Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-11-28
SHOULD HAVE SHIPS
Secretary Bonaparte Points
the Lesson of 1914.
AT THE LOCAL NAVY YARD
Tablet Unveiled in Memory Of Capt.
Tingey.
ASSISTANT SECRETARY SPEAKS
Many Marines and Sailors Lend Pic
turesqueness to scene-Descendants
Of Capt. Tingey Present.
ASSISTANT SECRETARY SPEAKS

drew from the story of the burning OF the
local navy yard before the arrival or tne
British in 1914, related in his address TINS
afternoon at the unwilling of the bronze
tablet in memory Of Capt. Thomas Tingey.
The ceremony took place at the Washing
ton navy yard, where the tablet has been
placed.
The Secretary said he had read the vivid
description of the burning Of the navy yard
to prevent it from falling into the hands OF
the invading enemy and added that had
Congress appropriated money to build
enough ships as 1t had been urged to, the
capture and destruction of Washington
would have been impossible.
The exercises began in the navy YARD
near the 9Th street or main gate shortly
after II o'clock. The tablet In the north
wall of the commandments residence was
concealed behind the folds of an American
flag. Beside 1t stood two warrant onlcers
of the navy. Drawn up in the roadway
facing the tablet on two sides were three
companies OF marines and one OF sailors
from the Mayfower, the Sylph ana the
naval tugs Choctaw, Tecumseh and Triton,
with the full marine band, the bandsmen
wearing their new scarlet coats and caps.
Standing within the arch of the main |
gate was the receiving party headed oy
Capt. Eugene H. c. Leutze, the thirty |
ninth commandment Of the yard. With MIN
| were Capt. F. E. Beatty, In charge OF
| yards and docks; Col. George Barnett. com
| officers stationed at the yard.
When Secretary Bonaparte arrived in his
carriage he was greeted with the Secre-
| tary's salute from battery on the water
front. while the band played a patriotic
| air and the marines and tackles came to
present arms" Among the other notables
| present were former Secretaries OF the Navy
William E. Chandler and Herbert, Judge
F4aener Paymaster General LOCKER ana
| fol- mer Assistant Secretary of the Navy
Frank w. Hackett, who delivered an MS
Hoy Tr1cQ a
the Washington navy yard In It's early
days
| Commandment Leutze, as presiding officer,
called the assemblage to order and present.
| ed Rev. Arthur Johns. rector or CnriSt
Episcopal Church, which Capt. Iingey at
tended away back in 1900. Rev: Johns de-
Iyered fervent prayer. which was 1oi-
lowed by the address OF MI. Hackett
Then. amidst a crash of artillery and the
playing Of THE Star SDangled Banner py
the Marine Band. the two naval officers
pulled the cords which caused the nag 10
| separate and disclose to view the memoir
iai tablet, bearing this inscription:
''Died in this house February % 1oS9,
Capt. Thomas Tingey, U. s.. NJ; who for
90 an officer Of the navy. He laid out this
navy yard and for twenty-eight years was
its cOmmandant.
Mr.. Bonaparte introduced.
, Secretary Bonaparte was then introduced
nv Cant. Leutze and paid tribute to the
: memoryof Capt. Tingey. He said the tablet
was not intended as a memorial TO COM
memorate the deeds of Capt. Tingey alone
but of all naval officers who hao per-
formed their full duty to their country
' COME of them had served faithfully and
well while they were In comparative I'M
= cial obscurity, but they were none the Tess
- entitled to the fullest measure or grattuoe
and praise from their country. He SAID II
e did not fall to the lot of many to be brakes
e The Secretary spoke highly Of the many
!. men in the navy who are doing wnatevel
- work, great or small, Is assigned 70 tnen
VI and doing it cheerfully and well. It Is te
l. such men he said that the American navy
y. owes its greatness as well as to those Whe
n have won distinguished victories on the higt
. | seas The ideal naval officer, he declared
D. ia he who discharges faithfully, honestly ana
10 unremittingly all the duties that may com
<, to him.
family as descendants, who were presen
III at the exercises, were Mrs. ]. II. chi
o. chester Of Fairfax county. Va, the onl
er living grandchild Of Capt. Tingey; also tn
Misses Davidson, grandchildren OF Mri
I'd Chichester; Lieut.. Thomas Tingey Craven
a. a grandson Of Admiral Craven, who wa
st the grandson Of Capt Tingey; RobeI
H. life with Farragut at Mobile bay, and Mr.:
ic Aulick Palmer, descendant.
~ Mr.. Hackett's Address.
Mr.. Frank w. Hackett in his address sal
of in part:
H. The American people have awakened
T. | the value of historic associations. They al
m. | minded that hereafter no site Of a NOT
or. worthy public event shall go unmarked.
r. this spirit we are here to commemorate tn
u beginnings of the Washington navy yard.
M Congress. by act of February 2, 1893, al
lie thorized the building of six ships, of SCI
| enty-four guns each. The Secretary Of II
Navy named Washington as a place whel
one Of the ships should be built. He bougl
for 81 GOO a tract of forty acres here on Il
es! Eastern branch.
ill. There was living, however. at hines.O
w. | n j. IAN officer" to quote the Secretary
',as words. ''of great merit in our service
nei man Of understanding. who. hav !.
It seen the navy yards Of England would y
be- able to direct the laying out OF that
to Washington to the greatest advantage.
re- obedience to a summons this officer car
cen here in midwinter to a place that was Htt
r. better than wilderness With the advan
of the season he erected high board fens
and had men at work building VIVA
From this date down to February. 1879. t
man diligently applied himself to t
all growth and development OF TINS yard; a
-. | when death overlook him here, at the a
Ia, OF almost eighty. all washington mourn
nat tho loss of q friend. Today we do honor
lde- the memory of Capt. Thomas Ttngey OF I
he United States navy.
hat The son of clergyman, he was born
o,t London, England, on the LIN OF Septe
IT, mer, 1750.
With He seems to have found his way to tn
nm, colonies. The statement also rests on ira
the ton that he served in the continental ma
are and at the close Of the revolutionary y
g made his home in New Jersey, where
lnat | entered into trade with the East Indies.
ana Upon the reorganization Of the navy,
ldii- 170S, the President named him as one Of
90 additional captains, and gave to his CO
rye. mission the earliest date of the five then
laKe pointed. Capt. Tingey was assigned
uno- the command of the GanHes, twenty-f
ma guns, then fitting out for sea at Mar
say Hook. He ranked third In the squad
To- Tor the West Indies. his seniors oeing Ba
. .us. and Truxtun.
tnat During the same year Q799). Tingey
in with a British frigate. whose capt
dispatched an officer to the Ganges
, | make inquiries with regard. to the preSe
on board. of British seamen. Cant. I'm
was informed that his simple assura
the would be sufficient to prevent an on
ector being sent to examine the projections
nod his crew. 81 diu not hesitate to say
he reports to the department, that {
" sidered all my crew Americana. born
'iiing adopted; but told the officer further
,man did not believe there was one single
Il A.. ~k~gw< he Sxvx1xy ma Wa