The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1905-06-07
PANAMA NAVY DEDICATED
Smallest Republics Warship HOSTS
Its Flag at Bay Ridge L. |.
Admiral Is an American Who Has Served
in Colombian Army as
General.

New York City.-The smallest Amer
lean republic, Panama. dedicated her
navy to service. and for the first time
in these waters the flag Of the republic
f1oated from the peak Of a vessel. APP
~propriately enough, the smallest re-
public has also the smallest navy, con
sisting Of n trim little yacht, which,
on her arrival at Colon several weeks
hence, will be transformed into a gun
boat by the mounting Of her armament.
1t had been the original intention Of
Captain T. T. Lovelace, formerly OF
Kansas City, and now known in Colon
and Panama as Gel Almirante," to
make the dedication of the navy over
which he holds absolute command a
double event. The party which was to
celebrate the event of the navy's inau-
gural was to have been taken down the
bay to view the starting Of the race for
the Kaiser's Cup, but when Captain
Lovelace got word that the start would
be postponed. the ceremony was per-
formed at the dock Of the Morse Iron
Works, in Bay Ridge, where the vessel
has berthed since her trial run several
days ago. '&.2. =
The Orienta was in gala dress for the
occasion. Captain Loyelace wore the
uniform of his rank and his officers
were also resplendent in gold lace. A
merry party that filled the tiny cabin
of the vessel had come on board, con-
sisting Of Carlos Arosemena, Secretary
of the Panamanian Legation; Miss Vic
toria Guardia, niece of the Secretary Of
State Of the republic; the Misses Arias,
nieces Of the Minister Of Foreign At
fairs; Francisco Arias, son Of Ricardo
Arias. Financial Envoy of the Repub-
lie; Miss Stimson, Mr.. and Mrs. Frank
Hart, and Mr.. and Mrs. j. Z. Arose
mena.
Luncheon was served on board, Mrs.
Lovelace acting as hostess, after which
the flag of the republic vas brought
from 4 locker where it had been care
fully slowed away by Captain Love
lace and fastened to the ~halyards, and
the Union Jack and the revenue flag,
especially designed by the captain,
were respectively fastened to the fore
peak End the mointop halyards. To
Mrs. Arosemena and Miss Guardia fell
the honor of raising these two flags at
the same time that the Secretary Of LIE
CATION raised the standard of the coun-
try. .a'
The Panamanian flag consists of four
squares. two of white, n in the up
per left and the other in the lower
right hand corner, and two squares,
one each Of red and blue. In n Of
the white squares there is a single star
of blue and in the other a red star.
When the crew had been called to
quarters and all the preliminaries had
been arranged Secretary Arosemena
said: ~ o..
In the absence Of the Minister the
honor devolves upon me to raise the
standard Of our country on this beauti-
full little vessel and to dedicate her to
the country's service. May she carry
our flag into many ports on peaceful
missions and ever uphold the honor OF
our republic"
The flags were hoisted to the peaks,
while the big United States transports
lying near blew shrill blasts on their
whistles. The Orienta was scheduled
to leave for Colon, her route being to
Norfolk, Savannah, Jacksonville, Key
West, and throug,: the Caribbean Sea.
On her arrival there she will be fitted
with two three-pounder Hotchkiss guns
and two automatic Maxim rapid-6ring
guns.
Captain Lovelace is the typical SOL
der Of fortune. He was a general in
the service Of Colombia in the last rev.
olution.
The Orienta was built originally for
Z. R. Ladew. = Lewis r. Nixon de-
signed her, and she was built at the
Elizabethport yards in 1901, at the
time Of the machinists' strike. Captain
Lorelace bought the little vessel for
his Government for something like
$50. 600.
The vessel on her trial trips had not
come up to the standard, and on an in
spection Captain Lovelace found her
condenser tubes had been stopped with
wooden plugs driven into them with a
mallet. In the water-tube boiler six
teen of the tubes were plugged with
boiler punchings.
The scheme of the disgruntled ma
chinists to throw back the vessel on
the hands of the builders by practically
disabling her worked to my BENEFIT
said Captain Lovelace, FOR 1 bought
her for about half price"