Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-05-16
GEORGETOWN HAS
|R0NS|DES LETTER
Written by Officer to His
Father-NoW in Archives
of University.

Georgetown College students
pledged their cooperation i'll the
nationwide movement for the preser-
walton Of the frigate Constitution. fol-
lowing an appeal by the rector OF
Georgetown University. Rev. Charles
w. Lyons, s. j.. who addressed the
assembled student body and faculty
in Castor Hall.
RepOsinG. IN the college archives. IS
a faded letter written 10y George
town graduate and dated THE Ship
Constitution. Boston. Harbor. October
Is. 1914" the discovery OF which was
announced by President Lyons on this
occasion. President Lyons cited the
historic letter as one OF the several In.
cidents he revealed linking odd Iron.
sides" with Georgetown and Catholic
sentiment.
Written BY Officer.
rhi. letter was written by Alexander
W, Lufborough. member of a pioneer
Washington family. To his father
while the historic fl1gate was riding
at anchor In Boston Harbor after one
of It's venturesome cruises In foreign
waters Mr.. Lufborough, newly on.
Of college, was an officer on "Oid
Ironsides" at the time. -Four genera
tons OF the family Of Lufborougn'
we'll known IN Washington, have a.
tended GeorgetoWn.
President Lyons reminded the
Georgetown students that the Keel OF
the Constitution was laid down III the
same year az the corner stone OF the
old North building. which Is stu usen
as a. college dormltor:'. He gave aiso
an intimate touch OF American MS
tory In the visit Of Pope Plus IN TO
noT
haps the only instance OF a sovereign
pontiff being on American territory.
This occurred III the Bay OF Naples
Cruised in Mediterranean.
The facts were set forth by Presi-
dent Lyons as follows: In December
IS4S, the Constitution set out on
cruise that took her TO the Mediter.
rean Sea, where she cruised mostly
along the Italian coast At that time
the Pope had left Rome because OF
troubled times and was receiving shell.
ter from the King OF Naples. French.
Russian, English. Spanish and Anleri'
can warships were at anchor in the
BAY of Naples. The Constitution was
under command Of Capt. GWynn. ana
he extended an invitation to the King
Of Naples and the Pope TO visit the
vessel They accepted ard were row
eQ 10 the snip NY ti4t captains VA 49,
other warships After being greeted
by the captain. the Pope requested
that the Catholics on board be drawn
up in line, and this being done he pre-.
scented each with a rosary. Only
short time after Capt. Gwynn died and
vas buried In one Of the coast towns
of Italy. but later his remains were
brought to the United States. The
cruise ended at New York February.
1851"
AS its contribution 20 the "Old Iron
sides" celebration at Georgetown. the
Navy Department loaned a model Of
the frigate for the occasion, which
was draped with the Georgetown COL
ors and displayed during the exercises.
Great interest was shown In the move
ment TO preserve the Constitution. and
committees under the direction Of the
various class presidents at the college
are being formed 70 handle the stu
dent contributions to the fund. These
donations Will be returned to the Navy
Department with the model OF the ship
which played so conspicuous role in
American naval history.