Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1907-06-14
WASHINGTON LETTER
rspecial Correspondence.


II Is not such prosaic world when
hard headed congress will spend
100000 for sea altar to sentiment.
That is what the rebuilding of the old
frigate Constitution means. She has
been rebuilt to the exact model of her
first self. Again a full rugged ship,
she may spread the stately pyramid OF
snowy canvas which carried her safely
from one pursuing feet and maneuver-
ed her so craftily into position for rak-
ing the Guerrero.
The Guerriere's Bell.
They have dug up the Guerriere's
bell, too, which will again strike the
hours on the frigates deck as it did
from the date of that famous fight to
about 1S4S. This bell has history of
its own, for it was cast by one Peter
Ziest of Amsterdam in the year 1860.
stolen from Holland by soldiers of the
French revolution and was installed on
the Guerrero in time for the capture of
that ship by the English. When the
Guerrero was in turn sunk by the
Americans a midshipman sent to save
anything removable from her decks
brought back the bell.
Wooden Walls and Steel.
When the Constitution was turned
out new q second time from Boston.
where she was launched in September,
1897, the old ship found grim looking
line of sisters to welcome her return
For years the Constitution has been
carried on the navy list as "unservice-
able" The fiscal year which sees her
return to the active list will see that
list decorated with the names Of TWEEN
ty-five modern steel battleships of the
first class. This summer sees the Amer
lean navy with more battleships in
commission than any nation except
Great Britain.
Six New Hattleships.
OF the nineteen battleships on the
active list only the Wisconsin and Ore
gon are in yards under such repairs
that take them out of commission tenn
porarily. France, having more battle
ships built, has but thirteen in com
mission at this time. Germany has
sixteen.
Six new American battleships will
go into commission during the coming
fiscal year If the plans of the bureau
of construction for rushing the work
succeed, and by the end of the year
thirteen armored cruisers, which can
take their place in the front line of
battle, will also be in commission.
The New and the Old.
The frigate Constitution correspond
ed to the armored cruiser in her day.
A duplicate of her old battery will be
reinstalled in her gun ports. She had
thirty long twentyfour Founders and
twenty-four thirty two-pOunders or,
In other words, her batteries could
discharge 14SS pounds Of shot stimuli
taneously, or about 744 in broadside.
One twelve inch gun on one of the
sister ships the rejuvenated Constitu-
ton will meet fires q shell heavier
than her whole broadside.
Sex of the National Bird.
Lillian Devereux Blake of New
York. who proclaims that the eagle
Oh the national coat Of arms is lady
bird. and the curator OF the Harvard
museum, who says no one can tell
what the governments idea was as
to sex are both in error 1t Is plainly
recorded In official documents that the
fathers selected an eagle OF the male
persuasion.
Gallard Hunt chief Of the passport
division Of the state department, is the
greatest living authority on the ma
tional coat OF arms. The question OF
the sex of the eagle. It is true, has been
called to his attention only in the las,
few days. To settle it he looked W
the description Of the coat OF arms az
given In the annals Of the Continental
congress, and under date Of June 20
1774, discovered the following:
Settles the Question.
ARMS. Pale ways Of thirteen pieces
argent and gules; chief azure, the
escutcheon On the breast of the Ameri
can eagle displayed proper, holding II
his dexter talon an olive branch and
In his sinister a bundle Of thirteen ar
rows, all proper, and in his beak {
scroll, inscribed with this motto,
| pluribus unum.'"
THAT settles the question" observed
| Mr.. Hunt, for that is the law. Sex
that word 'hisT 1t could not be {
lady
Mr.. Pinchot's Trip.
| Clifford Pinchot, chief forester. drop
/ A.
ago to say goodby to the president ana
Secretary Loeb prior to his departur'
for the west, where he will remain IN
til the fall He is to accompany tn
inland waterways commission on It
trip on the Mississippi river and vii
afterward attend the public land meet
ing at Denver from the 18th to tb
10th Of June. This gathering is to b
held for the general discussion Of pub
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