Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-08-03
EXPLOITS OF OUR NAVY.
Phaadelnhia Press

a great deal has been said in regard to
the action taEen by Admiral Nicholson
during the recent bombardment of Alex
andria' by the British squadron under
Admiral Seymour. The opinion seems
to prevail that in landing his sailors and
marines to assist in preserving order and
protect life and property in the doomed
city, Admiral Nicholson was guilty of
an assumption of authority which the
circumstances neither authorized nor
warranted, and that his acts in the
premises were in direct violation of our
time-honored custom of nOn-interven-
ton in foreign political complications.
The arguments advanced by those I'M
familiar with the history of our navy
and naval affairs are not only mis-.
chievous in their conception and infer.
ence, but their hasty condemnation of a
gallant officers conduct is directly con
troverted by the facts, while the action
of Admiral Nicholson is well sustained
by sufficient historical precedent.
Without mentioning those instances
where our navy gained great distinction
and renown in foreign waters, while act
ing under direct authority of Congress,
in the bOmbardment of Algiers and
Tripoli, during the conquest of Califor-
mia, the war with Mexico and the two
wars with England, our small but ever
gallant and alert naval forces have earned
and sustained areputation for prompJ
and efficient action in the protection of
American interests abroad, which has
been the pride and boast of all true and
patriotic Americans.
During the year 1923 the Porto Rico
(Spanish) privateers having on several
occasions interrupted our commerce,
Commodore Porter sent a communica-
ton on the subject to the authorities on
the island. Lieutenant W. Fl. Cooke. in
command of the brig Fox, in attempting
to enter the port of st. John, in order
to receive a reply TO the CommOdore's
official communication, was fired upon
and killed. Commodore Porter threat
ened to lombard the town, and was dis
suaded from doing so only by the
prompt apology of the authorities of
the island. Again, in October %,
Lieut.. Plat, commanding the United
States brig Beagle, learning that one of
our merchants doing BUSINESS at ST.
Thomas had been plundered by Spanish
pirates and his goods taken to Foxado, a
small port on the island of Porto Rico,
| proceeded thither to recover the proper.
| ty. On making known the object of
their visit Lieutenants Platt and Richie
were arrested and detained under guard
| for day. Commodore Porter, with his
characteristic promptness, proceeded to
Foxado to demand explanation and re-
| dress. Finding that the authorities,
upon his arrival there, intended to open
| fire upon his vessel, he landed force of
sailors and marines, took their batteries,
and compelled from the offenders the
fullest apologies.
In February, 1882, Commodore
DOwnes, in the frigate Potomac, ascer-
tanned that the Malays had captured the
American ship Friendship, of Salem,
Mass. An expedition was fitted out
from the Potomac, differed by Lieuten.
ants Shubrick, Hoff, Ingersoll and Tot
ten, of the navy and Lieutenant Edison,
of the marines. The Malays made de-
termined resistance, but were finally
overcome and several of their forts cap
tured and destroyed. For this action
the officers of the expedition received
the thanks of the department While
Commander Kelly was at Shanghai in
1854, in the sloop-ofwar Plymouth,
combined attack of the English and
American forces was made upon the en-
campment of the Imperialists in retalia-
ton for aggressiOns committed by them
upon British residents In this action
the Chinese were severely punished.
This voluntary act of Commander Kelly
received the approval of the President
| and the department.
In the latter part of June, 1858, while
| Commander 1ngraham, in the slOOp-of-
war st. Louis, was at Smyrna, Turkey,
he received information that Hungarian
named Martin Koszta, with an American
passport and papers, had been arrested
| by some Austrian officials Ton the charge
of being a deserter from the Austrian
army and was held prisoner on board an
| Austrian brig of-war, which vessel was
| supported by an Austrian steam gunbOat.
Commander Ingrabam Immediately
made demand for KosZta's release, at
| the same time running out his guns and
preparing his ship for action. Koszta
was promptly released, and the spirited
action of Commander Ingraham received
the highest commentator of the govern
ment, and a gold medal was awarded
him by Congress.
In January, 1854, Lieutenant Strain,
of the navy, was engaged in exploring a
route across the isthmus. During the
progress of the work the natives com
mitted various outrages upon the per-
sons and property of American citizens
employed in or connected with the sur
vey. In retaliation, Captain Hollins, in
the sloop of war Cayne, bombarded and
destroyed the town of San Juan de Mic
aragua.
In April, 1853, Lieutenant Almy, in
the Fulton, compelled the release of six
American vessels that had been seized
| and detained by the authorities at Tam
picO, Mexico. On this occasion the
| Mexican Government desired to refer the
matter of the seizure of the vessels to
the official action of the respective gov
| ernments "You will release the vessels
first, said Almy; ''then the government
can indulge in all the 'palaver' they want
to-"
In August, 1858, Captain Kelly, in the
Saranac, compelled by display of force
at San Juan del Sur, in Nicaragua, the
release of two American citizens who
had been unjustly imprisoned. In Au.
gust, 1858, Commander Sinclair visited
Waga, one of the Fijis, and inflicted
summary punishment upon the natives
for the murder of two American citizens.
He destroyed their town and laid waste
the country for miles.
In November, 1858, Captain Lavalette,
in the frigate Wabash, visited Beyrout,
Syria, to investigate the outrages com
mitted upon our citizens, and particu-
larly the circumstances connected with
the murder of Mr.. Dickson, near Jaffa.
All but one of the parties implicated in
the outrages were promptly arrested,