, 1892-03-19

never commanded a steamer, or an ironclad,
l can hardly venture to pronounce how we
stand at present. My impression is, however,
that IN the next sea fight skilled seamanship
won't he the chief factor. Against these
gloomy forebOdings it may be urged with
confidence that SO long as the British Navy
has at it's head such men as have served It
in our time, the Queens war ships will never
be afraid to meet their enemy on any yea.
One of the most stirring passages in Lord
Rosebery's Life of Pitt recounts that imme-
diately after the Mutiny of the More, aud at
the end of the most disastrous year that Eng
land had known since the establishment Of
American independence, the eclipse of the
Royal Navy was shown to be only temporary.
I'm a bloody and obstinate battle of Cam
perdown," writes Lord Rosebery, ''the Dutch
feet, once so famous and so formidable, took
it's leave of history. 1t fought with q splen-
dour of heroism worthy Of its ancient renown.
but was defeated by the gallant Admiral
Duncan at the head Of an English feet which
had returned to dicipline; and thus the black
year of 1897 came to 8 glorious close" It
was fated that the world-famous centenarian
who has Just expired should not take part in
the ilumortal victory of Trafalgar. In 1905
and 1906 his services were needed with the
North American Squadron, and there, in 1909.
he assisted in the capture of Guadeloupe, the
chief city of which was taken by the English
vessels, despite the FIRE of formidable land
batteries.
1t remains for us, however, to recount the
achievement with which the name of Provo
Wallis will ever be inseparately associated.
The fine English frigate Shannon had been
commissioned by Captain Philip We're Broke
in 1910 aud ba6 orI1icn1 for uaarl " CIV ,aorc
without seeing much of the enemy In MAY,
1912, however, the WAL between Great
Britain and her American Colonies burst out
with no ordinary fury. In the January of
that same year Lieutenant Wallis was
transferred to the Shannon, and it was the
most fortunate circumstance Of his life.
In May 1918, the Shannon, in company
with The Tenedos, found herself cruising
outside Boston Harbour, inside which the
American ships Constitution and Chesapeake
lay ensconced. The former was undergoing
repairs the latter was rapidly preparing for
sea. At that moment it occurred to Captain
Broke, that Captain Lawrence, of the Chesa-
peake, whom his compatriots called the Anne
rican Nelson, would not care to bring his ves-
sci out of harbour if he sighted two English
frigates in the ofing. Accordingly, on June
lst 1918, he sent in a formal challenge to
his high Souled enemy. GAS the Chesapeake
it began, appears now to be ready for sea
will you do me the favour to meet the Shan.
non with her, ship for ship, and thus to try
the fortune of our respsctivehags? Do not Ina
ginethat l am urged by personal vanity to
make this request. or that | rely upon your
ambition for a%cceding to it. We both have
nobler motives. You will feel it a compliment
if l say that our meeting may be the most
grateful service can render my country, and
l doubt not that you, equally confident, will
feel convinced that it is only by repeated
triumphs in even combatS that your little Ma
Wy can hope TO console your country for the
loss of q trade it can no longer protect. We
are short Of provisions and water, and cannot
stay here long. Favour me, therefore, with
speedy reply" The gallant captain of the
Shannon then recapitulated her armament and
the number Of her crew, so that no pitfall
should be laid for an enemy whom he deemed
as intrepid as himself. According to Cap
tain Broke's despatch the Chesapeake was of
eleven hundred and thirty five tons, and car
RED four hundred and forty nine men. The
Shannon was Of Thousand and sixty six tons,
and had on board three hundred and thirty
men The relative strength of the two ships
was as twenty two to twenty one. At q few
minutes before SIX p. m. the first gun was FIR
ed. Three broadsides were exchanged, when
the ships came in contact, and Captain Broke
gave orders to board, and was desperately
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