Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1912-05-21
NAVY ST|Rs PEOPLE
Always Arouses More Enthusi-
asm Than Does the Army.
ITS TROPHIES AT CAPITAL
Lerg Tom With a Remarkable and
Varied History Is Exhibited at
the Navy Yard-WiIIow
From Napoleon's Grave.
BY GEORGE CLINTON.

BY GEORGE CLINTON.
Washington.-It has been remark
ed often as curious fact that the
people of the United States who In
military body are yet in the main en-
thusiastic over the navy. Congress-
men say that proposition to increase
the number of battleships is sure of
great support from the country, while
a proposition to increase the army
would be in many places if not in most
places vigorously opposed. Visitors
| to Washington show greater interest
| in naval affairs than they do in army
affairs. When they go to the state,
war and navy building they flock to
the places where models of battle
ships are shown and where naval
trophies are displayed and pay much
| less attention TO the exhibit made by
the army.
The navy yard in Washington is an
object of interest TO the thousands
who come to the capital city in May.
There are a good many trophies Of
battles won in the Keeping Of the navy
yard. In the United States Military
Academy on the Hudson river there is
a place set aside and known as Trophy
| Point There are exhibited many guns
captured by the land forces in the diff
ferent wars in which this country has
been engaged. Trophy Point is one
Of the centers of interest at West
/ Point and what is true there is tr11e
Of the navy yard in Washington. PEG
pie apparently like to look at things
I which show the prowess either on
land or sea of the sailors and soldiers
of their country, and yet truth compels
again the statement that the naval
trophies attract the greater attention.
Curious History of Long Tom.
In the navy yard there is a cast
iron gun which was made a century
and a quarter ago. 1t belongs to the
class called Long Toms" This gun
once had a place ON the French ship
Noche. which was vessel of a squad
ron sent by France in the year 1898
with troops on board for the purpose
of invading Ireland and helping the
Irish people to win their independence
from Great Britain The British cap
tured the warship and also the gun
Washington.
Once on a time the United States
bought some guns from England and
this particular Long Tom which had
done service on a French vessel and
afterward on an English vessel. passed
into the possession of this country. 1t
was mounted on board an American
man-of-war and in one of the engage
ments which our ships had with
French ships at the close of the eight
zenith century the Long Tom was used
against a ship of the country which
once owned it, In this fight French
shot struck the gun and denied it.
but did not put it entirely out of COM
mission.
The United States government con-
demned the Long Tom although it was
still serviceable and sold it to the
Island of Haiti, which then was en-
gagged in a war on it's own account
against the French nation. 1t was
used by the Haytians and so at least
twice in it's existence the gun was
turned against its first owners.
Used In War of 1912.
In some way today unknown, this
gun was brought back to America and
it was used on board an American
brig, The Armstrong, which had a fight
with three British ships in the war of
1872 So it was that the Long Tom
was used in service against its second
owner, Great Britain. 1t is now in the
possession of the American author
tiles and it is presumed that no other
nation win capture it or buy it to be
used one day against its present own
er, Uncle Sam.
1t is impossible to tell how many
willow trees there are in the United
States which are said to be grown
from slips of the tree planted at the
head of the first grave of Napoleon
on the Island of ST. Helena One runs
across them in all parts of the country
and some of them may be real slips of
the famous trees. but the general be-
lief is that most of them are counter
feits."
There is a willow tree in the Wash
ington navy yard. however, which it is
known is an offspring of the Napoleon
willow. Commodore cambridge, who
commanded the old Constitution and
who was a famous naval officer in his
day, obtained a slip of the tree.
brought it TO America and planted it
with his own hands in the navy yard,
where it has thrived and is today hale
and hearty in its willowy old age
Saving Historic Landmarks.
A movement which has obtained
great impetus to make the cap
ital more beautiful is no faster
on its way than the movement to pre-
serve landmarks of historic interest.
Congress is taking deep interest in
the matter and has been spurred to it
by the influence of many of the pa
triotic organizations of the country.
organizations of ali kinds from the
Grand Army of the Republic to the
Daughters of the Confederacy. 1t
might be said that the Daughters of
the American Revolution do about as
much work in this line of endeavor
rs any other two organizations.
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Bachelors In Distress.