Vashon Island news-record. [volume] (Vashon, Wash.) 1919-1954, 1933-06-01

chusetts. The bolts that fastened her
timbers were made at the foundry of
Paul Revere. She was launched Oc-
tober 81, l797, and christened by Com
modore James Sever, who broke u
bottle Of Madeira wine over her bow.
The Constitutions dimensions we're:
Length, It's feet; beam, % feet, 6
inches; hold, IA feet, inches. Classed
as 44-gun frigate of about l4O tons
ballast. she carried a crew OF 400 men.
$4,000 gallons Of water and provisions
for six months. Cost TO build $780,
1884, The original tonnage Of the
Constitution was 1876 tons, This was
changed to 1907 and was later
changed to 1885 tons. Her displace-
ment was 1900 tons, Her original
armament OF A guns was changed
from time to time. In 1912 she carried
the following powerful armament: On
the gun deck thirty long 24-pounders:
on the quarter deck, sixteen 32-pcund-
er carronades; and on the forecastle,
in addition to her two long 24-pound-
ers and one long l8-pounder for chas-
ing, she had six 32-pounder carron-
AIDES.
Her first flags and signals were
made by Betsy Ross, or at her estab-
lishment in Philadelphia. Her first
commander was Capt. Samuel Mich
olson; and Isaac Hull, who won the
famous victory over the Guerrero
(Aug. 10. 1922. at which time she
withstood the shots of the British so
well that the sailors named her "Old
Ironsides," was her first Lieutenant
Capt. William cambridge was her cap
tain when she captured the Java, and
Capt. Charles Stewart commanded her
when the Pictou, Cyane and Levant
were taken.
On July 20, 1893, under the COM
mand of Capt. Samuel Nicholson, the
Constitution first cleared for sea from
Boston Roads, and entered upon the
destruction of French priyateers III
West Indian waters. In 1893 Capt.
Nicholson returned to Boston and gave
up his command to Commodore Silas
Talbot, who, with Isaac Hull as first
lieutenant, took. the Constitution for
his flagship on the San Domingo sta
ton. In August, 1903, she sailed under
Edward Preble as flagship of the bloc
kade which broke the power of the
Corsairs. During this war on the
pirates, which lasted until June, 1905,
the actions of this gallant squadron
with 1850 men brought the Tripolitan
forces with $4,000 men, a shore battery
of ll9 guns, and naval force of "a
vessels, to terms. Before returning
home the Constitution was command
ed first by Stephen Decatur and later
by John Rodgers, under whom she
captured Tripolitan privateer hav-
ing two Neapolitan prizes.
From 1909 to 1910 she was flagship
of the Home Squadron under Com
modore John Rodgers; and from 1911
to 1872, she was on special service to
Europe, under Capt. Isaac Hull. On
June 10, 1912, war was declared against
England while the Constitution, I'M
dergoing repairs. She was underway
three days later, under Capt. Hull,
with Charles Morris as first lieuten-
ant; and on July 10 and 10, 1912, while
trying to effect rendezvous, she
made her famous escape from five
British frigates by the use of kedge
anchors and small boats. On August
10, 1872, under Capt. Hull, the Con-
stitution completely dismantled and
captured the British ship Guerrero in
less than half an hour of actual close
range combat. On December 30, 1912,
under Capt. William cambridge, she
destroyed the British ship Java in an
elapsed time of battle of about two
hours. During the fall of this year she
also captured several small British
ships.
On February Is, 1914, under Capt
Charles Stewart, she destroyed the
small British schooner Pictou in the
West Indies and captured several
prizes. In April, upon her return home
from this cruise, the Constitution mar
rowly escaped capture by two British
frigates off Marblehead, Mass. Fol-
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