/.i5^>A >*.c:^-.V >°.-^a;;r>o /. ^ • « o ' ^^ ^O^ >.♦ «<^ A» * 5* A 5.^^ • ' ^^ .xV ..'-, ^O^ \.^^' n\ ,. o " • - V» .V .t'»^ <^^ Jl". ^^ A^ •>V.^'<'. "^^^ c-? ^:^ %.^^ • o ^ • . -^o ••' .o'^ .^ -^ 62d Congress, ) SENATE. j Report U Session. \ \ No. 549. EXHIBITION OF TROPHY FLAGS NOW IN STORE AT NAVAL ACADEMY. April 3, 1912. — Ordered to be printed. Mr. SwANsoN, from the Committee on Naval Affairs, submitted the following REPORT. [To accompany H. R. 15471.] The Committee on Naval Affairs, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 15471) making appropriation for repair, preservation, and exhibition of the trophy flags now in store at the Naval Academy, Annapolis, Md., having considered the same, report thereon with a recommendation that it pass. The proposed bill appropriates $30,000, to be expended under the direction of the Secretary of the Navy, for the purpose of repair, Preservation, and exhibition of flags now stored at the United Stfites [aval Academy, Annapolis, Md., which have been taken in battle or after battle by the Naw of the United States. There are now deposited there *136 such "flags. These flags are trophies of the prowess and valor of the American Navy. One is the battle flag used as a signal for action by Commodore Perry at the Battle of Lake Erie; another of great historical value is an English royal standard, captured at York, Canada, April 27, 1813, by a squad- ron under Commander Isaac Chancey. Among these is the ensign of the Alert, taken in 1812 by Capt. David Porter. There is also among these the last flag flown by the Spanish squadron at the battle of Manila Bav, and also the flag of the Governor General of the Phihppine Islands, taken by Admiral Dewey in 1898. Among these is also the ensign hoisted in Japan by Commodore Perry in his inter- view with the Japanese commissioners at Uraga. These flags are of inestimable Mstorical value and no expense should be spared in order to preserve them. They are at present in a deplor- able condition, and unless properly taken care of will soon be destroyed. After careful examination and investigation by persons who are thoroughly acquainted with methods of such preservation, it has been estimated that by an expenditure of $30,000 these flags can be pre- served indefinitely. 2 EXHIBITION OF TROPHY FLAGS. . ^ ^'^ ' The committee earnestly recommends the immediate passage of the bill by the Senate. There is filed with this report a list of the flags, which will show their great historical value and the necessity for their protection and preser- vation. There is also filed with tliis report a letter addressed to Senator Boies Penrose by Commander W. C. Cole, of the United States Navy, and a petition by the members of the Army and Navy Union of the United States of America. This letter and petition strongly present the value of these flags and the necessity for imme- diate action for their preservation and protection. The Secretary of the Navy recommends the passage of the bill, as shown by his letter of March 11, 1912, herewith filed. List of Flags now Stored in Pine Boxes in the Naval Academy at Annapolis, Md. No. 1 (No. 6). Ensign of the ''Cyane." — 16 by 30 feet; captured February 20, 1815, off Madeira by frigate Constitution, Capt. Charles Stewart commanding. (Flag badly moth-eaten.) No. 3. Ensign of the "Reindeer." — 10 feet 6 inches by 22 feet; captured June 28, 1814, in latitude 48° 36^ N., longitude 11° 15^ W., by sloop of war Wasp, Capt. John- ston Blakely commanding. (Flag moth-eaten.) No. 4. Ensign of the "Guerriere." — 17 by 33 feet; captured August 19, 1812, in lati- tude 41° 42' N., longitude 55° 48' W., by frigate Constitution, Capt. Isaac Hull, com- manding. No. 5. Pennant of the "Guerriere." — 2 feet 6 inches by 47 feet. No. 7. Mexican ensign. — 2 feet 9 inches by 8 feet 5 inches; captured at Tuxpam, Mexico, April 18, 1847, by landing force of officers, seamen, and marines from the Gulf Squadron, led by Commodore M. C. Perry, in the Spitfire. No. 8. Ensign of the "Highflyer." — 5 feet 7 inches by 9 feet 6 inches; captured September 23, 1813, off New York, by the frigate President, Commodore John Rodgers commanding. No. 9. Admiral' s flag . — The flag used by Admiral Farragut on board the Tallapoosa, January, 1870, in charge of the naval obsequies of George Peabody, at Portland, Me. Looking up at this flag as a salute was fired at Portsmouth, N. H., in his honor, the admiral remarked, "It would be well if I died now in harness." This was his last official duty. He died shortly after, August 14, 1870. No. 10. Chinese flag. — A small painted flag on cotton cloth, slit through the middle, captured November 13, 1854, from a pirate battery at Coolan, island of Tylo (near Hongkong), by the crew of the Macedonian's pinnace, in charge of Acting Master John G. Sproston, which had been landed from the chartered steamer Queen, Lieut. G. H. Preble commanding, to make an attack upon the pirate settlement in concert with a force from vessels of the English fleet. No. 11. Korean flag. — 3 feet 2 inches by 2 feet 5 inches; captured by Thomas Woods (ordinary seaman), Colorado. This flag has two horizontal stripes, blue and white (cotton). No. 12. Perry's battle flag. — 8 feet 5 inches by 10 feet. A blue field with inscription through center in two lines of white letters, "Don't give up the ship," the last words of Oapt. James Lawrence, after whom the flagship was named. (Battle was fought on Lake Erie Sept. 10, IslS; signal for action givea by Commodore O. H. Perry.) No. 13. Ensign of the " Kearsarge." — This flag flew at the masthead of the U. S. S. Kearsarge during the engagement with the Confederate steamer Alabama, off Cher- bourg, France, June 19, 1864, Capt. John A. Winslow commanding. ' No. 14. English royal standard. — 23 feet by 27 feet 5 inches; captured at York, Canada, April 27, 1813, when that place was taken by the squadron under Commodore Isaac Chauncey and a force of troops under Gen. Pike. No. 15. Ensign of the " Insurgente." — The Insurgente was a French frigate, captured February 9, 1799, off Nevis, West Indies, by the Constellation, Commodore Thomas Truxtun commanding. (Measurement 9 feet 2 inches by 9 feet 10 inches.) No. 16. Corean standard. — 12 feet 3 inches by 15 feet. This was the flag of the Corean Generalissimo, captured June 11, 1871, by Capt. McLane Tilton and Corpl. Brown, Marine Corps, of the Colorado, and Private Purvis, Marine Corps, of the Alaska. n m ^^ EXHIBITION OF TROPHY FLAGS. ^^- No. 17. English ensign. — 4 feet 4 inches by 5 feet 5 inches, marked Avon; history tA unknown. v^ No. 18. Coreanflag. — Captured by John Shoemaker (seaman), CoZomrfo. Silk, very feet by 26 feet. No. 74. A white burgee with black letters in center "Ondiaka"; 10 feet 4 inches by 8 feet 8 inches. List of Flags Acquired by Admiral George Dewey in the War with Spain. No. 1. Ensign of Don Antonio de Ulloa; 6 feet 6 inches by 8 feet 9 inches. The last flag flown by the Spanish squadron at the Battle of Manila Bay, May 1, 1898. No. 2. Flag of Governor General of Philippines; 6 feet 4 inches by 8 feet 10 inches. No. 3. Rear Admiral Montojo's flag; 4 feet 10 inches by 7 feet. No. 4. Flag taken by U. S. S. Charleston at Guam, Lad rone Islands. No. 5. Flag taken by U. S. S. Charleston; 3 feet 2 inches by 4 feet 3 inches. No. 6. Flag taken by U. S. S. Charleston; 6 feet by 11 feet 10 inches. No. 7. Silk flag taken by U. S. S. Charleston; 4 feet 2 inches by 5 feet 3 inches. No. 8. Captain's pennant from Spanish cruiser Don Juan de Austria; 8 inches by 38 inches (a choice sample). No. 9. Ensign from Cavite Arsenal; 6 feet 2 inches by 9 feet 4 inches. No. 10. Ensign from Cavite Arsenal; 6 feet 5 inches by 8 feet 2 inches. No. 11. Ensign from arsenal; 8 feet by 11 feet 4 inches. No. 12. Ensign flown at main of Spanish cruiser Don Antonio de Ulloa during battle of May 1, 1898; 5 feet 6 inches by 6 feet 7 inches. No. 13. Ensign from arsenal; 6 feet 2 inches by 10 feet 1 inch. No. 14. Pennant of captain commanding Dura. No. 15. Ensign taken from arsenal; 7 feet 3 inches by 10 feet. No. 16. Ensign taken from arsenal; 3 feet 2 inches by 4 feet 4 inches. No. 17. Ensign taken from arsenal; 4 feet 6 inches by 4 feet 6 inches. No. 18. Pennant of chief of division; 4 feet 3 inches by 5 feet 8 inches. No. 19. Boat flag; 3 feet 2 inches by 4 feet 9 inches. No. 20. Merchant flag; 3 feet 10 inches by 7 feet 2 inches; red and yellow horizontal r tripes. No. 21. Ensign from arsenal; 8 feet by 11 feet 6 inches. No. 22. Ensign from arsenal; 8 by 13 feet. No. 23. Ensign from arsenal; 7 feet by 10 feet 9 inches. No. 24. Rear Admiral Montojo's flag; 7 feet 2 inches by 7 feet 8 inches. No. 25. General of brigade; 4 feet 6 inches by 5 feet 10 inches. (Swallow-tail guidon.) No. 26. Pennant of division commander; 4 feet by 8 feet 6 inches. No. 27. Flag of insurgent Filipinos taken at Fort Iloilo by party from U. S. S. Boston a.nd Petrel, Lieut. A. P. Niblack, United States Navy, commanding; February 11, 1899. Note.— This flag was not numbered in catalogue. I have taken liberty of placing it No. 27. No. 28. Flag of Governor General; 2 feet 8 inches by 4 feet 5 inches. No. 29. Flag of Governor General; 4 feet 2 inches by 6 feet 2 inches. No. 30. Official flag of Manila, hauled down August 19, 1888, by Flag Lieut. Brumby and Signal Boys Stanton and Ferguson, from flagship Olympia; 12 feet 10 inches by 17 feet. (Not numbered in set.) No. 31. Rear Admiral Montojo's flag; 6 feet by 6 feet 7 inches. No. 32. Senior officers' pennant; 2 feet 10 inches by 5 feet 2 inches. No. 33. Two captains' pennants. () EXHIBITION OF TROPHY FLAGS. No. 34. Flag of captain general; 5 feet 5 inches by 12 feet 10 inches." (Swallowtail guidon.) Jo.^5. Unfinished boat flag; 3 feet by 3 feet 10 inches. No ^6. Ensign from arsenal ; 5 feet 4 inches by 5 feet 4 inches. No. 37. Flag of Governor General; 4 feet 2 inches by 6 feet 2 inches. (Two stars.) No. 38. Unfinished ensign; 7 feet 7 inches by 12 feet. No. 39. Ensign; 2 feet 7 inches by 3 feet 10 inches. No. 40. Ensign taken from arsenal; 2 feet 9 inches by 4 feet 2 inches. No. 41. Ensign taken from arsenal; 13 feet 5 inches by 20 feet 10 inches. No. 42. Ensign taken from arsenal; 6 feet 8 inches by 8 feet 9 inches. No. 43. Flag of captain general; 7 feet 4 inches by 8 feet 10 inches. No. 44. Ensign taken from arsenal; 4 feet 9 inches by 5 feet 9 inches. No. 45. Flag from Spanish armed steamer Santo Domingo, taken July 12, 1898, by the Eagle; 9 feet 3 inches by 17 feet 9 inches. (No number on flag.) No. 46. Flag taken from Spanish torpedo destroyer Furor after the battle; 5 feet 5 inches by 9 feet 8 inches. No. 48. Ensign taken from arsenal; 7 feet 6 inches by 10 feet 3 inches. No. 49. The first Spanish flag hauled down in Porto Rico, July 25, 1898. No. 50. Admiral Cervera's flag; 7 feet 7 inches by 8 feet. No. 51. Bandera de Popa; 3 feet by 4 feet 8 inches. No. 52. Flag of Spanish armed transport Cebu taken at Manila, August. No. 53. Spanish flag from Cristobal Colon taken July 3, 1898; 14 feet by 19 feet 5 inches. (A most beautiful handmade flag.) No. 54. Flag found in water near stern of Cristobal Colon; 21 feet 4 inches by 27 feet. (Fifty-three flags, pennants, etc., in this set.) List of Unnumbered Flags. Commodore's pennant; 5 feet 8 inches by 10 feet. White field with blue stars (13) swallowtail. Spanish jack taken from gunboat Jorge Juan, sunk in Nipe Bay, Cuba, July 21, 1898; 7 feet by 7 feet 8 inches. Small Spanish ensign marked "R. H." in dark letters; 3 feet 4 inches by 4 feet 10 inches. Spanish ensign; 8 feet 8 inches by 13 feet 3 inches. Flag of the Saginaw; 4 feet by 7 feet 3 inches. United States flag with 13 stars. Flag of the Vandalia; 15 by 28; March 16, 1889. United States flag, 45 stars. Pennant of the Freeborn, first pennant on the Potomac; 11 feet 6 inches._ A black silk Chinese flag with red design in center; 10 feet by 11 feet 2 inches. (Seventy-nine flags, pennants, etc., in this set.) United States Nav,\l Academy, Annapolis, Md., December 19, 1911. Senator Boies Penrose, Naval Committee, United States Senate, Washington, D. C. My Dear Senator: I learn by the papers, and have also been informed by National Commander George Russell Downs, of the Army and Navy Union, that you have introduced a bill for an appropriation of money to permit the repair, preserva- tion, and preparation for exhibit of the remarkable trophy flags we have here at the academy, and I take the liberty to write this letter to express my thanks for your assistance in this matter. (2) It was not realized until last spring that the repair, preservation, and prepara- tion for exhibit of these flags would be so expensive. The Naval Academy authori- ties appeared before the Naval Committee last winter and requested |3,000 for the completion of the current work under the care of the committee on memorials and exhibits, and while it was not specifically stated that the amount of money requested for this purpose before the committee would be sufficient to complete the work, it was in a degree understood that this was the case. About the 1st of March, 1911,_ I began inquiries into the question of the best method of doing the work of repair, preservation, and preparation for exhibit of old flags, and commenced a general corre- spondence which included the Smithsonian Institution, the custodian of the flags in the statehouse, Boston, Mass., and other people. There was also found some corre- spondence in the files of the Naval Academy concerning the preservation of flags. The correspondence ultimately narrowed down to the governor of Massachusetts, EXHIBITION OF TROPHY FLAGS. 7 and principally with ex-Gov. Curtis Guild, who seemed to have taken a most active interest in the question of flag preservation. He referred me to a woman who had had charge of the preservation and exhibition of the flags which they have now in the Massachusetts statehouse. I then began correspondence with Mrs. Amelia Fowler, whom I found to be a remarkable character, of gentle birth and breeding, who took this work up originally as a pastime and later as a profession. (3) About the 1st of May I succeeded in making arrangements with Mrs. Fowler to come down here to make an inventory of the flags and to make an estimate of material, labor, and time for the preservation and exhibition of them. (4) The flags were packed in wooden boxes in as good shape as possible, i. e., in camphor balls and newspapers, and the boxes were as near air tight as practicable, though not tin or lead lined. No doubt this would have been done had the money been available at the time. They were packed in 1900. This date I took from the date of the newspapers used in packing. There is no other record of the date. On opening the boxes the flags were found to be in a most deplorable condition, moth- eaten until some of them were in tatters. In the handling of these flags Mrs. Fowler showed that she knew her business, and I have obtained a careful inventory showing the condition of each flag, and they are now repacked in the cases. (5) Nearly 1,000 years ago the wife of the Duke of Normandy made some tapestries, which tapestries are known to-day as Bayeux tapestries. They have been constantly under exhibit and have been transported to various art exhibitions at different times. They are made of fine linen, and everything in connection with them is of linen or silk. After studying the situation down here, Mrs. Fowler proposes to back these flags with this very fine weave linen, which she says she can obtain from a particular factory in Ireland. The flags will be sewn on the linen with silk by expert needle- women, with small stitches that will not be visible at the distance an observer will stand in viewing them when in the exhibition cases. In one case, that of the royal standard, the material is heavy enough to require additional support on fine wire mesh made of rustless material. (6) The summation of the surface of these flags amounts to about 1,200 yards; Mrs. Fowler estimates that the material for this work will cost $1,500, and that it will require 100 needlewomen, working 200 days, to accomplish the work. This will bring the labor cost to $26,000, assuming that we can obtain efficient needlewomen for the purpose at .|1.28 per diem. (7) Because of the fact, as I stated above, that, though it was not specifically so stated, it was more or less understood before the House Committee on Naval Affairs that the $3,000 appropriated in the last naval appropriation bill was sufficient to com- plete the work under "Memorials and exhibits," I did not believe it proper for me to expend any of this money until the whole question could again be laid before the committee. In this decision the Superintendent of the Naval Academy (at that time Capt. Bowyer) agreed. On the face of it, to the casual observer, the money requested is a large sum to expend for the repair, preservation, and preparation for exhibit of 1,200 square yards of old flags, but I think when you examine the photographs of a few of the flags which I inclose you will be able to form an idea of the immensely slow and tedious character of the labor involved. (8) I took occasion last June during the presence here at the Naval Academy^ of the Board of Visitors, to lay the question of the repair, preservation, and preparation for exhibit of these trophy flags before them. They all agreed in their approbation of the project, and made a favorable recommendation in their report to the President. It was recognized, however, that before such an appropriation would be favorably reported to the Houses of Congress by the Committee on Naval Affairs there must be, in all justice to the members of the committees, and to Congress in general, an awaken- ing of public opinion in its favor sufficient to justify the appropriation. The question was first taken up by me in the routine of official business, in my work as the officer in charge of buildings and grounds, and also as the senior member of the committee on memorials and exhibits, but a view of these wonderful trophies would not permit me to let my tour of duty here at the Naval Academy pass without the strongest effort to have the work begun on these flags before the ravages of time have completed their destruction. Merely official efforts were almost certain to be unsuccessful, and I made up my mind to attempt the work as an individual, and not in an official capacity. To this end I obtained the permission of the Secretary of the Navy to address such patriotic societies as I could, as well as to obtain as widespread publication as possible of stories covering the question. This I have done and I may say that the more I have gone into this work the more obsessed I am by it. To permit these flags to pass beyond the possibility of restoration would be an incalculable loss to the Nation. 8 EXHIBITION OF TROPHY FLAGS. (9) I have written to the following patriotic societies: ■*Society of the Cincinnati. *Aztec Club of 1847. Sons of Veterans, United States. Naval and Military Order, Spanish-American War. *United Spanish War Veterans. Union Veteran Legion. Descendants of the Signers. Military Order of Foreign Wars. *Order of the Founders and Patriots of America. American Flag Association. ^Military Order of the Loyal Legion. *Naval Order of the United States. *Army and Navy Union. *Navy League of the United States. *Patriotic Sons of America. *National Association of Naval Veterans. *Sons of the American Revolution. *Sons of the Revolution. *Daughters of the Revolution. *Daughters of the American Revolution. *General Society of the War of 1812. Veteran Corps of Artillery of the State of New York, being the Military Society of the War of 1812. Those marked with an asterisk are the societies from whom favorable replies have been received, and from whom it is quite possible you may have already received communications . (10) National Commander George Russell Downs, of the Army and Navy Union, has been most active in his efforts, and I learn from Gen. Horace Porter of the begin- ning of active efforts on the part of the Navy League, who are to send out stories on the subject through the Associated Press, Sun Press Association, and the Hearst Press Association, and I believe publication is to be made on Sunday, December 24, 1911. The other patriotic societies expect to send out information on the question to the various subdivisions throughout the country, and it is hoped that resolutions favorable to the question will be passed by these subdivisions, and that copies of these favorable resolutions will be sent to the representative in the district in which the subdivisions are located. (11) This course will, I hope, show the Members of Congress that there is sufficient public opinion favorable to the appropriation of the money to justify them to favoi'- ably consider the bill when it is introduced on the floors of the Houses. Personally, I shall be glad to appear before the committees having the bill under consideration at any time they may desire, and I am also confident if a favorable indorsement of the Navy Department on this question is requested it will be forthcoming. (12) Again thanking you for your efforts and trusting the question may be given an early consideration, I am, Yours, very truly, W. C. Cole, Commander, United States Navy, Senior Member of Committee on Memorials and Exhibits. o H 19 89 -H ^.^* '^6^ V <* ♦^ ^#'. '