The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1853-01-13
RICHMOND, VA,
THE NAVY.

dore Stockton delivered a speech containing
several views which struck US as being wor-
thy of all consideration. In the first place, he
recommended thorough reform, ifreform was
to be attempted at all. and declared that IL
would be better to abolish the Navy IN t0t0'
and beginning at the foundation, build II all up
again, than attempt partial reformation. In
the second place, and as a corollary TO his
first position, ne said that the old omcers,
hose who had grown grey in the service, and
with whom the fire and energy OF youth were
exhausted, should retire, but that theirs shonld
be an honorable retirement. There can be no
doubt that the evil of having the fleets OF the
country commanded by men of this description
Is great and crying evil, and that in the event
o. war with great maritime power, it might
lead to serious disasters. During the war of
1912, our naval commanders were all in the
prime of life, for the date of the navy's exis-
fence was so recent, that none Of them had had
time to grow grey in the service. The conse-
euences may be read in the history of that war.
Wherever our ships met the enemy, on the
Ocean or on the Lakes, upon ything like
equal terms, the flag ofSt. George went down;
and so universally was this the case, that we
believe an exception cannot be pointed out
The reverse was the fact in the sister service,
and the country deploled in sack-cloth and
ashes, the blood and disgrace in which it was
involved by the appointment of such men as
Hull. Wilkinson, Winchester, Hampton, and
Others, to the command ofits armies These
men had generally fought we'll in the reyolu-
tionary war but age had chilled the current
of life the season ofactivity ofmnd and body
had passed; consequently the main elements
of success were wanting. Powerful as is the
commentary offered by the success of the ore
branch ofthe service at this time, and the fail
ure OF the other, it is rendered yet more strik-
ing by the change in the fortunes of the land
serv ice, as soon as q change of commanders
WAS made. The men of 1914, they who
changed the whole current Of the war, and
first taught our troops the possibility of beat
ing British troops fairly in the field, were all
young, or in the prime Of LIFE. Uninterrupted
success-success which electrified the whole
ne,on-success which led directly to the esta-
blishment Of peace-ol!owed instantaneously
upon the adoption of new system. There
have been instances of men retaining their vi
gor and their enterprisng spirit, even at seven
~ /; there have been memorable examples of a
glorious youth and manhood sustained by a
still more glorious old age-there have been
Taylors and Scotts-but the instances have
been exceedingly rare, and it would be unsafe
TO adopt general rule, or to persevere in one
already adopted. from any inferences derived
from few isolated examples. Those mighty
deeds which give life to history, have in gene
raj been achieved by men in the prime of life.
Alexander was but twenty-five when he cross
ed the Granicus, and was but thirty-three
when he died Hannibal was but twenty-se
ven when he commenced the war with Rome
by the siege Of Saguntum Cesar was forty
three when he began his wonderful career;
Gustavus Adolphus was very little more than
forty when he was killed Bouaparte was only
twenty six when he commanded in Italy. All
the French Generals of that long and bloody
succession of wars, were young men, while in
most instances las in the cases of Beaulieu,
Wurmser, Aivinzi, Mack, the Duke OF Bruins
wick, Gel the opposing leaders were vete
rams OF more than sixty years Of age. kutu-
soft was more than seventy, and though his
resistance at Borodino has often been referred
to, yet a memoir lately published by Ger
man officer, who served under him, proves
that he was merely the nominal commander
Butcher was the only exception, justly so
called, to the rule that great age is an impede
ment ia a profess ion more than ell others, re.
quiring the highest perfec tion of all the facul.
ties. mental and physical. The hist,r of the
English navy, during that period, impresses
the same lesson. If the heroic Nelson had
obeyed the signals made by his superior, the
aged Admiral Parker. he would have retired
in disgrace from Copenhagen, in the midst of
the battle. 1 Lord Gambler, bound down by
years and caution. did actually prevent Coch.
Yane from entirely destroying the French feet
in Basque roads.
We hold il to be q fact not even within the
reach of dispute, that if the reputation eff our
navy, acquired by the galiantry of our officers
and seamen in other days, is to be sustained, it
must be by young, active and resolute men,
not by superannuated commanders. 1t grleves
US to see so many CT our naval officers getting
old without promotion in the servics-stl
lieutsnants, at period of life when they ought
to be in command of feeis-in fact, letting slip
the very seed-time and harvest of life. 1t a
war were to come now, these are the very
men to command, but by the regulations they
must be in inferior stations. Only when they
shall have become superannuated, will
they be entitled to command. If Congress
were to pass an act that the United States
Navy was always to be commanded by su,
perannuated men, and that no man should
command ship or a squadron until he had
become 90, il could not more efectually secure
that end. than it is already secured by the pre-
sent system. We admit that the case is bese
with difficulties, and that it would be an un
popular move TO provide a retiring list for off
GERS, without providing one also for seamen.-
But anything. rather than expose our fleets tt
be beaten by the enemy, where il can be avoid
ed.
We agree, 10 the third place, with the Com
raodore, in believing that this subject OF III
Navy is one Of the most important that coul'