The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1893-08-19

ing able 10 figfit Is often a protection
Mr.. Herbert-s Part.
IT, pages which Sac-ety T-ba-t le-
votes in the North American Review TO
comment on the great show OF ships at
Norfolk and New York deal with il first
as Ct illustration OF the friendly feeling
that now prevails Between the United
States and other nations.
He recalls that tits peaceful -endez-
vou took place in the very roadStead
where the Monitor and Merrimac fought
and near where the Leopard attacked
the Chesapeake, while close By - Nor
folk lay the old Constellation. successor
TO TruxtOns frigate that overca,le the
Insargente IN 1879. OF the nine nations
whose &c warships were there gathered
three were republics. but all the vessels
put on tie colors of Italy in honor Of the
tw~ensy-ftth anniversary Of hiIg Hum
berts marriage. just as the British
Blake afte-wari ar New York. where
once the prison ships Of the Revolution
lay. flushed out the image CO Washing
ton n her Fireworks display. and inst as
other foreign ships took part in our
Decoration dry ceremonies.
Secretary Herbert well says that the
voyage frcm Hampton Roads. when the
vessels Of nine nations. IN two parallel
columns, stea1nel al a prescribed rate,
ali under the command, by courtesy. OF
an American cffcer. formed "a scene
that has no parallel in history" Yet
even this scene was surpassed N suggest
iveness by the land parade in New
York. which. while il was the most
significant act of good viii % the Amer
lean people and American institutions,
was also the crowning lesson OF the re-
view"
And what was that all important les
son: The secretary thus expresses it:
Every thoughtful observer was i'm
pressed with the idea that if our men
should ever come to blows with their
friends who we're behind them in line
they could never hopet 70 win except with
. fair supply Of ships and guns. The
sralwart Russians, with their sturdy
tramp; the business looking Britons,
keeping step to God Saye the Queen
the quick stepping Frenchmen: the Ger
mans, with their natty uniforms; the
Italians, and indeed all the detachments.
were drilled and disciplined into fight
ing machines. Never was such a sight
witnessed before as the sailors Of nine
different nations marching together, and
Y was anything better calculated 10
impress upon those who saw them the
lesson that the American sailor can keep
his place upon the seas only when his
government is behind him"
This, after all, should be an abiding
moral of the pageant for our country
men. 1t taught not only the beauty OF
peace, but the duty in peace % prepare
for war. 1t was suggestive. no doubt,
that while 20 years before Russia, Prus-
STA and Austria had entered into a futile
combination TO reduce the Spanish
American colonies because they had set
themselves up as independent republics,
here were Russia and Germany joining
their ships with those Of republican
France and the South American repub-
hes.
1t was still more suggestive to find the
armed forces of Russia and England
marching one after another in the same
streets and in the same column and the
armed forces of France and Germany in
like comradeship; while IS to the inter
mingled forces Of England and America,
the sight of them prompted Secretary
Herbert to say that Great Britain neve
formally renowned the right Of search,
on account OF which the war Of 1912 was
fought, until 1858, but the two countries
have made peace at last, mutual good
Will and respect have been testified in
many ways and never more significant
" than at this naval review"
Yet it is not the peace note with which
the secretary closes. He insists, as his
conclusion. that in spite of Geneva arbi-
trations and Paris arbitrations, we have
not yet found a safeguard against war.
The Geneva arbitration was achieved
only after the terrific battles OF our civil
wal had demonstrated to the world the
fighting capacity OF our citizen soldiery.
If America would keep her own peace
with all the nations Of the earth and
maintain her place in the vanguard Of
civilization, she must be at all times pre-
pared for war. This is the lesson Of
history emphasized by the rendezvous
and the review" We may add that such
lessons were wholly additional TO the
original purpose Of the ceremony, which
was to furnish some distinctly naval
pageant as the fttest possible form OF
public festival in honor Of the greatest
of voyages.
Indeed it may fairly be said that the
full benefits of this memorable pageant
were not universally r-ecnrri,al WHEN Il