Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-12-12
FARRAGUT FLAGSHIP
GOES TO JUNK PILE
Famous Old Franklin Put Out
of Commission at Norfolk
Navy Yard.
FIRST ADMIRAL'S FLAG
FLOWN FROM ITS MAST
Carried Civil War Veteran to Re.
ceive Many Honors in Europe.
Brought Boss Tweed Back.

Brought Boss Tweed Back.
Admiral Farraguts old flagship
Franklin. in which he made his memoir
able voyage to Europe Immediately
after the civil war, has just closed her
long and interesting career in the Unit
ed States Navy. She was put out of
commission at the Norfolk navy yard
a few days ago, and she soon will be
sold and broken up.
The Franklin was one of the few
remaining old type wooden war YES
sells still kept on the navy list. says
a writer in the New York Times, and
for many years had been used as
receiving ship in the Norfolk yard.
The Franklin had the distinction of
being the first ship from which was
hoisted the four-starred flag of an adj
miral of the United States Nav.
Rank Created for Farragut.
The rank of admiral was created for
Farragut by Congress in July. 1866.
making him the first full admiral of the
navy, just as, about two years before
he had been elevated to the rank OF
vice admiral, which rank had never
before been held by United States
naval officer. In the summer OF 1867
Farragut was assigned to command the
European station. and the admiral S
blue pennant with it's four stars was
hoisted on the Franklin June II of that
year in New York harbor-
The Franklin, several years later, &C
Quired additional fame as the snip
which brought William NJ. Tweed back
to this country after his sensational
escape from New York and his fight to
Spain. The Franklin was in Mediter-
ranean waters at the time and upon
receipt of news of Tweeds detention by
the Spanish authorities at the seaport
OF Vigo the State Department mere
notified the commander of the Franklin
to bring the fugitive back to TINS
country. On his arrival in New YORK
November %, 1876. Tweed was again
locked up in Ludlow Street JAIL
Second Ship of the Name.
The Franklin was built at the Kit
terry (Me.) navy yard. She was the
second ship of the name in the United
States Navy, the first having been built
in 1915.
For some reason construction on the
new Franklin proceeded slowly, and it
was nearly ten years later before her
hull was ready for the engine equip
ment, SO that she did not go into COM
mission until Just before Farragut was
assigned to her. when she at once took
her place as the flagship of the Ameri-
can navy.
In appearance she was stately full
rugged ship of the old frigate style,
equipped with auxiliary steam power.
carrying, in time of peace, thirty-nine
guns and a crew of $50 men, but for
war service her armament could be in
creased to about sixty guns. Her length
- Il t,nrr ~ nt,f,r
FIVE feet.
Reception on Ship Notable.
For one week after Farragut unfurled
his admirars flag from the Franklin,
as she lay in New York harbor just be-
low Governors Island. the ship was
visited by thousands of persons. and
the reception which the admiral gave
on board June q was one of the fn-
est naval entertainments that had ever
been seen in New York. President
johnson and Secretary Seward were
mer war governor. Edwin u. Morgan;
Mayor Hoffman and Gen. Butterf1eld.
The festivities were heightened by two
French ships IN the harbor, which fred
salutes in honor of the President and
the admiral.
June Is F'arragut left for Europe,
where he spent a year and half, re-
turning to this country November 10.
1868. BY special permission Of the
President, Mrs. Farragut was allowed
to accompany her husband, and, that
she might have a woman companion,
Mrs. Pennock. the wife of the COM
manding officer Of the Franklin, also
made the voyage
Resembled Triumphal Journey.
Farragut's European trip resembled
In many respects a triumphal journey.
Receptions and entertainments were
given in every port in which the Frank
lin anchored. Every one, from the rul-
ers to the common people, was eager
to see the hero of SO many naval bat
ties in the recent civil war The first
stop was a Cherbourg. and an invita-
ton was extended to the admiral to
dine with Emperor Napoleon III in
Paris. The Empress Eugenie visited
Cherbourg and was entertained in mag
nifcent style On the American flag
ship.
Farragut then cruised north, stopping
next at the Russian port of Cronstadt.
and by special invitation of the Russian
officers he inspected the Russian fleet.
After stopping at many of the Baltic
ports he spent several days at Ports
mouth and Plymouth, and then went
through the Mediterranean, stopping at
Lisbon. Nice Naples, Genoa. Constan-
tinople and Athens. One of the great
est tributes paid to him was at Malta,
where the British Mediterranean fleet
deferred it's departure for the Levant
several Jays so that the ships might
salute the Franklin and entertain the
American admiral
Greatest Honors at Foreign Seaports.
Returning. he made a longer stay in
English ports. The Franklin was visit
ed BY members of the ruling family
including the Prince of Wales after
ward Edward VII. and Queen Victoria
invited Farra3ut to dine with her No
ship of the American navy has ever
visited SO many European seaports and
been greeted with such enthusiasm as
the old frigate Franklin. whose career
is now ended.
The Franklin did not again come
prominently into public notice until
September. 1876, when. under command
of Capt. Samuel X. Franklin, on his
way home from Mediterranean cruise.
the United States government sent or
ders to him at Gibraltar to bring Boss
Tweed back to this country. Until de-
tanned in Spain nothing had been
heard of the New York absconder after
his escape in December the preceding
year. Tweed then went back to Lud-
low Street Jail and died there. April
IL. 1878.
HILL AND GRENDA BEST.