The broad ax., 1907-05-25


she may spread the stately pyramid OF
snowy canvas which carried her safely
from one pursuing feet and maneuver-
ID her so craftily into position for rak-
ng the Guerrero.
The Guerriere's Bell.
They have dug up the Guerrero
bell. too, which will again strike the
,ours ON the frigate's deck as 1t did
from the date of that famous fight to
,bout IS4S. This bell has a history OF
Is own, for it was cast by one Peter
Ziest of Amsterdam in the year 126o,
stolen from Holland by soldiers OF the
French revolution and was installed on
me Guerrero in time for the capture OF
hat ship by the English. When the
Suerriere was in turn sunk by the
Americans a midshipman sent to save
.nything removable from her decks
brought back the bell.
Wooden Walls and Steel
When the Constitution was turned
mt new a second time from Boston,
where she was launched In September,
1877. the old ship found a grim looking
Inc of sisters to welcome her return
FOR years the Constitution has been
.arried on the navy list as ''unservice-
bile" The fiscal year which sees her
,eturn to the active list will see that
ist decorated with the names OF twen-
y-nye modern steel battleships Of the
irst class. This summer sees the Amer
can navy with more battleships In
than any nation except
Great Britain.
Six New 6attlsships.
OF the nineteen battleships on the
lctiye list only the Wisconsin and Ore
ron are in yards under such repairs
hat take them out of commission tenn
France, having more battle
hips built, has but thirteen In COM
mission at this time. Germany has
ixteen.
Six new American battleships Will
10 into commission during the coming
IscaI year II the plans Of the bureau
4 construction for rushing the work
ucceed, and by the end Of the year
hirteen armored cruisers, which can
axe their place in the front line OF
,attle, will also be in commission.
The New and the Old.
The frigate Constitution correspond
d to the armored cruiser tn her day.
L duplicate Of her old battery will be
'einstaIIed In her gun ports. She had
hirty long twenty-four Founders and
thirty-two-pounders, or,
n other words, her batteries could
discharge 1,4SS pounds Of shot stimuli
or about IA In broadside.
)ne twelve inch gun on one Of the
lister ships the rejuvenated Constitu-
ion viii meet fires a shell heavier
han her whole broadside.
Sex of the National Bird.
Lillian Devereux Blake Of New
FORK, who proclaims that the eagle
N the national coat Of arms is lady
bird, and the curator OF the Harvard
who says no one can tell
what the governments idea Was as
% sex, are both in error. 1t Is plainly
recorded in official documents that the
,athers selected an eagle Of the male
GaIlard Hunt. chief Of the passport
division Of the state department, is the
greatest living authority on the ma
ional coat Of arms. The question of
he sex of the eagle, 1t is true, has been
,alled to his attention only in the last
lew days. To settle IT he looked up
the description OF the coat OF arms as
given in the annals of the Continental
congress, and under date Of June 20,
INA, discovered the following:
Settles the Question.
arms. Pale ways of thirteen pieces.
argent and gules; a chief azure. the
On the breast OF the Ameri-
IAN eagle displayed proper. holding in
MS dexter talon an olive branch and
N his sinister a bundle Of thirteen ar
rows, all proper, and In his beak a
scroll, inscribed with this motto, E
Dluribus unum.'"
THAT settles the question" observed
Mr.. Hunt, ''for that is the law. See
hat word his? 1t could not be a
Mr.. Pinehot's Trip.
Clifford Pinchot, chief forester, drop
ped in at the White House a few days
lgo to say goodby to the president and
Secretary Loeb prior TO his departure
'or the west, where he will remain IN
II the fall he is to accompany the
inland waterways commission on Its
nip on the Mississippi river and will
lfterward attend the public land meet
ng at Denver from the 18th to the
9th OF June. This gathering Is to be
leld for the general discussion Of pub
&c land matters and has been inau-
yurated by Governor BuchteI Of Colo
ado, who has been interesting the
governors Of the various western
Itates IN the meeting. From Denver
Hr. Pinchot VIII 60 to Idaho and dur
ne the remainder Of the summer hopes
o visit a number Of the forest re-
'erTes.
An Agricultural Explorer.
Probably nobody In the government