The Washington herald., 1909-08-01

All the sentiment. all the stirring lore
Of the sea that clusters around the figure
head cannot keep It from passing into
the limbo Of things that have been. It Is
a tradition Of the past, and with things
Of the past It belongs Slowly but mex
orably # has been banished from the sea.
until scarcely one ship IN fifty carries
one. writes Mary H Northend in the
Boston Transcript
In totemic semblance OF some wind or
water spirit It perched on the PROV of
primeyal mans rude dugout II saw
rise and fan OF trireme Viking ship, Ro-
man war galley Spanish treasure gall
leon. and three-decker; IL adorned tho
bow OF whaler. merchantmen. and man
of-war. Routed from its position in ths
merchant marine by the advance OF a
utilitarian spirit that regards nothing
that is not a source OF profit. II found
an asylum in the United States navy.
which stlH honors the traditions OF the
mighty past. Even there. however, is
was not destined long TO abide. AZ thu
ships OF the wOrld-circling Atlantic feet
/ passed into their war dress this summer
/ the fgureheads were unshipped and
melted down Grim, but serviceable,
and above ali tending toward invisi-
bility. gray Is 10 be the color OF the
squadrons hereafter. in peace and war.
Cleaning like the shield OF Ajax and
! serving as a target for the enemy.
weighing the ship down Ike an extra
gun. worth the price OF a modest home
stead, and costing three or four hundred
f dollars a year 10 keep bright and ship
shape. the splendid bow-ornament IS out
( Of keeping with the battle conditions that
/ have to be met to-day The order has
/ gone forth 10 clear away the top-hamper
and to "stow everything senti-
ment.
The splendid blazon which Saint Gau-
( dens designed 20 grace the bow OF Dewey's
victorious Olympia. and which cost 3d.
( 90. viii nor. in all probability. be un-
shipVed, as that cruiser IS attached 10 the
training squadron az Annapolis and may
never see active service again. This
/ figure IS that Of the Goddess OF Victory,
/ deliberately designed and cast in bronze
with an elaborate background That on
/ The cruiser CincInpau. given by It's name
sake city. is a copy OF Saint Gaudens' q Z
. sign and cost S5,70o. That OF the w
York. in form Of the seal OF the EmpirS
State. was also costly, and a TOO peremp-
tory doing away with these handsome
gifts would be neither necessary nor
graceful
Object Of Pride.
I Il IS not with irreverent hands. how
ever. that ships have been deprived OF
4 the bow-guardians which for ages have
looked on tempest. wreck. and battle
Even by the lingering process Of evolu-
! tion the fgurehead dies hard. It's place
In the economy OF the sea was as useful
as II was honorable. An object OF pride.
affection, and OF superstitious reverence,
an indignity 70 II would have called down
the wrath OF both quarterback and fore
I castle. Both swOre by It. and never a
seadog but has felt the consolation or
/ even a single additional shot in the all
4 too empty locker OF marine objurgations.
I But 10 speak irreverently Of the figure
head, AS we'll utter lightly the dread
name Of Jimmy Square-foot" himself,
NIarryatt tells OF a mutinous crew that
was cowed by the captains threat 10 paint
the flgurehead black
Whether hacked out by village jack-of-
aE-trades in some obscure loft or wrought
by some artist Of repute commissioned by
rich owners. the hgIrehead bore close
relation 10 the fortunes OF the ship and
its people. 1t proclaimed the identity OF
the craft thereby antedaJing signal flag
and code name. Standing up the foreign
roadway, with the name on the stern
concealed from view. the good ship re-
vealed herself 20 the watchful agent 70
whom her rich cargo was consigned by
the fgurehead, recognized afar; or. as
dismanued beyond recognition by tho
barely weathered Gulf Stream storm, she
limped into the home harbor, the glimpse
OF the familiar sign beneath the bow
spirit thrilled the old shipping town with
the news OF her return that brought
youth and age. man. maid. and matron
hUrTylng TO the wharves. Not infrequent-
ly a battered fgurehead. cast upon dis
tant sands, told all that ever was known
OF the fate Of the stout three-sticlIer that
had stood down the bay, manned by the
brave lads Of the village.
Relic OF OIden Days.
We can only speculate as to the process
by which man evolved his first rough
craft. but Il IS not a violent supposltion
that the first sailors primitive imagina-
ton endowed his handiwork with the at
tributes Of a living thing. That done.
what moro natural than that he should
ornament e with the carved resemblance
OF the head OF some creature, perhaps
his own or that OF his savage mate? The
Malay Islander to-day paddles war
craft ornate with the furious visage or
some mighty warrior. whose countenance
alone is supposed TO pierce the euemy's
vitalS with the chill OF fear The Chinese
mariner still decks his junk with eyes
one on either side Of the bow.
The igUrehead had still other duties 10
perform. II il could guard against mis-
fortune. surely one made in the image or
some powerful deity could bring good in
fiuences to bear upon the craft and cause
favOring winds 70 SIT in her sails.
The extent 10 which the hgurehead has
fallen into disuse is governed largely by
national and racial influences. Few Amer
lean ships carry such appurtenances to-
day, although a considerable number OF
British ships still do The Swedes. Nor
wegians. and Danes. descendants OF tho
men who ravaged the coast OF Europe IN
dragon ships. cling almost universally 10
this style Of ornamentation- True sea-
rovers. the imagery Of the old days
means something TO them German.
French. and Italian ship owners show a
considerable tendency 10 cherish the ira
ditiOns or the past The figurehead is a
memory IN Bostor Harbor; In New York
HarbOr II Is hardly that. A New York
waterfront reporter wears ago examined