Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-04-25


mute appeal for recognition at all times and
| places or national glory. No monument has
been erected to these warriors OF the sea and
| tDe land; perhaps none viii ever be; they mead
| none fashioned by human hands. Did say
| tley had 10 monument? Not so; the existence
OF the American Union is their monument. and
| every Day, and stream, and field where they
pied pas voice TO proclaim that the memory OF
| iDe!r lives, aud OF their deaths shall neye,
| perish.
They fell devoted, but undyins:
Inc YerS gale their names seams signing;
se ~atssfs murine r of their name;
The W5ocs are peoped with their fame;
Claims Kindred With ds t ana s sacred clay:
gbeif spirits wrsP the dusky moustain;
The meanest rim. the mishtiest riyer
Boil minglinE with their fame forever"
In estimating the wonderful career. and the
splendid achievements of the great Admiral
whose statue stands before us we naturally
look to the source OF his training and tina school,
OF bis experience The American navy presents
most Instructive and inspiring theme for
thought and investigation. Its history is rulI
Of national and individual honor. Indeed the
profession OF the sailor has developed in ali
| countries and ages the Hottest and most strik
Ing qualities or manhood. From those far dis
tant regions Of superstition and OF song, WHERE
in Homer described the long. black, high
beaktd ships, which bore ''the fair tress'd son
OF Arch ala to''the liowery plains OF Scamander
IN the Trojan war to the present time the ocean
has Deen the home OF brave men and the thea
ter OF immortal achievements. From the rest
less BISON OF the great deep history mas OH.
tanned Its most brilliant examples of human
enterprise ana endurance. There are reasons,
OBVIOUS TO all, why this should be so. The
dominion OF man over the earth and sea. a
Givine grant of power In the beginning OF time,
as been more difficult OF enforcement on the
waters than On the lands. The assistance OF
science is more necessary to the progress of
fleets than TO the march of armies, and such
assistance was latsin coming. The mysteries
q, h feH mar neTs nie ana compass We're slow
aud solciIude we even yet follow Columbus as
he sailed from the bar OF Saltes early In the
morning OF the 3D. OF August, 14o2, and steered
boldly into an unknown ocean, experimenting
as ne went In the first rudtments of navigation,
and Keeling his way In the uncertain twilight
GAVIN or nautical sclencel But the light grew
stronger as he sailed on, and his disciples since,
at the opposite poles OF the earth, and under
the equator, and In ali the four quarters of the
globe. have touched the utmost limits TO which
human courage inspired by thirst for knowl-
edge can attain. The waters of the world.
however, assume their most practical and his,
torlcal aspect when considered as the higk-
ways and the battle fields of nations. II is In
this respect that they have enriched the an.
nails Of mankind more amply than In any o her.
Exploring expeditions. voyages OF discover
the great currents Of commerce, peneficent and
glorious as they are In the peaceful progress OF
the human race, are all subordinated by the
pen OF the historian to the warlike naVies OF
the world.
The first and leading thought Of the student
OF American history In connection with the
navy OF the United States Is that it has done
more, Tar more In proportion to It's strength to
establish and Illustrate the American character
among the nations OF the earth, than any other
branch OF the public service, and at the same
time has rot received that fostering care or
generous liberality from the government which
Its record 1uSti1es, and indeed demands. While
every American heart beats high at the memory
OF our naval Victories yet, as rule in our MIS-
tory, whenever the spirit OF an extraordinary
has first been found operating on the small.
but glorious American navy. It has never been
thought necessary for the American Republic
10 ION MAINTAIN al ma. naval force more than equal to
lot policy originating with the people, for
their pride and affection would dictate differ
ent course 1t Is perhaps more due to the
10 any other cause. Although we are embraced
by more than eleven thousand miles of sea-
board, yet we have no immediate nelghbors
sufficiently formidable to call for large arma-
ments for its defense. Emergencies may arise,
however. In the future as they have In the past,
When the absence OF respectable naval force
for f1rst-class power will be felt as q criminal
neglect OF the public safety and the national
honor.
The origin OF the American navy is full OF
curious interest Row, and strongly illustrates
the statement have just made. Wnen our
1oIefathers were preparing for independence, q
little more than hundred years ago. their
thoughts dwelt upon the creation OF navy,
rather as II appeared to be necessary part OF
an organized government. than as q means of
successful warfare. 1t is true their first steps
were taken prior to the declaration OF indie
psnd pence ana merely to redress grievances. and
resist oppression, but they were in reality FORM
Ing government for themselves long before
the 4th OF July, 1916. On the 18th OF October
l'.5, the Continental Congress enacted its first
legislation On the subject OF navy, 1t was in
tie IatuTe OF resolution creating q marine
ccmnlttee. composed OF three members and
reciing them ITO TT out two swift sailing YES
sels, the Ohe OF ten and the other OF fourteen
guIs. to cruise to the eastward, to intercept the
supplies and transports intended for the British
army st Eoston." Under this resolution two
vessels were equipped, one named the Lex1ng-
| toG and the other the Providence; one In COM
memoration OK that hallOwed spot where men
| first died for American liberty. and the other
es e ae OF 6nst Rgh
ten and the Providence! They were the first
10 TIDE the waves by American authority and
the Lexington was the first to carry the Ameri-
can lag IN Sc fight to victory. The marine
committee was afterwards increased to thir.
teen members, one from each colony, and ad.
dit1onal ships OF war were ordered to be built.
In october, 1t.9, "Board OF Admiralty was
established which superseded the marine com
mittee, and consisted OF five commissioners
TWO members OF Congress, and three who were
tie army, became the first secretary OF the
Marine" In February, Isl; and In August OF the
same year the SYSTEM was again changed by
who assumed full control of the whole service
In the meantime few small vessels crept out
from blOcka0ed harbors and constituted the
nav VI TIC lnldut government. AS nearly as
can be ascertaiDed there were never more than
enc hundred and fifty guns afloat at any one
time, under the American flag, during the revo-
luton. On the other hand, In order that Eng
lands claim to be mistress of the sea should
continue to be upheld there were In the service
OF the crown, according TO her own account an
average OF over 26G6S seamen employed
against her revOlted colonies as long as hos
Titles existed. In the midst, however. OF the
vast English armament, holding the KEYS OF
every outlet on the Atlantic coast, and stand
Ing guard, as IL were over an imprisoned peo-
PIE, the American cruiser OF the revolution
nitted to and fro, and often struck It's
quarry like daring bird OF prey. 1t is aston
fsh1ng to the modern reader, whose idea of the
war Tor American Independence Is that of a
lard fight from Lexington to Yorktown, to find
recorded In an English work OF credit list OF
three hundred and fOrty-two English vessels
captured In the single year OF 1875 by American
ships OF war. There are names also In cOnnec-
ton with this early period of the navy of the
United States which call for mention wherever
patriots and heroes are honored. Hopkins
styled cOMmander-in-chief, by act OF Congress-
December 22d, 17.5; Barron, Wickes Nichol-
SOD, Lakewood, Barry, Conyngham, Blddle,
Saltinstall, Whtpple and others filled the morn.
Ing Of cur naval history with brilliant and I'M
fading light. But there is another name BE-
longing TO that galaxy which, like the most
luminous star in the armament, deserves to be
pointed out alone. In the latter part of De-
cember. 1875, the first ensign ever displayed by
regular American man. of-war was hoisted In
the Delaware, on board the Alfred, by John
tod Sfi