Evening capital., 1907-03-18
GIFT TO NAVAL ACADEMY.
THE FLAGS OF TWO NATIONS
JOINED HERE.
The American Navy Gets Relic Of NeI.
sons Flagship at Trafalgar.

evening when the Rev. Edward w
Matthews, who for thiTty-five years
has been chaplain and secretary of
the British and Foreign Sailors So
ciety, presented 10 the Naval Acad
envy, through Capts>George +. Colvo-
coresses, commandant of midshipmen,
and the whole brigade of midshipmen,
a relic of Eugland's great admiral, in
the shape of handsome and suitably
inscribed bust of Nelson, made from
copper of his flagship, the Victory,
with a pedestal OF oak from the same
vessel. Matthews acted as the direct
representative of King Edward in max
ing the presentation and il had the
warm approval of President Roose-
velt.
The British and Foreign Sailors
Society, of which Mr.. Matthews is
the representative, is the custodian
of the material from the Victory and
has been so since the collision with
German ship which injured the
Victory shortly after the battle of
Trafalar. During the centenary cell
eb~ation of that battle, occurring in
1904, Mr.. Matthews was authorized
to present relics of the vessel in a
number of places throughout the
world and he is now finishing
worlds tour which he has made in
carrying out the commission of the
society. The tour included Austria
liza, Tasmania, New Zealand and Can
ada. The only pieces of Victory ma
teriai which have been presented out
side of England and Canada are the
relics presented to the Naval Academy
last night and another bust of Nelson
to President Roosevelt few days
ago.
In addition to the bust presented TO
the Naval Academy, Mr.. Matthews
presented a shield made of Victory
metal to the first class at the Academy.
This shield will be mounted upon
wooden base and upon this base the
names of midshipmen who have dis
tinguished themselves bye heroism
will be inscribed each year. The
names are TO be determined by vote
of the class and it will undoubtedly
become one of the most highly priced
possessions of the institution. Mrs.
Roosevelt, wife of the President, has
promised an American flag, with
which the pedestal of tine Nelson bust
will be draped, and Queen Alexandra,
who is the patron of the Society, will
be asked TO furnish British flag,
which will be hung with the stars
aud stripes.
The inscription upon the bust was
long one and included Nelson's
battle order: England expects every
man to do-his duty and his Idying
words, THANK God, i have done
my duty" Associated with Nelson
in the inscription are the names of
Americas S martyred presidents
coin, Garfield and Mckinley, who, it
reads, also gave their lives for their
country. In making the presentation,
Mr.. Matthews spoke of the incident,
ten years after the battle of Trafal-
gar, when Admiral Gambler, first
president of the British and Foreign
Sailors Society, signed the treaty
of peace with the United States, and
of another incident some years later
when Admiral Gambler, in the pres
ence of the members of the Royal fam
lily, the British Admiralty and the
diplomatic representatives of the Uni
ted States, unfurled the Bethel Flag,
the banner of the organization, with
the Stars and Stripes and the Union
Jack, as symbols of the restoration of
peace between the two great nations
and the Joint work which was to be
undertaken in the interest of seamen
of both nations.
Mr.. Matthews spoke of the i 300
Christian shipmasters who, under the
! influence of the Society, had banded
| together to further the cause of Christ
among their sailors and gave other
striking instances of the work of this
organization, which confines it labors
to no nation or sect. He said that he
was glad that President Roosevelt
and King Edward, the two greatest in
| huences that made for the peace of
| the world, were heartily in accord
with their work. In conclusion he
/ spoke Of the character and services of
Nelson, England's great admiral. He
| SAID that Americas greatest naval
writer, Commodore Mahan, had held
| him up as the highest type of naval
officer and patriot and that his exam
| Pile might we'll be emulated by every
| officer and man in the Navy of both
nations.
| At the conclusion of his address and
| the presentation, Captain Colvocoress-
| es, who spoke on behalf of Admiral
| James II. Sands, superintendent of
| the Naval Academy, and the institu-
| tion, expressed his appreciation of
| the act of the Society and of the Brit
| ish nation. Mr.. Mathews also re-
ceived many warm personal express
sions of qualification of the significant
/ gift which had been made to the train
| ing school of the American naval Off
Ger and its import of the friendly
| relations between the American and
British nations.
Mr.. Matthews preached to the whole
brigade of midshipmen and others at
| the regular service at the Naval Acad-
emy in the morning. He took for his
text the fourth verse of the twenty first
chapter of the Gospel of st. John
..When the morning was now come,
Jesus stood upon the shore. He out
| lined the work of the British and
Foreign Sailors Society and gave
many interesting incidents of its
methods. He told particularly how
early in the last century the Society
had so interested the Khedive of Egypt
| that he had presented them with a
| vessel to be used as a floating Bethel
ia the harbor of Alexandria, and that
he himself, through the influence re-
eeived there, had been led to make this
work his life pursuit. He said that
through the work of his organization
sailors were not now met at every port
by the enemies of their souls, but by
the ambassadors of Christ.
Mr.. Matthews has now completed
the tour OF the world which be m
dertook II carry out the commission