wounded,
when, with the ship crippled aloft and bad
ly leaking, Decatur saw with sinking
heart that there was nothing for it but to
surrender. Forward We saw the portfolios
through which the Long Island shore had
doomed dark and misty when not obscured
by the smoke of battle.
The lines of the President are still beau
tiful She must have been very hand
some ship under sail. Although one of
the largest ships in the world at the time
of her launch, she would be a mere pigmy
beside one Of the great warshfps of the
present day. She is now used as drill
ship for the royal naval reserve, having
been fitted up for this purpose in 1861 at
Chatham.
The action In which the President was
captured was in many ways a remarkable
one. Stephen Decatur had received COM
mand of the frigate, and on the evening
of January IA, 1916, he sailed into the low
er bay, intending to put to sea that night
The President, however, grounded heavily
on sand bar breaking her rudder braces
and straining her seams SO badly that
she commenced to leak rapidly.
Owing to a turn Of the tide 1t was i'm
possible to put back. SO she shaped her
course along the Long Island ShOra Az
daybreak four British ships were discoy-
cred, and they gave chase, one on each
/ quarter and two astern. At noon the
breeze fell, and though the President had
left the bulk of the fleet behind, one Of
them continued to gain upon her
Aboard the President, which was almost
waterlogged, the crew were occupied In
lightening the ship cutting away anchors,
turning the water loose in the butts, throw
overheard provisions, spare boats and ca
bles. while the men aloft were .wettfnR
down the sails.
AT 8 O'clock. a light breeze having sprung