Palisadian., 1925-10-30

yacht of the thirtieth President, Calvin Coolidgei
For 1t was the Constitution that put the Amer
lean Navy the than hundred
years ago. And it is from the Mayfiower that the
President views the American Navy of today as 1t
passes in review before him its commander In
chief One would wish nightly to be privileged
to know the thoughts of this thrtieth President
he paid his homage at this national shrine this
summer at Boston.
"Old Ironsdes" is as truly an American national
shrine is the tomb of the unknown Soldier"
For she was as truly symbolscal of the nation in
her day as is the Arlington tomb in this.
The Revolution gave us orr 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 nation
without navy. Said Washington In annual
address: ITO secure respect to a neutral flag
requires naval force organized and ready to
vindicate 1t from Insult and aggression" Congress
turned a deaf But the piratcal extortions of
the Barbary states enforced the truth of LIS words
and the Constitution and her sister warships were
built. Thereupon we 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 impressing our
seamen and setting cargoes So war was
declared to assert inalirnable rights upon the
seas. 1t 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 onseitution-Ame.ican de-
signed American built ard American manned
First she escaped from whole squadron of
British frgates in historfs chase of three nights
and two days. Then she fefl in with the Guerriere
The two crack frigates closed like two fighting
bullterrers. They knew each other. They were
looking for each other.
You can in thirty minutes neat and handy Oh!
Thrty-hve's enough. I'm s1re. and. If you'll do 1t
in score.
I'll treat you a double share of brandy. Oh!'
That was Captain pacres to his men-typical of
the British naval commander made arrogant by
easy victories over Frencfman and Spaniard and
the rest of the world; snneringly scornful of the
american pine boxes with their gridron flags"
Dacres had laughed at Capt Isaac Hull just before
the declaration of war, Warned him to keep in
harbor and bet him hrt the Guerriere would
knock the Constitution ntr kndling wood in short
order if they met
Let us imagine the spirit of the Americans es
they closed in Hull had slipped out of Boston
just before order arri sed for him 20 stay in
port; on the outcome Of his Sarte hung glory
death for sailing without orders" Many of the
crew had martyred ancestors who had died in the
British prison ships of the Revolution: HulPs
father had so died in the pest ship Jersey. Many
bore the scars of British lashes after Impress
ment The war on land had been a failure from
the beginning And for the first time an American
frigate was to meet equal terms a first-class
warship of the mistress of the Seas! !"
After just 40 minutes of fighting the Guerriere
was a dsmasted and sinking wreck, with 7S of
her crew dead and wounded; the Constitution was
intact, with IA dead and wounded Dacres was
too dazed at the outcome to surrender Hull said
mo. keep your sword. But I'll trouble you for