Evening Star Newspaper, October 27, 1935, Page 57

Stage Auto Part 4—12 Pages NAVY DAY FINDS FOUNDER HONOR STILL IN DISPUTE —Screen. s—Radio Ghost of Esek Hopkins, Forgotten Man| - of Sea, Rises to Add Further Complexity to Dispute Centering in Records of Jones and Barry. By William S. Odlin. HIS is Navy day, so designated I versary of Theodore Roosevelt, | ardent champion of a power- | finds the Nation still without an an- swer to the question: {can Navy?” Controversy on the subject runs far | over it at times grows heated, but, year in and year out, the Navy Department the issue. This year is no exception. Inquiry at the department is rewarded Candidates for the honor of being | known in history as Father of the | Barry. Many and convincing are the | arguments advanced in support of the | Navy really knows which is more en- titled to the distinction it religiously Occasionally the controversy flares into public view. During the Hard- outburst when Barry partisans dis- | covered that on the memorial arch in had been carved the names of 14 American naval heroes, with that of overnight an avalanche of protests put the Navy Department on the defen- not lessened by the fact that John | Paul Jones’ name stood at the head | Edwin Denby was compelled to com- pose a form letter of explanation in DENBY deposed that the General Board of the Navy had ben called guished naval officers for the arch and had in turn enlisted the help of a by the late Dr. A. Lawrence Lowell of Harvard. The college presidents Hull, Decatur, Perry, McDonough, Farragut, Porter, Foote, Worden, Board acquiesced in toto and added Charles Stewart, stating: in honor of the birth annl-‘: ful American fleet, but its recurrence | “Who was the Father of the Amer- | back through the years. Partisanship | studiously avoids any effort to settle with silence or blank looks. Navy are John Paul Jones and John claims in behalf of each. But if the | keeps that information to itself. ing administration there was such an" Arlington National Cemetery there Barry conspicuously missing. Almost sive. The wrath of Barryites was of the list and Secretary of the Navy | Teply. upon to furnish a list of 14 distin- committec of college presidents headed naminated Jones, Truxton, Preble, Dewey and Sampson. The General “The board finds it most difficult to confine this list to such narrow | limits, for there are many other offi- cers who might most properly be mentioned in any enumeration of those most highly distinguished in the Navy.” And Secretary Denby added: “Tt would appear therefore from the statement of the General Board that the omission of the name of Commo- dore Barry was not due to the lack of appreciation of his distinguished service to his country as a naval offi- cer, but to the fact that the Navy Department was limited by the Mg morial Commission in the number of names that could be placed upon the memorial.” The Navy Department is not the only Federal arm harried in the peren- nial campaign for official discrim- ination between John Barry and John Paul Jones as America’s pioneer sea fighter. The Post Office Department this year was beset with requests that | a special Navy day postage stamp be issued and the partisans of each man insisted, respectively, that the likeness of their hero appear on it. The issue was met by decision of Postmaster General Farley to issue no stamp at all. The official records of the Navy show Capt. John Barry, more com- monly known as Commodore Barry, although that now obsolete rank had not been created within his lifetime, was born in Wexford, Ireland, in 1745. He came to America as a child and early went to sea. Eventually he became a noted captain of mer- chantmen in the days preceding the Revolutionary War. The other outstanding naval hero of the Colonies’ fight for inde- pendence was born In Arbigland, Kircudbright, Scotland, in 1747. He was adopted by one John Paul and took that name. He, too, went before the mast early in life and eventually found himself stranded in Carolina. There one Willie Jones befriended him and the future illustrious sea-fighter added Jones to his name in gratitude. When hostilities broke out between the Colonies and the mother country Barry was aboard the Black Prince, an Indiaman, which some authori- ties believe became the Alfred, first flagship of the Colonies’ infant fleet. Arriving in Philadelphia October 13, 1775, Barry learned that Congress that day had passed its first resolu- | tion authorizing the creation of the American Navy. He immediately offered his services to Congress and on December 7 was given command of the Lexington, one of the first ships acquired and converted to war pur- poses, which he held until October 18, 1776. It was also on December 7, 1775, that John Paul Jones was appointed a naval lieutenant, the first commis- sioned by the Continental Congress. From this it is seen Barry at least possessed seniority over Jones. ERE enters the picture, ~the “forgotten man” of the Ameri- can Navy, who antedates both Barry and Jones in high commands.. He was Esek Hopkins of Providence, R. I, described as “a most experi- enced and venerable sea captain,” who was named commander in chief of the Navy at the munificent re- muneration of $125 per month. The pay of other officers named at that time ranged from $€0 & month for captains of ships of 20 guns down to $8 a month for seamen. The Colonists’ first naval e:m.m homme Richard, at l¢ft, locked in death embrace, WASHINGTON, D. C, the Revolution was not long delayed. | One morning early in January, 1776, | Capt. Hopkins stepped into his barge at the foot of Walnut street, Phila- delphia, and, amid a thunderous salute of artillery and cheers of the populace, made his way through the ice-filled river to his flagship, the Alfred. The converted frigate had been so named, curiously enough, in honor of Alfred the Great, regarded as the founder of the British Navy, with which it soon was to come to | grips. When the commander in chief gained the deck of the Alfred Lieut. John Paul Jones hoisted a yellow silk flag bearing the device of a pine tree and a rattlesnake and the motto, “Don’t Tread on Me!” the first flag run up on an American warship. There was also flung to the breeze a new Union Jack. It had the British jack where the field of stars now FEATURES The Sundy Star (1) “Smoke Screen,” a painting by Lieut. Arthur E. Beau- mont, U. S. N.R. (2) Undersea craft in war maneuvers. (3) The dreadnaught, mightiest arm of the modern navy. (4) British bogeyman . . . transplanted Scot, who became an American naval hero. He so harrassed Britain in the Revolutionary War on the sea that English mothers used his name to frighten unruly children. (5) When Admiral J. M. Reeves, U. S. N., took command of the United States fleet on the deck of the U. S. S. Pennsylvania under the frowning muzzles of her big guns. (6) Forgotten man of the Navy . . .Esek Hopkins, Rhode Island sea captain, who was the first commander in chief of the American Navy, leading its first squadron into battle with British ships in the Revolutionary War. shines in the American flag and 13 stripes, which some have said rep- resented the 13 Colonies. A more likely explanation is that this flag was one carried by the Alfred when she was still the Black Prince, that Scene off Flamborough Head, England, the night of September 23, 1779, when H. M. B. S. Serapis and the Bon« phile the having been the house flag of the India Co. The squadron, comprising the Alfred, Columbus, Andrea, Doria, Cabot, Providence, Hornet, Wasp and Fly, finally put to sea, sailing toward SUNDAY MORNING, OCTOBER 27, 1935 " Music—Art Notes Book Rev iews ” I ‘Central Figures in Controversy Made Names for Gallantry Which Became Known Around the World—Depart- the town of New Providence, in the West Indies, where British military supplies were known to be stored. Troops, probably America’s first Ma- rines, were landed under cover of the squadron’s guns and the fort | was stormed under the leadership of |8 Capt. Nicholas. Hopkins sailed away with nearly 80 cannon, 15 bar- | rels of gunpowder and Gov. Brown | and several prominent Tories as hostages. On April 4, 1776, while off the east- | ern end of Long Island, Hopkins’ ships | captured two small but armed British | vessels, the Hawke and the Bolton, and soon after ran afoul of a ship that subsequently was found to be the 20-gun British frigate Giasgow. In a brief but sharp encounter the Ameri- can lost 10 killed and 14 wounded and the Glasgow escaped, although when she put into port observers noted that she showed signs of “having' been treated in a very rough manner.” French Alliance, at right, supposed ally of the Americans, is seen treacherously pouring broadsides into John Paul Jones’ sinking .!l;“!- A ment Silent TH! Glasgow’s escape was not at- tributed to lack of spirit or cour- age on the part of the colonists, but rather to want of experienced officers, | organization and discipline. It led, however, to the evéntual dismissal of Capt. Hopkins from the Navy and merger of his rank of commander in chief in the presidency when that office was created. In the meantime Capt. Barry, on March 31, 1776, sailed from Philadel- phia in the Lexington and soon per- formed an exploit which demonstrated the temper of American sailors and gave promise of the glorious record to be written by them in every war. On April 7 the Lexington, now a 16-gun brig, came across the armed British tender Edward and after a spirited hour’s engagement forced its surren- der, bringing the prize in to Philadel- phia. Barry held command of the Lexing- ton until October 18, 1776. He then raised a company of men for duty on land and took them to the sup- port of Gen. Washington, to whom he was aide for a time in the Trenton campaign. Next he was given com- mand of the newly built Effingham and with her he successfully guarded Delaware Bay and the capes. On October 10, 1776, Congress es- tablished the relative rank of officers in the Continental Navy and placed the name of John Barry No. 7 in the list of captains. On that day also John Paul Jones was commissioned captain and was placed No. 18 on the list. Some authorities assert he re- ceived a previous commission from the president of the Continental Con- gress, dated August 8, 1776. Capt. Barry sailed from Boston Sep- tember 25, 1778, in command of the Raleigh, 32 guns. Two days later he was attacked by three British ships and after nine hours’ running fight was forced to run the Raleigh ashore to avert capture. He escaped with most of his crew, and although he lost his ship he was highly commended for gallantry. For a time Barry was in command of the privateer Delaware, and in No- vember, 1780, was ordered to com- mand of the Alliance, 32 guns, and took John Laurens, special commis- sioner, to Prance. On the voyage the Alliance captured a small English pri- vateer and on the return trip took two larger ships. . On May 29, 1781, after a long, se- vere battle; Barry, on' the Alliance, H. B. M. S. Atalanta and later the Trepassy. In the first of ! the foe liged -to abandon his the rest of the squadron of which she was ».part, A in Quarrel. ,BARRY‘S love of the sea remained | dominant in his life, even aftel ithe Colonjes’ struggle for freedony | ended in victory, and after the wajy | he made several voyages in merchan| | vessels. Then ensued the event upon | which his admirers largely base thei1 claim that he was “the Father of the American Navy.” Upon reorganization of the Navy on June 5, 1794, Barry | was named No. 1 on the list of caps tains. His commission was signed by Washington, dated February 22, 1798 Barry next was ordered to superin. tend construction of the frigate United States, 44 guns, and to command her when finished. He saw active servicy in the naval war with France, 1798« 1801, and captured a number of French vessels in the West Indies. He was engaged in proving cannon for the Government until 1802, when he was selected fo command the Medi. terranean Squadron, but was too ill t4 assume that duty. On November 2{ of -that year the Secretary of the | Navy presented Capt. Barry with “an impression of the golden medal pre. sented to Capt. Truxtun by Congress considering him (Barry) as the seniot officer of the Navy entitled to th¢ most respectful consideration.” Barry died at Strawberry Hill, hiy, country residence near Philadelphia, September 13, 1803, and is buried in St. Mary’s Churchyard. Even a oiographer of John Pau| Jones, Mrs. Reginald De Koven, ad« mits a validity to the Navy fathershig claims put forth for Barry. She writes: “John Barry, returning from British waters with the Black Prince Octobey 13, 1775, the very day on which Cons gress passed its first resolution for the founding of the American Navy, wag put in command of the Lexington, the first ship bought and equipped undez this law. This vessel was not only the first ship which was purchased by ful] congressional authority but it wag (Continued on Tenth Page.) Guide for Readers PART FOUR P: John Clagett Proctor writes . on Capital’'s Ghosts _F-2 “Those Were the Happy Days,” by Dick Mans- fleld -F-2 Home'’s Hazards Stage and Screen.. World of Music Radio News..__ Children’s Page---om-----E-11