Evening star., 1935-11-10
Capital Sidelights
By Viii p. Kennedy.

After lapse Of 100 years the genesis
of the American Navy is to be historically
and automatically written in such form
as to impress the youth Of today-settling
once and for all controversies as to the
start" of the Navy and naval warfare
by this Government. And be 1t said
that there is glory enough for all, per-
sons and places, which participated.
The question has been brought up
anew when Representative A. Piatt
Andrew of Salem and Gloucester, Mass,
former lieutenant colonel in the World
War and now member of the House
Naval Affairs Committee. accepted the
position of arbiter to decide whether
Beverly or Marblehead is to be credited
with being the birthplace Of the Navy.
Representative Andrew has consulted
with Secretary Swanson of the Navy De-
partment, and a search is being made
of the official records so that an authori-
tative reply can be given to Mayor James
A. Torrey of Beverly, Mass. and Sc
lectman John G. Stevens of Marblehead.
Beverly bases her claim on the state
ment that the schooner Hannah was
commissioned by George Washington as
a naval vessel and sailed from Beverly
on September 2. ITS. Marblehead
claims that the Hannah was manned by
a crew of Marblehead seamen and had
simply been hidden away in a 'crick'
in Beverly so that the British blockadiig
squadron might not find and destroy the
vessel while it was being outfitted.
1t is recalled that Charles Francis
Adams while Secretary of the Navy in
a speech at a St. Patricks day banquet
Of ha nf potrjoL in,
Washington, gave credit to the town of
the battle of Machias Bay, where Capt.
jeremiah O'Brien was in command, soon
after the battle of Lexington, which was
fought on April 10, ITS, 1.-The Lexington
of the seas" For years this has been
honored as the first fight of this Gov
ernment on the seas. That speech of
Secretary Adams was printed in the
Congressional Record on the motion of
Senator David I. Walsh of Massachusetts,.
Those in charge of the naval records
have become interested in the contro-
versy started by Mayor Torrey of
Beverly as we'll as historians and students
of history-so careful study is being
made to set forth the true facts How
ever, as some of the outstanding students
and leaders of public thought point out
there is abundant credit for all. and one
of the proudest traditions of this country
deals with the heroic exploits Of the
rugged pioneer Seamen of New England
who voyaged all over the seven seas
carrying commerce to all ports OF the
world, facing such dangers as best fitted
them for arduous service in starting the
American Navy.
Representative Andrew points out that
as early as 1869 out of 389 ships built in
the colonies, 271 of them were built in
four New England States. When the
Revolution started Massachusetts, had
a seagoing vessel for every 100 in popu-
lation. In. New Hampshire and the
territory that is now Maine there we're
more people engaged in shipbuilding
than in agriculture. In the War of
1912 New England seamen won a sue
cession of very famous victories on the
seas. He calls attention that Marblehead
once ranged second only to Boston in
the fishing and maritime trade, and that
his home city of Gloucester is still the
center of the largest fishing interests in
the United States. directly descendant
from the heroic struggles with wind and
wave of the pioneer New England salts" "
Some of his colleagues have been hav-
ing such fun teasing Senator Pat Har-
rison of Mississippi, former Democratic
party "keynoter" and now chairman of
the Senate Finance Committee, that the
usually urbane and smiling Mississippian
has become teSty and peppery on the
subject.
1t appears from the story originally
told by Senator Harrison himself that
one day he called at the office of the
Secretary of Labor Usually in Govern
ment departments members of Congress
are given right of way, but the Senator
was told that Miss Perkins was busy
and he must wait. He started reading
the morning paper. and some time later
realized that he ought to be getting
action. Just as he was about to again
challenge the outside sentinel, out came
Secretary Perkins with her hat on, pre-
pared to go out Of the building. Senator
Harrison protested that he had been
waAing some time, but was told that the
Secretary was in haste to keep an i'm
portant engagement and he'd have to
return later.