Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1913-12-26
FAMOUS WARSHIP'S
REMOVAL PROTESTED
The Constellation Sisy be Taken
From Newport r. |. TO
Washington.
OLD FRICATE'S SERVICES.
Chased TripoIi Pirates More Than 100
Years so-capiured LAST
American SLAYER.

from Newport 20 Keep tue via * 64sS
Constellation there. II is contem-
Mated removing the vessel from the
Narragansett Bay Naval Station,
Newport, to Washington.
The protts st comes from all over
Rhode Island and the Newport Beard
of Trade, in heading 3 petition to
Washington, is receiving the support
of State patriotic societies. Con-
gresham Peter G. Gerry and George
F. O'Shaughnessy will be requisite q
TO ask that the Constellation be left
at Newport.
The Constellation went TO New
port in 1894. Her history has to do
with a chapter 10 the development of
our early commerce. Perhaps more
than any other vessel, the Constella-
tion made possible the foreign trade
of the young Republic. She was one
of the results of the piracy of the
Dey of Algiers, a getty tyrant who
kept some colonial merchantmen
in slavery for FIVE years. One of the
first acts Of the Government was to
relieve the victims of the corsair.
We bad no navy and when over
lures were made the Dey threatened
the America Minister should he
ever venture within the Algerian do
main. In the first year of Washing
toms Administration ten ships were
captured and 100 prisoners made.
Washington recommended feet Of
six frigates. The Constellation was
the pride of the navy at her launch
ing at Baltimore on September z,
1897, the second ship of tia reor-
gsnized navy. She carried thirty
eight guns.
Her first commander was Thomas
Truxton, who had seen much service
in the Revolution, and her first duty
was to cruise from cape Henry to
Florida to look out for and capture
French cruisers. Early in 1883 the
Constellation twenty with the Balti-
more to Cuba. and brought from
Havana a convoy Of sixty sail in
safety TO the United States. On this
voyage she developed a speed that
made her one of the fastest vessels OF
that time.
When trouble came with Great
Britain in the West indies in 1898,
the Constellation, Comm )dore Trux-
ton 5 tiagship. with three other yes
sells, were ordered there. In Febru-
airy, II, Truxton, while cruising, ues-
cried large ship flying the French
flag, and, upon the appearance of the
Constellation, fred a gun as though
ia challenge. The Constellation 8
fore top was in command of David
Porter, then a midshipman, but des-
tined to distinguish himself in future
engagements. There was an hours
engagement, and then the Frenchman
surrendered. The prize proved to be
L'Ingurgente, seventy of whose men
had been killed or wounded. On the
American vessel only three had been
wounded.
She encountered the frigate La
Vengeance in 1900, and when the fight
was over the latter made port in a
sinking condition Alterations were
made in the Conste llation after this
action, aud she was turned over to
Capt. MURRAY. In the same year the
Rashaw of Tripoli, by process Of
reasoning that seems incredible to-
day, demanded tribute of the United
States, and in 1901 finding no response
declared war against the country A
diterranean squadron was formed
and TO it went the Constellation, sti II
under Murray. The Constellation arr
rive d off TriRoli in May, 1902. She
relieved the Boston on blockade duty,
and engaged a dozen gunboats and a
land forcce at the same time, infiict-
ing much damage. In 1903 she sailed
for home
The War Of 1912 found the navy
in very imperfect condition. The
Constellation was not ready to receive
her crew, and she did not put to sea
until 1918. While anchored in
Hampton Roads, she was exposed to
the attack OF several British vessels.
Thres night attempts made to at
tack her were frustrated. The vessel
under command of Capt. Tarbell, re-
NAMED on blockade duty until the
end of the war.
After peace the country again
turned it attentions to the protection
and development Of its commerce.
Two squadrons, one for home and one
for foreign duty, were established,
and the Constellation went on foreign
service. Of Cape de Crate, % june
II, 1915, Capt. Charles G. Decatur
sighted an Algerian frigate. The
Constellation was the first to over
take her. Decatur, putting his yea
sci alongside, decided the issue by 4
series of terrific broadsides.
The Constellation saw service of
the east coast Of South America in
1919 and she was commanded by
Commodore Perry. He died shortly
after arriving at the mouth Of the
Orinocco. The Constellation return
ed to the United States in 1920. But
she was soon sent to the West Indies
to help suppress lawlessness afloat.
After a period of tranquility on
the seas the Government combined
with Great Britain TO suppress the
slave traffic. On this duty It fell to
the lot of the Constellation to cap
ture about the las. Of the slavers.
In August, 1860, flag Officer Inman
was in command Of the vesse. !
One day he sighted large vessel
under full sail His suspicious