The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-08-26
From the New Haven Register.

A FFER many years OF buffeting by
n the waters of many seas, the one
time receiving ship st. Louis lies
In the Delaware river at Philadelphia,
awaiting final orders, which will be
either to hand her battered timbers over
to unsentimental junk dealers or to pre-
serve her as the Oldest vessels outside of
the famous Constitution. in Uncle Sans
navy. It has been rs years since the then
proud frigate was launched at Washing
ton, where she had been built for service
In the far east. At that time she was re-
garded as one of the best vessels in the
young navy. Her career has been one of
credit to her nation and commanders, al
though her name is not sung as is that
OF the Constitution or the Bon Homme
Richard.
A visit to the old craft recalls to mind
the stirring days of the old mast, when
pirates swarmed the high seas and fight
ing at two miles distance had not been
dreamed Of says the Philadelphia Record.
Since the springing of the serious leak
few days ago that occasoned the hasty
orders to the Philadelphia Naval Reserves
| to withdraw their furniture and other eff
| fects the fate of the old frigate has been
In doubt For twelve years the reserves
have occupied her as she lay at the Cath
crime Street dock and have held their
| drills on her weather beaten deck. A
glance at the outside speaks of style of
a century old when tarred ropes from the
rigging fastened on side staples and bold
rugged lines of stern, with its little peep
ing ports, bring to thought the compara-
lively primitive shlpbuilding plants of that
date.
Along her side. where once formidable
mouths of big guns peeped out OF port
holes. modern window panes are set,
but even this evidence Of the flight OF
time cannot dispel the thought of the
belching cannon aimed by lucky jackies.
Time and the usage she has been put TO
have changed her from her original condi-
ton. The bulwark, formerly about four
feet high, has been continued upward and
converged into forming roof, giving the
vessel the appearance Of an ark. Under
this shelter tho young United States sail
ors were formerly admitted, following
their enlistment, and many or the older
seamen now in the service Will remem-
Der their lessons in the rudiments OF
nautical Aore taught aboard this vessel
when she lay at League Island, previous
! to 1894 The hunks In the forecastle have
| long been taken out, and the place where
Jack wooed the drowsy god after hard
days work on the spars Is bare, yet there
yet remains the hooks and nails on which
sou-westerns and peajackets were hung
and the pegs that held the blue uniforms.
Visions of bewhiskered mates and stern
faced captains in imposing uniforms are
suggested by the quaint woodwork and
the general air of old-time styles and
vogues. Mahogany cabinets, built In the
solid oak of the ships side, reek with the
odor of Jamaica rum and the wines from
Sunny Spain. Partitions for holding the
.N.f aarnAR
are now filed partially with dust-the
dust of her construction in 1S2S-sets In
what was formerly the midshipman's
cabin. Even miniature cannon protrude
from dimnutive portfolios.
A grizzled tar who acts as ships ten
der is the man of the hour when reminis-
cences are in order. Graphically he de-
scrbes the bold action OF Captain Ingra-
ham In the harbor of Smyrna, sixty years
ago when one of fleet of Austrian war
ships detained Marion Koszta, a former
Hungarian but then a naturalized Amer
lean citizen. Give up that citizen or
those who are now at peace will be at
war" was Captain Ingrahams message
to the Austrian admiral. IAN hour / will
give you to deliver him. and If after that
time he ls not on your deck my guns will
open fire on you" 1t continued. without
waiting for the answer the ship was
moved broadsides to the fleet of seven ves-
sells and the crew stood with ready am
muniton for what might follow Either
realizing the subsequent International en-
broilmcnt that would result should he re-
fuse, or not liking the attitude of the de-
termined looking American sea warrior,
the admiral delivered the prisoner and no
guns were fired
During the first ten years of her service
pirates were the pest of the West Indies
and the Pacific. The ST. Louis, then one
Of the swiftest vessels In the navy was
sent after the men who sailed under the
skull and crossbones, and to her efforts
Is partly due the determination of the
looters. On one occasion one Of the ralxish
crafts, closely pursued by the coIIing
Union Jack, ran aground on one of the
large islands. and her crew escaped to the
wooded interior. Lieutenant Horton, a
gallant young officer of that day, led d
cheering company of his men, armed with
cutlasses and pistols, to rout the des-
peradoes. over hills and copse the chase
continued for mile, when the fleeing buc-
cancers ambushed the pursuers and a
pitched battle resulted After fierce
hand-to-hand combat the pirates were all
killed or captured, and the latter were
hanged the following day from the yard
arm of the st. Louis.
At another time the st. Louis was dis
patched by the government on a voyage of
exploration. She sailed the Atlantic, her
lookouts ever watchful for the green hills
of new land. Through the Indian ocean.
around the Cape of Good Hope and across
the Pacific the voyage continued. but on
none. of the green shores visited was
Old Glory left behind to signify to the
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