The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1864-07-06
The Kcarsargo and Alaba ma-The Naval
Battle of Cherbourg.

Baltic OF Cherbourg.
Our national anniversary has again brought
victory with it, and victory most delightful
to the national heart. Captain Winslow, a
native Of North Carolina, and citizen of Mas
sachusetts, is the hero of the heur-the happy
and gallant man who has had the good fortune
to give the country the Intense thrill Of patri-
otto pleasure caused by the announcement of
the destruction of the Alabama. He has wiped
away gloriouslya reproach on the name Of our
navy, and has revived the old pride the people
felt in the salt water history of the Stars and
Stripes. He has earned nobly every distinc-
ton that the government can confer upon him,
and be has earned also an honorable place in
that Brilliant record that tells the achievements
Of John Paul Jones, Oliver Hazard Perry and
Stephen Decatur.
The battle between the Kearsarge and the
Alabama Ia very remarkable one in several re-
spects. II is the second battle between wooden
steamships and exempliies pretty clearly the
charges that have been wrought in naval
warfare by steam and heavy guns. Both
ships were manWuvered handsomely under
fire, to such an extent that they are said to have
described seven complete circles as they neared
each other. 1t was cool, steady, stand up
fight, in which, with no great discrepancy in
weight Of metal, and accidents aside, tie best
handled ship was sure to win. As we might
expect in such contest the United States
ship, with comparative ease, fairly beat her
antagonist to pieces. She could have sunk
another Alabama in the next hour. Yet the
Kearsarge is the inferior of the Alabama both
in tho number Of guns and the weight Of metal.
The Alabama had eleven guns, the Kearsarge
only eight; and, though the Kearsarge had
two eleven-inch guns, while the largest gun
on the Alabama was hundred-pound rife,
yet tho whole weight Of metal thrown by the
eleven guns Of the Alabama was greater than
the whole weight Of metal thrown by the eight
guns of the Kearsarge. The victory Is solely
due to the superior organization and skill Of
our navy.
By this decisive victory we have done more
than merely rid the seas Of piratical pest.
We have annihilated that marine hypothesis,
the rebel navy, and we have administered
good blow to the British navy. We have
beaten JEFF Davis aad John Bull in single
ship; for the Alabama was an Englishman.
She was built of that british oak" of which
we have heard in certain sailors songs. She
was armed with British cannon, and manned
and fought by British tars-sailors trained in
the British navy. She was an English ship in
all but her commander and her colors; and an
English commander would not have been an
ADVANTAGE. Let John Bull take notice, there
fore, that We have beaten man-of.war of his
organization in honest battle, without the loss
Of man and without, injury to our ship. Let
him take notice. also, that we can, with the
blockade or our hands, cover the English chan
mel with ships like the Kearsarge,
Another important point in this battle Is that
II took place In Europe. II was fought under
the very noses OF the nations that have always
pooh pooled our victories. In England and
France they read Of the far away battles Of
our armies, aud our victories make no impress
sion. But thin naval victory they will believe
ill., The country Is indebted 70 Captain Wins
low for the destruction OF the Alabama, and
doubly indebted to him for having destroyed
her in the English Channel
The Sinking of the Steamship Loo st