The Washington herald., 1907-02-03
WAR CRAFT OF OLD
Work of Restoring the Frig-
ate Constitution
AS SHE FOUGHT GUERRERO
Ship That Mr, Bonaparte Wanted
Sunk by Gunfire VIII he Ready
for Visitors Is July Next-Care
Taken 60 Reproduce All the Fea-
lures OF the Original Craft.

The work of rebuilding the frigate Con-
stitution and replacing her as nearly as
possible in the condition in which she was
at the time Of her battle with the Guer-
riere on August -, 1872, is going ahead
without interruption at the CharlestOwn
Navy Yard. says the Boston Transcript
and Naval Constructor Elliott Snow, u. S.
n, head Of the department Of construc-
ton and repair who is in charge Of 'he
work, said that the ship will be fully re-
stored and ready to receive visitors by
July I. The house which formerly shell
tered the ships decks and inclosed her
cabin has been removed and the work of
replanking and strengthening the sides
ana inner frame Of the hull is we'll under
way. The planking on the port side is
practically all ia place, the old ana rotten
umbers having been removed, and the
planking on the starboard side is being
fastened in position as fast as possible.
The interior work progresses as fast as
that on the outside Of the huh The dis
maatled hun as it now floats at the west
ein side OF pier No. at the lower end Of
the yard would hardly Toe recognized as
that Of the famous frigate as she APP
peared for many years
While there IS a great deal Of owrk
under way on the hull, perhaps the most
difficult part of the restoration is that Of
rigging the ship and getting exact fac
SMILES Of her guns and fittings. ali Of
frf, 10 90
spars are being made at the Portsmouth
Navy Yard. and win be shipped here as
soon as they are finished. All Of the
other fittings VIII be made here. it is eX-
pected-
Correct in Every Detail.
The difficulty Of getting plans and infor-
nation which are correct regarding the
appearance and dimensions Of the rigging
and battery of the ship has made il ex-
ceedingly hard for Mr.. Stow 10 carry out
the work. He has put forth every effort,
however. TO collect accurate data, and as
a result has unearthed much information
and brought 10 light numerous photo
graphs, prints, and relics which are OF
great interest. Only few days ago he
received from Rear Admiral :. 3. Luce.
Z
l., set of documents giving complete
lists OF the OUTFITS OF frigates of the
CONSTITUTIONS class There is a list OF tine
galley outfit. rigging, blocks, sails, pro
visions, and stores, and a paper giving the
dimensions and materials required for
constructing q ship like the Constitution.
These documents are ga an excellent 6tEI-
Of preservation, although about one hun
dred years old. and VII prove great aid
in carrying out The work IN hand An
other valuable ind s that Of a book en-
titled "Tha ATtilIerists' Companion" by
Louis de F0usaid, printed in Philadelphia
Ia 1893, which gives descriptions and pic
lures of the types Of guns in use IN the
navy century ago. This book is now in
the library az the United States Naval
Academy al Annapolis. There are draw
ings, sklIlully made. OF the entire BET of
guns, Of the mountiugs. and of sections
and parts OF the guns
Her Armament
IL is not intended. according 90 Mr.
Snow. TO restore the armament as car
ried by the snip when she first went into
commission. but rather % reproduce The
more powerful set of guns used in the
ships great battle when Capt Hull was
the commanding officer.
The first battery put on the COnstitu-
;ioE was bought in England and each
piece bore the letters GO. ID. imprinted
in them. There were tweHty-eight long
4-pouuders on the gun deck and zen long
I2-p0uu5eTs on the quarterback These
were carried through tie war OF reprisaI
against France and the main deck bat
terry was used against the English in
lsl2 In 1904 Commodore Preble. according
10 Prof Hollis Of Harvard. an authori-
q on the Constitution history obtained
az Naples six 2}-po4Djers which were
mounted on the spar deck for use against
the Tripoitaus The upper deck guns
were afjerward changed to 42-pounder
CJrr0uades. but these were found too
heavy and Capt Hull replaced them
with 52-pounder carr0nades At the be-
ginning of 1872 the Constitution had Il
somewhat lighter battery than her sister
ships. United States and President or
the gun deck she carried thirty long -
Founders; on the quarterback sixteen
32-pOundeTs and on the forecastle six g.
FOUNDER carTOnades. one long IS-pounder,
and had two long 2i-p0unders for bow
chascrs. This battery. consisting Of fifty
five guns, is the one which viii be re-
produced, probably with wooden pieces.
Built on Fine Lines.
Naval officers and seafariug men who
have seen the Constitution since she was
stripped Of the Old top ard her lines ex-
posed TO view, say the ship Is one of the
most gracefully designed they have ever
had the good fortune 10 look upon. She
is modelled on very fine lines. and when
fully rigged should he most interest
ing sight
What to do with the frigate when COM
pleted is a question which already has
begun to puzzle the local officials. Before
the work Of rebuilding the ship was COM
menced she was tied up alongside pier
No. /. at the upper end of the yard. In
what is known as the "Fitchburg basin"
but this location is considered undesira-
BILE. A ship berthed in this basin Is con-
stantly exposed 90 the danger of being
crushed by one of the trans-Au antic liners
visiting the White Star pier opposite, and
on two or three occasions before the Con-
stitutiOn was removed such accidents
were ayerted by only the narrowest mar
gins. Then. too there is the ever-pTesent
danger Of destruction by fire, which could
easily jump the one hundred yards or SO
Of water between the navy yard pier ana
the liners pier. Il was suggested recently
By one of tn naval officers that the prob
able solr ID IF the problem win be the
moorins 20. the ship in the stream with
some easy means of communication be
tween her and the shore
Would Take No Chances with Ghosts.
From the Kansas City Times
There is large table in one corner OF
the West Side police station which the
police themselves have had to dust off for