Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-06-06
|IOC0MMOD0RE BARRY
Bill to Erect a Monument Here
Passed.
IRlsHs0CIETIEs INTERESTED
Ancient Order of Hibernians Took the
{ Lead.
SKETCH OF HIS ACTIVE LIFE
Some Of the Daring Deeds Which He
Performed on the
Water.
SKETCH OF HIS ACTIVE LIFE

The passage by the House of Representa-
tives of the bill authorizing the erection of
monument in this city to the memory OF
Commodore John Barry, an Irishman, and
hero of the revolutionary war for American
Independence, has given unbounded salts
faction to millions of people of Irish blood
throughout the United States, who have
been patiently watching the progress of the
bill for the past four years in the Senate
and House of Representatives. The bill
which passed the House of Representatives
yesterday is the one introduced in the Sen
ate last January by Senator Knox of Penn
sylvania. and which passed that body on
February 1 of the present year After its
passage in the Senate 1t was referred to the
committee on library of the House of Rep
resentatives. which committee reported it
favorably to the House about one month
ago.
The bill is as follows:
An act for the erection of monument
to the memory of Commodore John Barry.
Be 1t enacted by the Senate and House of
Representatives of the United States of
America in Congress assembled, that there
shall be erected in the city of Washington,
District of Columbia, statue to the
memory of Commodore John Barry; and
for the purpose of procuring and erecting
said statue, with a suitable pedestal, and
for the preparation of a site, the sum of
fifty thousand dollars, much thereof
as may be necessary, is hereby appropri-
ated out of any money in the tresury not
otherwise appropriated, the to be ex-
pended under the direction of a commission
to be composed of the Secretary of War,
the Secretary of the Navy, the chairman of
the committee on the library of the Senate
and the chairman of the committee on the
library of the House of Representatives.
Section 2 That the commission herein
created is empowered to select a site for
+,
belonging to the government: Provided,
that said statue shall not be located in the
grounds of the Capitol or Library of Con-
gress.'
American Irish Societies Interested
The Aneriean-Irish societies throughout
the United States have been solidly behind
this measure. The Ancient Order of Hiber-
mans especially took an active interest in
the movement and at its national conven-
tion held In Denver, Col. In 1862, a reso-
luton was adopted. presented by Mr.. Pat
rick j. Haltigan of Washington, D. c.,
piedging to the Barry monument bill then
before Congress, introduced by Mr. Driscoll
of New York. the. support of that great or
ganization. Since that time its officers and
members throughout the country have been
most active in securing the support of sena-
tors and representa- tiyes in the interest of
the bill, and at a meeting last summer of
the national executive board of the A. O.
II. Washington committee was desig-
mated to promote its interests before Cor.s
gress. This committee consisted of Mr.
Patrick T. Moran, District president of the
Ancient Order of Hiberniafls Mr.. VIM. ]
Frizzell and Mr.. Patrick ]. Haltigan, editor
of the National Hibernian the official or
gan of the Ancient Order of Hibernians.
The Justice Of the measure was unfver-
sally conceded by the public men of the
country, and it was only lack of funds
In the United States treasury which pre-
vented
gress.
Sketch of Barry.
John Barry was born In the County Wex-
ford, Ireland, in 1745, and In the year 1775
was captain of d merchant ship called the
Black Prince, trading between Philadelphia
and Bristol, England When he returned to
Philadelphia about October 10, IT'S, the
battle OF Lexington had been fought, and
the nres OF patriotism were burning bright
~ upon the hilltops of this land.
The first vessel purchased by the CONT
mental congress was frisate called the
Lexington, and to the command of her John
Barry was appointed on December I I775
Whiie IN command of the Lexington Barry
captured the sloop Edward tender OF the
man-of-war Liverpool. The sloop was the
first prize OF American valor upon the high
seas. After three more vessels were cap
tured by the gallant Irishman he returned
to philadelphia, where he was appointed to
command one of the ships then In course of
construction by the continental forces. Oc-
tober 10, 1776, he was assigned to the En-
fngham, which was subsequently destroyed
by the British, after being abandoned by its
officers and crew. During the winter OF
1I76 Barry aided Washington In crossing
the Delaware, and fought under him with
the land forces during the campaign around
Trenton.
After short while, however, he returned
to the service on the water, where he plan
ned and executed a movement which ranks
among the most daring and successful of
the revolutionary war, or of any war in the
history of mankind. While the British
were In Philadelphia, Barry started from
Burlington with twenty-seven men in four
rowboats, and with muffied oars at night
passed the city and toward the mouth or
the harbor at daybreak met British war
ship the Alert, conveying two vessels laden
with forage and supplies. The warship. II
she observed the four rowboats. paid no at
tention to them. They came alongside.
probably unnoticed. and In the twinkling of
an eye these four rowboats gave up their
swept all opposition before them, battered
down In the matches 1870 English sailors,
and. turning the ships guns on the two
vessels she was conveying took captive the
entire outfit. Barry took his prizes to the
shore; the British feet pursued, but before
they were allowed to recapture the vessels
Barry succeeded in taking from them all
their cargoes These he sent to Washing
ton at Valley Forge, who expressed his
thanks for the supplies aand his high al
miration for the gallantry that had won
Commanded the Raleigh.
Next Barry was appointed to the COM
mand of the Raleigh, superseiing her COM
mander. Thompson. He sailed from Bos-
ton in the Raleigh September rs. ITS, and
the very day he left port he was overhaul