The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-05-05
OUR HIGH ADMIRAL.

Admiral DAVtd POFteE ID Keeping HilH-
self before the public by writing letters
disparaging the Turkish navy, whose
best ships. he says, are only fit to fire
saLutes.
The Admiral may be right in his esti-
mates Of the power and efficiency OF the
4 urkish ships, but as high British au-
thority dissents very widely from his
opinions. the world may be provoked to
INQUIRE into the capacity and experience
OF our Lord High Admiral to form reli-
able iudgm ents on such subjects.
When this inquiry Ia once started 1T
will not be prosecuted far before en-
countering some very stubborn facts
which will 20 far to show that our Adj
miral has not achieved very brilliant
and solid reputation either In designing
or handling ships Of war. That the head
OF our navy Is more OF writer, talker,
and sohemer and intriguer than prac-
tioal constructor and commander OF
armed ships will be painfully demon
strated by the incidents OF our late civil
war, wherein he played prominent parts.
In this State, where he was born, he
sought to achieve Immortality through
his celebrated mortar fleet, which COST
the United States several millions and
proved On utter failure for the purpose
for which 1t was designed, to wit: to re-
duce the forts below this city In 1861.
Commodore Farragut did not believe
In Porter's schemes, but, out OF kindly
feeling to the son Of his old benefactor,
the elder Commodore Porter, permitted
him to hammer away at the forts for six
or seven days, which Porter had boosted
he would reduce In three days. At the
end Of the seventh day the forts were as
strong as at the beginning OF the bonn
bardment, though their guns, owing to
the inferior power Of the powder and
the sheltered position OF Porter's ves-
sells, we're unable to reach the mortar
vessels.
Farragut grew impatient; declared he
would wait no longer, and gave the or
der for his powerful steamers to pass
the forts, which they did In the dark,
under heavy fire. When Farragut had
passed the forts the garrison mutinied,
and the commander concluded to sur
render. and sent for Porter, who lay q
few miles below, to accept the surren-
der. Porter did 80, appropriated the
flags Of the two forts as his trophies,
and claimed the whole credit OF an ex-
plot which he had impeded and very
nearly prevented. ...
30 much for this expensive expert
ment OF our High Admiral.
Next, he appears with.a large feet OF
iron clads in Red river, to cooperate
with Banks invasion Of that region.
Here he only added to the disasters OF
that memorable campaign, by forcing
his fleet above the raft, and in the re-
treat of Banks only escaped capture
through the ingenious energy OF volun-
teer officer, who had been a canal
builder, who improvised a dam which
raised the water to sufficient height to
float them down the river, even with the
heavy loads Of cotton which the thrifty
and speculative commander had stolen
from the planters on Red river.
The last of Porter's exploits was his
cooperation with Butler In an attack
upon Wilmington, In which he at
tempted to blow up the works Of the
Confederates, by the conclusion Of an
explosion Of q ship loaded with several
thousand tons Of gunpowder, which
hardly reused our Confederate boys
from their deep slumbers. There were
some other equally Ineffective opera
tions OF Porter's before Wilmington,
which was finally captured by land
force OF volunteer soldiers.
These make up a pretty fair summary
OF all the illustrations which history
AFFORDS of the competency. judgment
and practical competency of David Por-
ter, as designer and planner of ships
for war purposes. or as Il commander
and executive officer In the conduct OF
successful and effective naval opera
| tions.