The evening Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1918-1920, 1919-03-07
AN INTERESTING TRIP.

AN INTERESTING TRIP.
Mrs. Sadie o. Mccartney spent the
weekend with her brother Ruby J.
O'Rourke who is in the Civil Service
branch of the Navy at the U. S.
Naval Torpedo Station in Newport,
r. l.
Mr.. O'Rourke suffered the loss of
his right eye eight years ago, and
the fine delicate work in the con-
struction of the torpedo has tended
to weaken his left eye, so rest is
imperative. AS soon as he receives
his release from the Navy, he plans
to take a trip to Wyoming, hoping
to regain his health.
Mrs. Mccartney saw many inter
esting things of historical value.
Newport, r. l., is ideally located,
and it was the intention of the early
settlers to make the place a great
seaport, occupying the prominent
market that Boston does today, by
land and sea, but occupation of the
city by British forces, under Gen.
Prescott, served to blight Viewpoints
future according to the first hopes,
however, these misfortunes opened
the doors for significant glory and
splendor which could come to no
other place, unless as favorably To-
Gated.
Newport is on an island, and many
wealthy people have built magnifi-
cent homes there. There are acres
of beautiful grounds, faultlessly kept,
costly shrubs and trees, many i'm
ported.
Cliff walk circles a portion Of the
island facing the sea, and affords an
excellent view of the ocean, on the
one hand, and palatial residences on
the other.
There is one beautiful home made
of marble, even the walls enclosing
the grounds. Another is ornamented
with statuettes, and in the summer
season where the place is illuminated
with lights, it is a wonderful sight
to behold. The entrance gates to
this mansion cost $4,000 each.
The owner of this valuable proper
ty sent an architect to Europe who
returned with blue-prints of castle
of wonderful architectural design.
The wealthy man said it was fit only
for his stables, so he built a home
for his thoro-bred horses after the
plans. Trees of rare culture and
/ climbing roses decorate each stall,
the horses live in bower of beauty.
Newport has distinct military at
! mosphere, it's naval citizenship alone
comprises many thousands. The ma
val torpedo station, training schools
and war college combined with it's
excellent harbor facilities make it at
once the most important naval base
on our Atlantic sea-board.
Warships, ocean liners, submarines
and sea-craft of all descriptions pass
thru Newport Harbor daily; air.
planes choose the spot for special
maneuvers.
Four important ships were seen at
anchor on this particular day.
The Constellation, a vessel which
the Americans captured from the
British in the War of 1912, is now
used as trainingship, yet. serving
the country for which her captors
gave their last full measure of de-
votion and here have long since gone
to their final resting place, however,
she still lives on. She engaged in
many sharp contests, has sailed the
high seas thru storm and calm. Now
in her respectable old age she is
still serving, in a very important
capacity, that of fitting young men
to fight their country's naval battles.
She is contemporary of the Consti-
tuition, more Familiarity known as "Old
Ironsides," stationed in Boston har-
Dor. ENW
Another ship was the Vesuvius, an
American vessel, whose fame reach
ed its height during the Spanish Am
erican war 1t is UNIQUE in that it
was the only craft of its kind in its
day, a dynamite-thrower, and served
to so terrorize the Spanish on Cuban
territory that an easy victoyr was af-
fected. The most terrible and deadly
weapon of warfare in its day, its hor-
rors were insignificant compared with
the flaming horrors perpetrated a.
gainst mankind in the Great World
war just closed.
There were also two Spanish Amer