Show old ironsides Iran ld one on hundred years ago the frigate constitution was launched in boston and in that city the th centenary of the event has hai just juat been celebrated I 1 old ironsides hers herself elf still afloat though tor for many years retired to abed service as a 9 navy yard training ship was present in the harbor no one who looked upon the battered hulk of the most famous vessel which ever sailed under the tha stars and can have gone way away A without a etli ring and awakening of patriotism within him so potent are the glorious associations which cluster about it 1 the he Cons titu tion was one of the squadron which administered wholesome coi correction to the barbary pirates at the opening of the h century but her fame was won in the war of 1812 commanded by isaac hull she eh out sailed and finally escaped from a squadron of alve british kilps when whan her capture seemed certain I 1 iho he stern starn chase lasted days il lt in a dead calm and the of the constitution from her danar was recognized as a le ie alere of expert seamanship batet latet she met the guerriere Guarr lere in blac combat and destroyed her antagonist in one of the fiercest sea battles bartlen of the war commanded by william bainbridge nhe ehe dismasted distasted dis masted and riddled the frigate java until its flat flag was sarma after thiet thie hours hour of hard fighting and later nhe libe fought the C biane ant and the levant single handed and captured them thein belli bath her exploits made her and her gallant commanders famous and when in 1830 it was proposed by the tha secretary of 0 the navy to dismantle and sell cell the old frigate popular indignation obliged the abandonment of the scheme it was at this time as an an of the loyn JOVA and veneration with which the old ship was regarded that oliver wendell holmes wrote his stir poem beginning aye tear her tattered ensign down long has it waved on high par seventy years the constitution has been in retirement first as a school ship at philadelphia and later us its a training hip at the portsmouth navy 3 aard ard va loua suggestions tor for the future of the old frigate have been made it has been proposed to llah lish her ber at washington as a naval niu mu scum geum and it has also been Aug suggested that her history would make it partle appropriate to refit her tor for use by the navea militia P VU pit it I 1 m one now proposes apropo dismantling or ha TU american people intend to pres erre ervill the clift old hulk M long as aa its HI timbers will hold test together ther as e a monument to the th glorious glor loua deeds of the naval heroes of a past generation whether she tee IS 1 put to any other use ue or not Is not es e sentiel lust just as lord Nel nelon sons old flag filp ship the victory Is in still held in commission by the british nivy navy fo will the constitution be kept afloat for many years yeara to come an aa a constant reminder of the patriotic achievements 0 ot f the past and a constant coni tant inspiration to a worthy patriotism in the future |