Beverly banner. [volume] (Beverly, N.J.) 1877-1964, 1925-11-13

yacht of the thirteth President, Calvin Coodgel
For 1t was the Constitution that put the Amer
lean Navy on the seas more than one hundred
years ago. And it is from the Mayfower that the
President views the American Navy of today as 1t
passes in review before him as its commander In
chief. One would wish nightly to be privileged
to know the thoughts of this thrtieth President as
he paid his homage at this national shrine this
summer at Boston.
"Old Ironsides' is as truly an American national
shrine as is the tomb of the Unknown Soldier"
For she as truly symbolical of the nation in
her day is the Arlington tomb in this.
The Revolution gave us our independence, but
left our affairs in chaos. The adoption of writ
ten constitution and the election of George Wash
ington as President made us a nation-but q nation
without navy Said Washington in an annual
address '"To secure respect to a neutral flag
requires a naval force organized and ready to
vndicate 1t from insult and aggression" Congress
turned a deaf ear. But the piratica extortions Of
the Barbary states enforced the truth of LIS words
and the Constitution and her sister warships were
built. Thereupon brought the Mediterranean
pirates to terms and taught France to let alone
our merchant ships.
But We Had the Constitution.
But by 1912 Great Britain, fighting for her title
of mistress of the Seas" was impressng our
seamen and Selling cargoes. So war was
declared to assert our inaenabe rights upon the
seas 1t was a forlorn hope, if there even was one
There were then 1,042 warships In the British
navy and In the American navy there were Just
seventeen.
But we had the Observation-Disclosures de-
signed American built and American manned
First she escaped from whole squadron of
British frigaes in historic chase of three nights
and two days Then she fell in with the Guerrero
The two crack frigates closed like two fighting
bullterriers. They knew each other. They were
looking for each other.
Then Dacres loudly cries: Make the Yankee ship
your prize
Thirty -fve's enough I'm sure. and If you'll do It
In score,
I'll you a double share of brandy ohr
That was Captain Dacres to his men--typical of
the British naval commander made arrogant by
easy victories Frenchman and Spaniard and
the rest of the world; sneeringy scornful of the
american pine boxes with their gridiron flags"
Dacres had laughed at Capt. Isaac Hull just before
the declaration of war; warned him to keep in
harbor and bet him hat the Guerrere would
knock the Constitution into kindng wood in short
order If they met
Let us imagine the spirit of the Americans as
they closed in Hull had slipped out of Boston
just before order arrived for him to stay in
port; on the outcome of his battle hung glory
or death for sailing without orders" Many of the
crew had martyred ancestors who had died In Tie
British prison ships of the Revolution; Hulrs
father had so died in the pest ship Jersey Many
bore the scars of British lashes after Impress
ment. The land had been a failure from
the beginning And for the first time an American
frigate was to meet on equal terms hrst-cass
warship of the Mistress of the Seasp
After just 40 minutes Of fighting the Guerriere
was dismasted and sinking wreck with rs of
her crew dead and wounded the Constitution was
intact, with ID dead and wounded. Dacres was
too dazed at the outcome to surrender. Hull said
mo, keep your sword But I'll trouble you for