Norwich bulletin., 1910-12-10


 not making the efforts to retain the station that John R. Bolles did in it's establishment, as 1t Is all gold that comes to their sieve. But the repre- sentative from the Third district, Ed wdn w. Higgins, will do all that he can the station, but will make special effort for its future development Senator Brandegee, too, will make protest against it's discontinuance and advo- cate it's advancement.
 The naval station has been considered many times for a proper utilization. and af it's inception was in favor with the officials then in charge of naval matters but as changes in the person nel came, the officials leaued towards the more fashionable Newport, and the naval training station and the war school that were intended for New London were located in Newport, and naval work that could be done to bet ter advantage at the naval station on the Thames was taken elsewhere, ,caus- ing a general upbuilding of the other places, and the home station was neg iected- It has been put to diversified uses, but when permit was given for railroad company to lay it's tracks right through the reservation. rtsose on tn edge realized that the possibility of the edge eralized that the possibility of yard of the future had passed away.
 The place was designated as coal ing station and equipped with expen- siVe and extensive outfit for the hand ling and storage of coal, 1t being plan- ned that all naval vessels when in the vicinity of New London would steam up the Thames river and take on supply of coal, and that regular line of colliers would make regular trips to the station and keep up the supply nf pn11 with enough $n storage to supply the vessels on the navy in any emergency Well, the colliers came and went for a time. and the other naval vessels not of the highest type, actually did take coal on at the sta ton, and more recently the torpedo boat destroyers have coaled there.
 Away back in the days when Adrni- ral Colby C. Chester, now retired, was in command Of the battleship Texas, he personally piloted the big ship to the station and the coal bunkers were filled to overflowing. Then the battle ship proceeded down to th.-harbor with the distinction Of being the larg- est naval vessel that ever visited the naval station on the Thames ana there were none Of that type that a reason for the intrepid Chester in making that historical trip. He IS native of New London and was ID to a few years ago, and is perhaps now, a voter in his native city, which ne considered his home prior to retire ment He was interested in the de- velopment of the station and made the trip advisedly, and with full knowledge that it could be mace with perfect safety to demonstrate that the Thames river and the naval station were all that the late John R. Bolles represented them to be and well adapted by nature to be the great navy yard of the future.
 Not so very Iona ago barracks were built for the school of instruction for officers in the revenue marine corps and school now established there, and it has proven to be an ideal place for the school The people Of New Lon don are pleased to have the school there and. in order that the school De retained, it would be well for the New London board of trade, the New Lon don business mems association and kindred societies, and the court or common council of the city Of New London to get busy and sr united ef- fort save the naval station on the Thames from total abolition
 The Catholic church of St. Mary's Star of the Sea, which was erected about forty years ago, minus a stee- pie, although the original design in cluded that distinct church identihca- tion, is to have one added and the church edifice practically completed. Ample money for the building of steeple in keeping with the magnitude of the beautiful granite structure is available through bequests Of the late Sebastian D. Lawrence and Rev. Thom- as P. Joynt who was rector of the church for over a quarter of a cen tury Plans prepared by George Chappell of the firm of Chappel & Ewing New York. architects, have ,lnnfai and ir Is aYOpcrpd thar the work will be completed within year from next August. The architect is son of Alfred H. Chappen Of New London who in his infancy was pap- tized in that church and was q reg ular attendant until he went abroad for study and subsequently, located in New York city.
 When teis church was in course of rIlcfiaa if of thA x.lax.