The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1936-01-30
STATE WANTS FRIGATE
TO LIE AT FORT M'HENRY
Governor Officially PrOcIaims
Constellation Week Feb. 2-9

Governor Harry w. Nice has Off
cially proclaimed the week of Febru-
airy 2 to as Constellation Week in
order to bring to the attention of the
people of Maryland the efforts being
made to induce the Federal Govern
ment to return the oldest ship in the
United States Navy, the U. S. Frigate
Constellation, which was built, launch
ed and manned in Maryland, to per-
manent resting place at Fort Nc
Henry.
There are now pending in Con-
gross several bills regarding the Con-
steilation. Two of these bills provide
that the frigate be reconditioned or
restored and permanently berthed at
Newport, Rhode Island, where she
now lies. Other interests would have
the ship brought to Washington, D..
c., to become part of the projected
naval meseum there. Marylanders are
interested chiefly in Senate Joint
Resolution 81 introduced in the Sen
ate by Senator George L. Radcliffe
and Willard E. Tydings and in the
House Joint Resolution 226 introduced
in the House of Representatives by
Congressman Stephen Gambrill of
Maryland. The entire Maryland Con-
gressional delegation is solidly back
ing these bills but with powerful in
terests opposing them our Senators
and Congressman are requesting the
support of every citizen of the state
to secure the ship for Maryland.
With the approval of Governor Nice
and Mayor Howard W. Jackson, of
Baltimore, the Constellation Com
mittee appointed by the Gavel Club,
an organization composed of the
presidents and secretaries of civic
bodies, was made the Official Con-
stellation Committee with the duty
of coordinating all the support and
activities of the people of Maryland
in this cause, with offices at 925 FL
deity Bldg, Baltimore.
The people of Massachusetts have
evidenced sympathetic interest in
Maryland's claim to the Constella-
ton. A few years ago, Massachusetts
secured the frigate Constitution, ia
miliarly known as cold Ironsides" +,
which put to set from Boston just
three months after the Constellation
sailed from Baltimore. The Constitu-
ton is row one of Massachusetts,
most sacred relics.
The U. S. Frigate Constellation
was launched in Baltimore on Sep
TENDER II, 1897, the first frigate of
the newly organized American Navy.
Prior to that time Maryland had car
ried on most of the naval warfare of
the colonies. During the Revolution
Maryland's State Navy of Is vessels
together with 24S privateers put to
sea in defense of our shore. One fifth
of the officers and one-eighth Of the
men who took part in the naval bat
ties of the Revolution were Mary
landers.
After the Revolution when Ameri-
cans settled down to the peaceful de-
velopment of our country it soon be-
came apparent that the new Federal
Government would have to take some
action to protect our traders who were
being continually harrassed on the
high seas by boarding parties from
ships of other countries or of pirates.
Accordingly, eight vessels, of which
the Constellation was the first, were
built in Baltimore and put to sea to
fight our naval war with France
(1798- 1901. The two greatest vic
tories of the Constellation were on
February 8, 1899 over the Insurgente
and on February 2, 1900 over the
Vengeance. (These two anniversaries
were the inspiration for Constellation
Week which will be observed begin
ming next Sunday.
The Constellation next took in the
war with the Barbary States (1801-
18O5), brought on by depredations on
American ships by pirates. She pro-
ceeded to the Mediterranean Sea and
blockaded the port Of Tripoli. Even
after the close of that war she was
repeatedly dispatched to the Mediter-
ranean and elsewhere on errond to
quell piracy and convoy cargo ships.
She served in the West Indies, the
Pacific Squadron, the Brazil station,
Gibraltar in the War of 1872, the
African Squadron, and with Farragut
in the Gulf of Mexico during the Civil
War. Later she served as receiving
ship at Norfolk and in Philadelphia,
and as training ship at Annapolis, and
more recently at Newport, R. I. :
In 1914, the Constellation visited
Baltimore and thousands of visitors
went aboard the frigate. The fate of