New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-12-26

cpemy's ill-founded hopes Of an oAcislve move
lpcnt BY iroacads there eqnipiF1'
Captaln Mahan's account OF the hEht IN MO
bile Bay is 50 detailed that il j. almost Ihip''
sible 70 quote from il. hut the description 81
Farragnt's superb action when his advancing me
Was Oh the point Of berg doubled up an" '"'"
disqstcr = the attack VS. threatened, Is stlrrr'1
+ in tn cy-rc-ae: as is also the narrative "I INV
rlncl,.. af-~ck upon the rebel ram tennessee
which, in cod Of sending all the Fcirfn nV''
T. The bottom. was compelled to surrender hc'-
4olf Tho whole action was FIJI Of incident and
excitement. and there was plenty Of hard hgiIt-
inc as the losses seem 10 attest. II was IN"
torpcdocs which were the oriein Of 50 many
bundcrs on the part Of the Federal ships ana
considering the fearful destruction wrought N
these machines when they did operate tIIS
was not surprising Farragut however, In MS
flagship. the Hartford, took all Tn" chances !"
the most deliberate way. and nothing out Ills
absolute fcarlessness and irdomtahe resolution
converted what at first looked omlnousN IKE
n defeat into splendid victory This was as zap
tain Mahan saws the crowning achievement OF
Farragut's naval career: zone of the hardcS'-
earned victories Of my life to quote his own
words. land the most desperate battle ever
fonoht since the days Of tho old Essex"
After tbe battle Of Mobile Bay the old Adj
mirol remained on service hut his health began
- fail nndcr his great exerions and he was AZ
length obliged TO ask for some rest. which inc
Government of course could not but grant him
In his closing chapter Captain Mahan nves
vor,. carefully written study Of Farraguts char-
actcr and this chapter is also full OF pregnant
SUGGESTIONS looking no less TO future naval war
faro than 10 that of the past. Here for eAhnipie
s passage in point "Farragnt was naturally
conservative as seamcn generally tend TO be. ont
while averse TO sudden changes. and VI 1c TO
look with some distrust upon new ard untrrd
vnarons of war he did not refuse them. nor ana
they find in him that prejudice which fornlds
fair trial and rejects reasonable proof. VI IRON
clads and rincd guns. both which in his DIV were
still in their infancy. he at times spoke as
paraginClv: but his objections appears - haNe
arisen not from doubt Of their eflcacY-the one
for protection. the other for length OF ra'ge-pnt
from an opinion as Ia their effect upon the spirit
NJ the service. In this there is an element OF
truth as we'll rs Of prejudice; for the natnrai
tendency OF the extreme effort for protection IN
donhtefly is 10 obscure the fundamental truth.
which he constantly preached. that the best pro-
lection is to iniurc the enemy
That is sound doctrine for all time, md the
application is nt. But we must take leave oil
this very interesting ard well-wrtten oioGrapnS'
and perhaps this cannot he done better than IN
the authors concluding remarks tarragut' ne
savs ",yas essentially ana unafcctedlv re-
lnious man The thoughtfulness and care with
which be prepared for his greater undertakings.
the courage and fixed determination to succeed
with which he went into battle. were tempered
and sraccd by a profound submission TO the
Almighty will Though not ob;rudcd on the
public. his home letters evince how Constantly the
sense Of this dependence was present to his
thoughts and he has left on record that. in the
moment Of greatest danger TO his career. his spirit
turred iustinctively 10 God before gathering MP
his energies into that sublime impulse whose
nstre, as the years 20 by. Will more and more
outshine his other deeds as the crownlng glory
Of them all-when the fiery Admiral rallied ms
staggering column and led it past the hostile
curs and the los. Tecumseh into the harbor OF
Nfok;ia