The Washington herald., 1906-11-18
OUR NAVAL EXPLOITS
Sailing Qualities of the Old
Ships of the Line.
WHEN WE FOUGHT WITH JAPAN
How the Old steamer wyoming Sunk
Japanese GunbOats and Silenced
ing Races that Demonstrated Su-
perior Seamanship of Americans.

when they get the old Constitution
fixed up, said the navigator, II would
like to see her tried in a race with some
modern sailing ship. She used to be
about as speedy a craft as there was
ahOat. She could outsail any man Of war
on the sea and HEX anything In her class.
She has a record of outsailing eighteen
British frigates and several ships Of the
line. The British frigates which she
captured or destroyed is a matter Of our
glorious naval history.
When Commodore Talbot went out in
the Constitution to take command OF the
West India station at the outbreak Of our
war with France he met. while cruising
to the westward OF San Domingo, a
British frigate commanded by an old
friend Of his. At that time the American
frigates, which had recently been built,
were subjects Of derision among the Off
GERS Of the British and French navies.
They couldn't san and they couldn't
fight, and all sorts of direful things were
predicted If they got caught out in
blow The French and British were
wiser afterward, and their wisdom cost
them something.
Commodore Talbots British friend
came on board the Constitution and
looked her over. He was a sailor. after
all, and took back all he had said about
the new Yaknee frigate except one thing
they couldn't SAIL
What could your old baIlayhoo here
do sailing on the wind, matched against
my beauty OF a frigate over thereg he
asked with scorn.
Bet you anything you Ike ] can
beat you on the wind, or off the wind. or
on any point Of sailing you may mention,
said Talbot
Well" retorted the British captain.
1 came out by way Of the Madeiras and
have some Of the finest Madeira wine
aboard you have ever tasted. l will bet
you cask Of It against its value in
money that I will beat you on the wind
Done. said Talbot
But / am just from a long cruise
and you are from the dockyard.' said the
Britisher- I want time TO clean ard re-
TIT
An right agreed Talbot, 7 viii
give You three weeks.
EngIishman Badly Beaten.
The Englishman went into port and
three weeks later came out nj as a new
fiddle and met Talbot at the appointed
rendezvous. The British and American
commanders dlned together on the form
er's ship that night and it Is barely pos
sible that Talbot sampled some Of the
boosted Madeira of his British friend.
The race began AT daybreak the next
morning at the firing Of a gun and ended
at sunset with the firing OF another gun.
The officers and crew Of both vessels
We're on their mettle, for the Britisher
was repUted the fastest sailer in the fleet
and the Constitution had its reputation
10 make. Hun was executive officer Of
the Constitution and kept the men on
deck all day, not even allowing them to
go below for meals. But he won their
hearts by his splendid seamanship. and
from that day HulIs fame as a sailor
was established in the service.
Wen, when the gun was fired al sun
set the British frisate was hull down
astCru-nO pun intended on the name OF
the gallant executive Of the Constitution
But she was and the Constitution suuar-
ed away and Ean down TO her The defeat
ed Briusher came on board promptly
with his cask Of Madeira and il is safe 70
say tnat, with extra gTOg forward and
art that was a wet night on board the
Constitution"
"One can imagine a frigate sailing"
said the captain Of marines. but looking
at one Of those old line Of battle ships II |
seems marvellous that they were ever
handled under sail at all. But handled
they were and some Of them were swift /
sailers, too, in spite of the fact that they |
looked as if they had been built by the /
mile and sawed of by the furiong.
Ohio a Fast Sailer.
There was the old ship Of the line /
Ohio. A towering structure she was. with /
her 10 guns rising in three tiers along
her bluff sides. She spread 5000 square