Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1916-09-15
TROPHIES OF WAR
Captured Flags Carefully Pre-
served by Uncle Sam.
ON VIEW IN NAVAL ACADEMY

Restored by Special Process After
Having Been In Tatters For Years,
They Are a Living Proof of the Hero
ism of Our Soldiers and Sailors.
In the auditorium Of the academic
building at the United States Naval
academy at Annapolis are $4,000 square
yards OF hags, most Of them trophy
flags.
The capture of these tattered ban
ners helped to make the stars and
stripes respected by the nations Of the
earth and reflect undying glory on the
men of the United States navy. They
are living proofs of the heroism and
courage of the soldiers and sailors who
fought to maintain the flag when the
nation was struggling for independ-
ence and later when it was lighting to
establish firmly the foundations Of the
| greatest republic Of the world
| From 1917 to 1901 this collection Of
| flags, which should be one of Amer
ica's most highly priced treasures, was
kept at the Naval academy and exhib-
tied in the old naval institute hall.
In 1901, when it was decided to tear
down this building, the flags were
packed in iron boxes and stored away.
Being in a dilapidated condition when
they were taken down to be packed,
grave fears were entertained that they
would be further damaged by moths.
During the ten years they remained
in storage repeated efforts were made
to have the government take some
steps to put them in a permanent state
Of preservation, but without success.
In 1912 congress appropriated $4,000
for the work Of preservation.
About three months later Mrs. Amelia
Fowler, an expert on flag preservation,
obtained the services Of forty needle
women. who began the arduous task
OF sewing over by hand every inch of
the 1900 square yards in the flags, as
the natural decay of age as well as the,
almost hopeless ravages of moths made
any ordinary method of preservation
seem impossible.
A special process was originated by
Mrs. Fowler, which is described as
spreading the tattered remnants Of
each flag upon a backing OF heavy
Irish linen of neutral color"
The delicate work was guided by the
original measurement of the flag. by
a knowledge of its design and by plac-
ing in vertical and horizontal line the.
warp and wool threads in the frag-
ments of bunting.
What remained Of the original dag
was then sewed firmly to the linen
backing by needlewOmen under Mrs
Fowler's instruction and guidance.
Less than year after the labor Of
was begun. on May 16 1913
The flags We're completed and put on
exhibition at the Naval academy.
In the ceiling Of the academic build
ne is one OF the most interesting OF
he trophy flags 1t is a British royal
standard taken from the parliament
louise at York. now Toronto. then the
apital Of upper Canada. when the
lace was taken by the squadron under
Isaac Chancey and a land
orce under General Zebul0n MontgOm-
~ Pike April 27 1913.
The squadron. with about 100 sol
iers aboard, effected a landing at York
nder cover of a fire OF grape from the
hips. cleared a way through the In
ians and sharpshooters that the Eng
sh had formed to oppose them and
formed the batteries. The capture OF
ork resulted in the acquisition Of the
)yal standard. the only British royal
-andard captured and held by any
alton.
The flags captured by Admiral Dewey
Manila bay are in this auditorium.
nd some Of them are exquisite. The
re flown at the main OF the Spanish
'uiser Don Antonio &c Ulloa Is a re-
inder Of the plucky captain Of that
uiser Enrique RObiou. who refused
surrender at the battle Of Manila
" on May 1. 1898, so the Ulloa sank
it'll its guns blazing defiance and all
igs fying.-Boston Globe.