The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-04-08
SECRETARY DAY
SPOKE FOR STATE
LEGISLATORS WHO REPRESENT
b MINNESOTA AT THE LAUNCHING
Representing Governor johnson,
He Delivers the Address of
FIT. - the Launching.
Special to The Journal.


sofa. He said: .,, .. ..
The first object which meets the eye Of
the visitor In the doorway Of Minnesotas
state historical library is the steering
wheel Of the old United States frigate
Minnesota, launched on the Potomac just
fifty years ago. That was three years be-
fore Minnesota was admitted into the
union as a state. The territorial dele
gate. Henry M. Rice. who had persuaded
congress to give the name Minnesota to
one Of the six new frigates then being
constructed, carried water all the way
from the Minnesota river with which to
give the new vessel Of war a proper bap-
tism.
From the battleship Minnesota of 1865
20 the battleship Minnesota of 1906 is a
far cry. 1t marks an era in the history
of the state, nation and world. In ship
building. it marks the transition from the
age of wood to the age Of steel. In Min
nesota the half-century records the
growth from a frontier territory Of $1,000
souls to a great commonwealth of 2,0OO,-
600 people.
The old frigate Minnesota was built of
wood The entire fleet Of six war vessels
in Its class cost less than the steel battle
ship we have launched today. The en-
gines and boilers and small screw propel-
Ter, considered somewhat Of an innovation
in those days, constituted one-fourth Of
the vessels entire cost. Not content to
rely upon steam for power. the vessel
spread 2,400 feet Of sail, and by the COM
bined aid Of steam and sail was able to
attain q speed Of twelve knots an hour
On the day of Its launching it was pro-
nounced by the leading Washington news
paper as "a very leviathan upon the
waters; It's displacement was just one
fifth that Of the vessel we have launched
today. It's armament was the heaviest
of any battleship Of any nation up to that
time: its guns showed a tonnage just one
sixth that of the batteries which the new
Minnesota Is to carry.
Yet that old frigate Of SO was pro-
nounced 1.-The most superb specimen Of
marine architecture ever attempted"
The historian of 1.-The Steam Navy" of the
United States has pronounced the Min
nesota and its sister vessels Of the same
model, the Wabash and the Merrimac, az
1.-THE superiOrs Of any war vessels then
possessed by any nation in the world" as
"objects of admiration and envy to the
naval architects of Europe" and models
which even England copied in the con-
struction Of some Of it's most famous bat
tleships.
History Of the Old Minnesota.
The old Minnesota had a history which
the new Minnesota may we'll emulate. Its
first commander was the famous Dupont,
commander of the East India squadron.
1t bore the first tidings Of American Civ
ilization to China and Japan. and was
known as the greatest war vessel that had
yet visited the eastern world. When the
civil war broke out in 1861 the Minnesota
became the flagship Of the Atlantic squad
ron. under command of Flag Officer
Stringham. On May 10, 1t was anchored
down your harbor here at Fortress Mon
roe. On May II. it participated in the
capture Of three schooners Inside OF
ninety days It took part in the capture of
ten vessels, one Of which, the Savannah
bearing a commission from Jeff Davis
was the first war vessel captured from the
confederate forces. -
On Aug. 26, 1851, from your harbor here
out thru Hampton Roads, the old flagship
Minnesota led the Atlantic squadron
bearing the troops and artillery of Genera
Ben Butler, south of IIatteras Inlet TO
In that two days bombardment the Min
nesota stood on the inside firing line a
the head of the squadron, and Its, heav
main battery, consisting Of two ten-incl
guns and fourteen eight-inch guns, wa
the prime factor in compelling those, fort
to raise the flag Of surrender-the frs
confederate forts to surrender to unto
=,
the navy, Gideon Welles, congratulate
Flag Officer Stringham, and also the Off
GERS and soldiers Of the army. on the re
duction of Forts Tiatteras and Clark, ac
complished without the loss or injury Of
single man in the federal service and car
frying Joy and gladness to the bosom c
every friend Of the union" "
Gunner Dives After His Sponge.
Flag Officer Stringham. in, his officit
report, relates the following occurrence
on board the Minnesota In the heat of tn
engagement:
M.nnesotans yet talk Of an incldec
which occurred on board this ship. j.
Kraigbaurn. in sponging a gun, unfortu
nately lest overheard his sponge; quick q
thought he plunged overheard, grasped i
swan UP t. the port, and was helped
By his comrades. When asked oy his Of
1;cers why he did so rash an act, ne re
Piled he did not want his gun disgrace'
But the greatest engagement in whic
the old frisate Minnesota took part, II
deed, the greatest naval battle Of the civ
war. if hot the most epochal naval Ell
gagement in the worlds history, you you
selves witnessed here in your own ha
Dor on May s and 9, 1862. On the St
you saw the famous ironclad Virgini
formerly known as the union frigate Me
rimac, emerge from Norfolk, across IL
bay. and, steamirg directly into the fl
of the union batteries, attack the Gun
barland and Congress off Your shore: al
YOU saw the Minnesota hasten to the re
cue Of the doomed vessels. You witnesst
the sinking of the Cumberland. thus d
scribed by the poet, .Longfellow:
Then, like kraken huge and black,
r.. She crushed our ribs in her iron grasp;
Down went the Cumberland all a-wrack,
. With sudden shudder Of death,
S.. And the lannon's breath
For her dying gasp.
Next morn, as the sun rose over the bay,
-. Still doated flag at the mainmast head
Lord, how beautiful was thy day;
Every watt of the air
Was a whisper Of prayer
Or a dirge for the ded.
- Saved by the Merrimac.
You know, also, why it was that on
morning of the 9th, the fate of the Mi
nesota was not that Of the CumberlaI
| You saw the ancient "cheese-boX on
raft" the little historic Monitor, prod,
of that patriotic genius, Captain John F
lesson, steam to the rescue of the uni
flagship Minnesota, and go out to nj
the ponderous Virginia, five times her 81
and you witnessed the greatest naval d
+. of ancient or modern times-that VIII
! sealed the fate of the confederate ca,
on the sea and changed the naval arm
ments Of the world
; The new battleship Minnesota. VIII
you launched into Hampton Roads tod
2 could easily meet and vanquish, sing
j. handed, the combined union and confed
: ate .suuadrons of 1862. What more S
2 ,,ifcant Testimony to the Industrial &C