New-York tribune., 1905-08-03
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.
FOUNDER OF THE AMERICAN NAVY
Why the Title Belongs to Commodore John
Barry.
To the Editor of The Tribune.

10 the Editor OF The Tribune,
DIR: president Fitzgerald OF the Friendly Sons
OF 81 Patrick is right in saying that Commodore
John Barry in 1873, was the senior commander ~
all the American vessels. There were IN 17S2
ohly TWO war vessels-the Alliance Captain Rarrv
ana the Deane Captain Samuel mot Jamesl Michel
son 1t mad been so from early in 1882 as appears
tIoHl letter of William Vernon Of Rhoda leland
10 John Adams, dated April 26 1882 when h. ssId
lou nave long since known that the American
navy is now reduced to two ships onlv viz tba
e,'IaIce' S' John Barry. commander and the Deane
or,,,a Nlcnoison commander. that sailed on
" use ABOUT seven weeks past tn tho sou+buard
NO intelligence of her since her daDor,,,-o ;,
Barry cruised in European waters IN 1850 or5
~ zoo around the West Indies where he received
10 go to Havana for $4,000 in specie on Con-
~ account and thousands more on private
.o@ouhIs' On returning to the ITpited states he
Fought the last battle of the RevoIutior - -
~ i.aS on Florida, with the Sybille Tho Al
lIiiIaity and navy boards were closed bv order Of
EoneIess on September 7. 17s on account of .tbis
art SS ol our navy" having only two ships Rob
~ ~ MOTIFS was then placed in charge of all rav,,
Finance 60 "upeIihtenueht OF
- pairy return to the United States arriving
IA t'hoae Island Harbor" on March % 17s2 the
go pe,at'ohs OF the war ceased, as the treaty of
po"ce had been signed on January u ana b., :.
singular coincidence all hostiJitias ,ar 80 80 ~
of PTis % dc9uhtry on March 90" as Elias Boudinot
The Aifarp piIes Id wrote Lewis Pintard at New-York
me me united Colonies ever owned Il Vas eS,f 81
or England IN 10 pa any armed ship of either France
wba Tja IN IN ls when she was sold was John BapTv
was neVer oUt ItIo entered the service and
The nepc p' n reLt or serious work to be done
official navy OF 1874 was not continuance in
so Rar Iorn OF the navy of the united Colonies
beoaItI4Iy 4Iy was not ''reappointed'' by Wasbngton
All moPPeeo Pp, from the service as Il j. G." states
revolutionary officers had been ''dropped% he
cai+ caHse the service had ceased The nav had ne
ship II was ti tho btSf 20 IS. The country hadn't
%Ss 7a, Of Congress March q 1874 But on March ~
wrote 70 Uhigon Mdhsinl9gton had signed the act Barry
0 the squadron of ships of war for the Irnfac
''Sm Su oi nyain our trade against the Algerines
aFn.oluuon on June 5 Washington appointed hin,
vapi'an was No and Captain Samuel Nichoison
Iato he wrote from Boston to Barry: Il congratti,
command on OF Ip ypun able appointment TO the
ton Of all who wish well to this countrv: rbs
niaceG ~ "I 'ne Revolutionary navy and again
bnCoeU bo me Two IN the same positions Barry as
R RRao mao, under Barry. commanded the Deane'
t pat[E continued as commodore OF all the vessels
West Indies; and his death on Septemher IA
IS'2 S oalnuel Nicholson ranked senior as Il ].
Barry trained so many who became useful or
famous nis, IN our naval annassuch Dale Stewart
/ MuNouney and Somers-that because of this anart
he RoTr merits he is Justly entitled to be called
When Benne OF Eo 9qF Nay M now as he was in 1873
lshlng the first sketch of his life, said: Captain
Of our BafTy g Bgsy B hy be @ the father
until within five years has it been claimed that
| John Paul Jones was the founder or father. and
! that claim is based on deliberately manufactured
testimony. having no foundation whatever save the
romancing imagination of his chief bographer. All
this anys one can prove by testing fer half an hour
| the statements by the journals OF Congress the
| Barry alone is entitled to be called "The Fathet
of the American Navy
New-York July 2S. 1905 . 'i>'' ~