Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-06-28
UNCLE SAM AFLOAT.
famous u. S.
Warships.
Rv Frederic I Haskin
By Frederic ]. Haskin.

Twice have the deeds-at-arms of the
navy preserved the integrity of our coun-
try. Once, in ISL. when Indifferent for
tune attended our land forces. the navy
made itself such scourge to the COM
merce of England that insurance on Eng
land merchant vessels climbed to pro-
hIbitlve figures. English merchantmen
were not even safe in their home waters
Despite the thousand warships sailing the
seas with the English colors flying at the
main. the American frigates soops-of
war and privateers nearly destroyed Brit
aims mighty trade: and it was these acts
of the navy which finally decided the
mistress of the sea that she had enough
of war.
The second time the navy turned the
balance for the flag was in the civil war,
when FarraSut passed the forts below
New Orleans. opened the Mississippi cut
the Confederacy in twain and determined
the end of the south's heroic struggle by
shutting or her supplies This was ac-
complished Just in time to prevent France
and ENGLAND from recognizing the govern
ment of the southern states
The annals of our navy are among the
brightest pages of our country's history.
In them. the names of score of par
t1culariy famous ships stand out whose
adventures have enShrined them for all
times in the affections of the naval serv-
The little Ranger begins the list She
started upon her glorious career in
III. when Capt. John Paul Jones as
sHmed her command upon the mission
OF bearing the news of Burgoyne'S
surrender to France. 1t was in the
Ranger that Jones began his famous
cruises in English waters, capturing
prizes under the shadows of their
lit
cities. and menacing the naughty island
empire in a way that few have dared
to do before or since. 1t was not long
hefore the English had all their avail
TOR Jones and the Ranger, and the only
ship which found him. the Drake
Jones brought with him as d prize into
a port of France
1t was on the Bonhomme Richard
however, that Jones won his enviable
place in the
Bonhomme Richard history of
Went Down q Victor. ms ms eo ouin ;.
probably the most renowned in all our
naval history. She was fought until she
sank. and sinking won the victory.
With the loss of half her officers and
crew, and literally shot to pieces. the
Bonhomme Richard kept afioat just
long. enough for the transfer of the
wounded and the prisoners to the cap
tured ship, the Scraps, when, with her
colors still unstricken she plunged
headforemost to a well earned rest
upon the ocean bottom
The defiant flag which she carried with
her under the waters had been presented
to Jones by some young ladies of Ports
mouth. n. H., who had torn up their best
silk gowns to make it. Capt. Jones had
promised to bring it back to them. an in
valuable emblem of many glorious vic
tories. When meeting one of the donors
upon his return to America, he explained:
Miss Mary. ] couldn't bear to strip it
from the ship in her last agony. nor could
| deny to my dead on her decks, who had
given their lives to keep it flying. the
glory of taking it with them
You did exactly right. commodore
she answered. That flag is just where
we all wish it to be-hying at the bottom
of the ocean over the only ship ever sunk
in victory"
Probably some of the frayed old flag
flies there yet, testimony to Neptunus
Rex that the American naval officers and
sailors are worthy subjects of his domain.
In our two wars with England the mis-
tress of the seas was uncomfortably
awakened to the fact that her ships were
not invincible. The Hornet Wasp "Old
Ironsides," Enterprise, Constellation. Unit
ed States, Essex. Lawrence and the Sara
toga were the ships that taught her this
unexpected and bitter lesson.
There have been several little wal
craft named Hornet in our service. It
is the third Hornet, built in 1905, how
ever. which has a place on the chosen
roll of historic warships. She won her
laurels in the war of 1872 by her mem
orable victories over the British sloop-
of-war Peacock, an even match. and
the British sloop-of- Penguin. This
little tWenty-gun vessel also won a
spirited race for safety away from the
British ship Of the-line CORVALLIS. She
sailed on her last cruise in 1929 and