The Calumet news., 1914-03-06
FATHER OF THE
AMERICAN NAVY
Statue of Commodore Barry win
Be Unveiled in May

Washington, DC. March 6.-TEe
imposing bronze statute OF Commodore
John Barry. the Father of the Amsr! %
can Navy is now being set up iu
Franklin Park in this city and ar
rausements for its unveiling I'm May
are going forward. Commodore Barry
was native of Ireland and the uu-
yelling of the statue is To be made the
occasion FOR great demonstration (
Irish Americans.
Delegat!ons repreSentiug Irish socie-
ties in all sections of the country are
expected here for the ceremon,
Among the societies which have al.
ready accepted invitations are the
Irish Fellowship club az Chicago, the
American-lrish Historial society, the
Hibernian society Of Baltimore. the
Irish-AmeTtCan society of Scranton
and branches of the Friendly Sons OF
- Patrick and the Ancien. order az
Hibernians in New York, Philadelphia
and numerous other cities.
ON the day before the unveilmg the
visiting DELEGATIONS viii make a pil-
gr.mase TO Mount Vernon 20 visit the
tomb OF George Washington. The
evening following the ceremonies a
great banquet is to he given in this
city. President Wilson members cf
the cabinet and members of congress
are 10 be invited.
Statue Cost $4,000.
The Barry statue cost about $50. 600
and is tho work of John J. Boyle, a
New York sculptor The statue is #
heroic size and shows the distinguish
ed naval officer standing erect. his
eyes fixed on the distance and on2
hand resting on the sword which
stands in front of him. He is clad IN
fun naval uniform with cooked hat
and heavy military coat. In design
ing the statue the sculptor was ham
pered somewhat because only one pho
torgaph of Commodore Barry could Ge|
found and that hangs in Philadelphia
The only inscription ON the statue will
be John Barry, Commodore of the
United states Navy. Born, COUNTY
Wexford, ireland, l745. Died in Phila
delphia, 1903"
Commodore Barry was one If the
most notable Of the early heroes of the
United States Navy. He was the sem
Tor officer of the navy, and at one time
Paul Jones served under him. Barry
came to the United States from Ire
land when ne was 10 years old, and as
he had decided t. make the sea his
profession, ne went TO Philadelphia, 1t
that time the leading American sea
port.
Given Command of Ship.
Barry soon took rank AS a seaman
rare ability, and he was intrusted with
the care of many big merchant ships
sailing from Philadelphia. At the be-
ginning of the Revolution he was re-
commended as one Of the most compe-
tent men in the country to take a
place of power in the infant navy, He
received a commission To
command the brig Lexington. of six
teen guns.
The ship left Philadelphia in 1876
and was the first vessel to fly the Con-
.inental nag. from which fact Bar"y
has been called the Father Of the
American Navy" 70 this distinction
he commander quickly added the
glory of capturing the first vessel ever
aiken by an American warship i'm an
Engagement. His prize was the Ed !
ward, an armed British vessel The |
iction lasted about an hour and four
IF Barry's crew of seventy men were
lllcd. This is said to have been the
irst bloodshed in the naval service OF |
he United States.
While i'm command of the Alliance,