The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1871-11-01
Two Navies--A Contrast.

Secretary Robson is determined
ts put down hazing at the Naval Acad
envy" Such is the annunciation Of
the accredited organs Of The Executive
and for this minute and initiate reform,
this manifestation of energy, this dig
ging round the root, the friends Of
the navy will be profoundly grateful.
There Is, We are aware, a vast space
to span between the supervision of tho
monkey tracks of middies at Annapo-
lis and the scrutiny of admirals and
commodores OIL distant stations; but
still, the comprehensive genius of u
Minister of Marine, relieved now from
the pressure of electioneering duties,
may be able to grasp it. In this hope
we beg to call his attention to a con-
trast which the journals of the day
and the memories of tile not very re
mote past suggest. Let us st.te it
geographically and historically.
We need not resort to Horsbury
for the scene of cur naval misadven-
lures. Not very far from the coast of
New England, almost within sight Of
land. and perfectly familiar to every
skipper and steam boat captain, is the
Nantucket shoal. 1t lies in a we'll
known and permanent position, on the
line between Portland and New York.
FreiShted with the remains of the
heroic Farragut, (whose bones must
have stirred in his coffin when the
accident happened,) the American
frigate Guerrero in broad daylight
was dumped. Wandering whalers or
accidental steamers saved her, and she
reached her journeys end. 1t WIS
considered, however, a triae, and if an
inquiry was made. it amounted to
nothing, Tor we find in a few months
the same frigate and the same com
mander on a holiday cruise in the
Mediterranean. This, we are aware.
is a stormy sea, and, in the winter
time, has its Levanters and Gregales.
There are navy traditions of brave
Lawrence Kearney before the days of
steam, weatheripg winter gales in the
Archipelago, and chasing Greek pirates
among the cyclades without touching
reef or shohl. But if there is a we'll
Known coast, lighted, sounded, map
ped, it is that of Western Italy, ftm
the Faro of Nessina to the Gulf of
Spezzia. 1t is as simple sailing as
from Cape Henry to Havre de Grace.
Yet here, again. in broad daylight,
under press If canvas, on 4 reef which
every orange laded lugger knows, the
victim of Nantucket goes ashore again
and we read marvellous accounts of
the shock and the salvage. Where
she is now, and what the condition of
her bruised bottom, the Navy Depart
ment knows, but the sluggish public,
which pays for all these ships and
disasters, docs not seem to care, to
lspeak nautically, "a ropes end" Now
for the contrast.
1t is marked in more ways than one
lin the misadventure itself and the
conduct of those connected with it, as
we'll as the impression made on the
Ipubli; mind. A shipwreck does not
necessarily imply professional wrong
doing or deficiency, and sometimes,
when it does, they may he redeemed
by gallantry and heroic endurance af
forwards. While our Guerrero b: s
twice gone asho. e and mob dy care,
the news comes of a mishap in n for
eign serviceo IL different nature, and
which stirs deeply the popular heart.
Some time last summer, the Brit Ssh
war-steamer, Magera, sailed from
Capetown to Australia, across the
wild wastes OF an ocean where SUNNI r
is the season of storms. lier condition
was doubtful when she %sailell, and her
commander demonstrated, but the 10
cal Admiralty authorities insisting he
obeyed. On the eighth of June she
was found TO be sinking; and in Or
der to save life er commanding officer
unlike Linn OF the Guerrero, Knowing
where he was, determined to beach
her on the-only accessible spot of land
in those Linety degrees of longitude
from South Africa to Aust alia-the
volcanic, uninhabited, treele.s, water
less island of St. Paul He did So
saved, not lis ship, which was worth
less, but mis- armament and his men
and after privations and adventures
which we have not Don to dwell on,
was rescued. What is the result ? A
general outburst of indignation and
a demand Tor thorough inquiry, and
the imposition of censure where it be
longs-if to the captain, then on him /;
if to the Admiralty, then on them
But there is to be no easy going pooh
pooling of a professional scandal
1--WE cordially approve" says the
Times, ''Mr. Goschen's promptitude
in redeeming, as lar rs possible, the
consequences OF the original blunder,
and still more his apparent determin
alton to institute Ill Immediate in
quiry into tie loss of the i'll lated ship
which YVES sent to sea so peremtoriiy
half i yearago. But no explanations
now will p Y that the Admiralty
was justified in sending the ship 10
sea after the complaints of the officers
and the admitted i~hconveniences OF
leaky ports and defic ent ventilation. )
To us it seems. muta.is niutandfS, no
explanations will prove that our Ad-.
miralty is free from responsibility Tor
the scandal off Leghorn after the ex-
perience at Nantucket. Sure are we
that the British public would rot be
coutent to know that their First Lord
vas making speeches about the king
dom on Magma Charta and the Brit
ish Constitution generally. and con
tenting himself with diSciplining the
budding heroes Of the storage. We
take these things easily.-Patriot.