Charley and Uncle Jacque,

You should definitely talk to Stevens B. about the Constellation. A friend of ours, Geoffrey Footner, has written a carefully-researched, much-heralded book about the Constellation's history. Whether or not the ship that proudly sits in Baltimore harbor today is the original may be a matter of one's philosophy regarding what constitutes an original or a restoration or what have you.

Steve and Footner have had lively arguments about this issue. The matter, I suspect, will never be easily settled.

By the way, a couple of years ago, Steve officiated in a wedding aboard the Constellation. Even the bridegroom donned appropriate uniform for the ceremony.