The Washington herald., 1909-08-01

/ with all on board The other, IN the Es-
sex Institute. Salem, Mass. is also a relic
/ Of wreck II Is the form OF a woman.
holding before her medallion on which
! IS painting. supposed 10 represent
Thomas Jefferson; but the nams Of the
I ship whose dark fate Il mutely records
viii probably never be known. FOR Il was
/ picked up on the shore Of Cape Cod after
a heavy storm. and its antecedcnt his
tory is In the keeping of the inscrutable
sea
The custom OF naming ships for uoted
women had quite a vogue with British
owners and builders. and In most cases
the bows OF these ships were ornamented
with carved and painted Ikenesses OF
their pauoneSses. The clipper Lady
HaVelock had Tor hgurehead woman
dressed IN a gracefully flowing robe. and
bearing a roll OF parchment In her hands.
The Lady Jane Gray was similarly
/ adorned with her ladyships efigy. while
Florence Nightingale and Jenny Lind
had namesale clippers which bore their
hkenesses 10 many strange ports.
Carvings, more or less faithful 70 the
lie, OF relativeS-mostly women-of own
ers or captains were common on whalers
and other ships that made long voyages.
Busts and half-length figures Of military
and naval heroes. statesmen OF renOwn.
and distinguished citizens often appeared
on war ships. There was vessel-and Il
deserves 20 be better known-in the
early American navy. bearing the name
and figurehead OF George Washington. Il
was a frigate OF war. and 20 II fell the
fortune 70 be the FIRST craft 70 break
out the Stars and Stripes 70 the breeze
OF the Bosphorus. II was there, how
ever. on sorry errand. but one which
had brighter ending than beginning.
Having been sent TO convey 70 the Dey
OF Algiers the tribute then paid by the
United States as the price OF iClmunity
for American shipping in the days before
the Algerian pirates were properly
thrashed. 1t had been calmly ordered TO
be the bearer Of the Deys tribute TO the
Sultan OF Turkey Not wishing TO break
OF the relations which the United States.
like other powers, was willing 70 undergo
humiliation 90 sustain, the George Wash
lngtOn's commander compiled.
It is recorded that the Sultan treated
his American visitors like gentlemen.
heard with interest the news Of the
strange republic which had risen beyond
the seas. and sent by the hands OF the
American commander a message to his
presumptuoUs vassal, reprimanding him
for his insolence.
FiEurehend of John Adams.
In these days Of presentations Of Dread
noughts It is inspiring TO recall that the
women of Charleston. s. c.. had built and
presented 20 the United States navy the
John Quincy Adams, sloop-of-war. which
carried a bust OF the second President
Of our. country. The frigate President
was built IN Great Britain to replace
an American vessel Of that name which
was seized during the war Of 1912. and
which likewise had a hgurehead of John
Adams.
Tamerlane. that inexorable conqueror,
taken from a ships prov. now adOrns the
gable Of house A Red Cross knight on
a white horse. that originally ornamented
the Kadosh now adds a medieval touch
20 the old Masonic Temple at the corner
Of fremont and BoylstOn streets in Bos-
ton. Fireplaces, chimney corners, grape
arbors summer houses, sailors reading
rooms. and q host Of unsuspected spots
afford resting places for a motley collec-
ton of shapes that, were they endowed
with speech. could beggar the recitals of
Sinbad or the tales Of Princess Schehere-
z2de. They are a mere handful, however.
Of the legions that have swept the seas.
They are but the wraiths, pausing for
brief time on their pilgrimage toward
the neither world.