The Washington times., 1904-06-17
CONSULTATIONS
USEFULNESS ENDS
Historic Frigate Finds Last
Berth at New York.
WON MANY SEA VICTORIES
Known as Water Witch-Distinguished
Naval Heroes Served Apprentice
ship on Her Decks.

NEW YORK. June T1-From New
port. where for the past ten years she
has been in service as a receiving ship
for navy apprentices. the Constellation.
oldest ship Of the navy, has been
brought to the New York navy yard
and made fast TO the Cob dock. where
she win await such fate as the Navy
Department has in store for her. Her
place at Newport has been taken by
one Of the vessels of the new navy
Under command Of Lieut.. A. a. Pratt
the Constellation was brought down in
tow of the navy tugs Pentucket and
Powhatan. The crew Of thirteen which
she had on board returned TO Newport
by the tugs.
Built in 1897.
Aside from the Constitution. the Con-
Stcllation is the most notable of the
fine old oak ribbed ships which this
nation set afoat in the early part of
its history. Built in Baltimore In 1877.
all OF the art Of the patient shipwrights
OF her time seems 20 have lived in her
huh. as less than a dozen years ago saw
her voyaging across the Atlantic with
the French governments exhibit to the
Chicago Fair slowed in her hold and
ABOUT her decks.
Her Baltimore architects also put into
the craft some OF those fine lines which
subsequently made the clippers from
Jnat port famous around the world
water Witch
Always fast on every point Of sailing.
the Constellation became known as the
water witch" and throughout the early
part of the last century her fame as the
fastest frigste ahoat went far and wide.
In i01 years a ship Of war can crowd
in many exciting experiences. The first
notable one came 10 the Constellation
two years after she went ahoat.
There are man hoping that some day
s1ms one VIII write the story Of the tn
counter with the French frigate. Lin
surgente, which took place of Guada-
loupe. The vessels engaged in the early
afternoon. and after ii long conhict the
Frenchman struck her colOrs.
Eleven Men Against Three Hundred.
Lieut.. John Rodgers. with Midshipman
David Porter and eleven men. were sent
on board the prize, whose decks were
then numbered with seventy killed
wounded. But there were still $50 UNI
hurt on board, when a sudden squan
separated the Constellation from her
prize.
How the Mercy prisoners were kept
subdued. of how the chip. crippled as she
was by the fire Of the Constellation was
handled. and how the wounded were
cared for in this crisis, Is something
which historians have never adequately
told.
But somehow Rodgers and his men
managed Il. and three days later brought
the prize to port.
A short time later the Constellation
engaged the Vengeance. another French
frigate. but although the latter vessel
was badly shattered. she managed TO es-
capc. darkness favoring her fight.
Tho Constellation later took nnTf IN
the war with Tripoli and was again con-
spicuous In the war OF 1872
Her Distinguished Officers.
She Is ship rugged and was originally
classed as a forty-four gun ship. Later
the number Of her guns was reduced and
heavier ones substituted. and the yes
sci rated as a t~hirty-six. The vessel has
been in the training service almost since
the civil war
During her long career the COnstella-
ton has been commanded by many Off
GERS whose names are now Inscribed IN
the navys hall Of fame. First of these
was Commodore TruXtun, who COM
handed the frigate when she fought
the LInsurgeute and the Vengeance. He
was succeeded by Capt. A. Murray. who
had command during her Tripolitan ex-
p~eriences.
Later came Capt. John Cassin. who
directed her movements at the time when
she was IN action with the barges Of
the British ADMIRAL Cockburn. three OF
which she sunk. killing and wOunding
ninety men and taking fo~rty-three pris-