The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1918-03-28
MODERN US. DESTROYER STEWART NAMED AFTER NAVAL OFFICER WHO
 WON FAMOUS BATTLE IN 1872 WAR

There's a big job ahead of the young American naval officer who commands the U. S. s. Stewart, if he equals the record of the man in whose honor his ship is named.
 The U. s. s. Stewart is a destroyer, and much is going to be expected of destroyers in the winning of this war, for it is largely up to the destroyers to protect the transports and supply ships that are carrying men and sup plies abroad, the merchant ships that must keep the Allies supplied with food, and make it possible for the commerce of the world to keep nov ing.
 The Stewart is a sister ship of the Preble and the proud record in the name she bears has been written in delibly into the history of American naval warfare. Charles Stewart came into this world while the colonies were fighting for their freedom and with in 20 years was an officer of the new nations navy battling for freedom of the seas.
 In 179S he was appointed q lfeu- tenant, and two years later, in com mand of the schooner Experiment, he captured two French schoouers and a privateer. This training of the youth full Stewart for war proved of great value, as is shown in his later eX- ploits. When Commodore Pr"ble sail ed to the Mediterranean to end the piracy of the Barbary corsairs, young Stewart was a member of the eXpe di- tion and had an important place in the fighting. He was selected by De- catur to help in the daring exploit of burning the Philadelphia and was ac- tive throughout the Mediterranean campaign.
 | But it was in the war of 1872. when the famous ship Constitution affec- tionately called "Old Ironsides," won her laurels in a number of famous battles, that Charles Stewart, then captain, fought and vanQuished two British ships and added further glory to the record of the Constitution. In the latter part of 1874 the Con- stitution arrived in Boston for thor ough overhauling after her battle with the Java. On December IS she sailed under command of Captain Stewart, and on February 20 of the following year, while cruising in the neighbor- hood of Madeira, two sails were sight ed. The nearest was the British fri gate Cyane, 34 guns, Captain Gordon Thomas Falcon; tn eother the sloop of war Levant, 21 guns, Captain the Honorable George Douglas.
 The Constitution bore down upon the enemy and opened fire at 5 o'clock in the afternoon but the shot fell short. The two British ships tried to get to windward of the Constitution, with the intention of delaying the action until after dark when they hoped to ip- lple the American ship.
 Failing in this, the British ships formed in line, the Levant ahead and the Constitution at 6 o'clock opened the battle with shot between the two Then, with broadsides, began one ot the most remarkable battles in his tory, a battle in which one ship van luuished two and never once during I the entire engagement exposed her self to the raking fire that was SC
 disastrous to ships of a century ago
 For the first 15 minutes of the ac- ton heavy firing was continued, and
 when the smoke cleared away the Constitution was abreast of the Le- want, with the Cyane slipping up to deliver a raking fire. Captain Stew art, equal to the occasion, sent close range broadside into the Levant, and
 then, screened by the smoke of his
 own guns, poured a heavy fire into Ithe Cyane as his ship gathered way.
 As the Levant attempted to go to the assistance of the Cyane the Con