New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-11-11

its crew II was fatally uncomfortab bic In every
WAY But its turrct worked to admiration, and
{, manoeuvred all around the Merrimac like
kjng-bird around the head OF an eagle The re-
sult was that not the Merrimac but the Monitor
dictated the future course OF the Civil war ana
furnished the central ideas to be worked out IN
the navies OF the future. The Union ironclad
turned the fate CT war as the old CONSTITUTION
had done In her time. andsthc author is led to
draw a parallel between the two. Both, ne say
wore innovations in naval construction in their
day. the mounting CT 24-pounders IN the proads'de
Of a frigate in 1877 being almost as startling as
the huge 1l-nch guns in the Monitor The Con-
stitution ard the Monitor caused marked changes
in the naval architecture of their days: both were
sunerior to anything afoat Old Irorsides being
heavier In armament than any frigaie OF her
dov while her speed enabled her to ousai the
Ine-of- battle ships The deck measurements OF
the Monitor and Constitution were within rev
feet Of each other. When the Constitution sailed
from Boston In 1872 to try battle WIN an Eng
lisn frigate. orders arrived few hours alterWaTd
to have her remain In port when the MONITOR
sailed to meet the enemy In 1862 orders arrived
changing her destination" Both Merrimac ana
Monitor were types Of vessels that became nu-
merous before the close Of the war. In the STOP
ing sides Of iron the Merrlmac resembled those
rars and ironclads which contended for the pos
session of the Mississippi. The famous Abe
marie almost the last achievement or the Con-
federates with its armor OF old irons torn up
from neighboring railroad tracks in Virginia, Is
tribute not to the inventiveness OF Its maker, out
to that American resourcefulness which creates
something efficient out of the most unpromising
materials The keel, says Mr.. Maclay. was laid
in a cornfield and the building plant was simply
sacked for miles around for bolts, bars and
metal" But, under these conditions. which
would have rendered a shpbuilder in the Old
World frantic with despair. a vessel was con-
structed which served failing cause as well as
It could be served But the Albemarle has an
other claim on American pride. She gave occa-
sion for one of those heroic exploits which make
the history of the navy read like romance
The most famous Of earlier deeds Of this knd
was that of stephen Decatur in destroying the
captured frigate Philadelphia In the harocr OF
Trlpoli--"cutting out" as 1t was called becau9e
of a recognized feature Of American naval war
fare The number OF exploits similar TO that OF
Decatur and often equally hazardous which are
mentioned in this volume Is remarkable. II IL
enough to signaze his achievement as novelty
to cite the comment OF Nelson, who described II
as 1.-The most heroic act of the age. The de-
struction Of the Albemarle was no less gallant
1t required a Journey along rivers watchfuiIy
guarded. a secret approach and finally dash
into the very face OF an enemy who had suddenly
been put on the alert 1T seemed certain death
Yet Lieutenant W b. Cushing then Only twenty
one years OF age. carried out his purpose He
drove the ships launch in which he and his
crew had made their venture over Gordon oi
logs surrounding the ironclad. and with spar
torpedo blew a hole in her bottom big enough to
drive a wagon into. He just in time The
careening of the ram changed the direction or
her guns. and the 100 pounds OF canister tnat
would have annihilated the launch and its crew
passed harmessly. Gushing got back TO MS YES
sci In safety but most Of his companions were
captured. One wonders in reading OF such anars
whether Americans will show the same resource
and the same quickness Of perception when the
Nation is as old as Rome was when the republic
fell or as England when she lost her coll
enies There is in these exploits something OF
youthful rashness not only Of the individual, but
Of the Nation.
Another point TO be observed Is that II has
never required more than one experience to teach
the American Navy new lesson. When Farra-
gut passed the forts at New-Orleans. MS vessels
moved in Indian file But II was found that the
risk to the vitals OF a ship its steam machinery.
was very great. On entering Mobile Bay he
moored his ships in couples dashed together, so
that If one Of the pair was disabled she could Dc
kept in motion by her The picturesque
tactics Of Dupont at Port Royal Will never ne
forgotten. one may look to the plan im-
tated in any coming naval war where the cir
cunstances favorable. The warshiis loi-
lowed each other round elliptical curve; while
the gunners in the forts were trying 10 get the
range they were overwhelmed with a storm o'
iron The moving ships were hardly touched but
the forts were in ruins before the feet went three
times over It's course. This battle also exhibited
4 notable popularity Of American naval war
fare accuracy at the guns This had been OBJ
served long before. One Of the instances OF thls
noted with more than usual emphasis by Mr..
Maclay is the fight between the English bf.s
Eperyer and the American sloop Peacock In
1914 The action lasted only fOrty-hve minutes.
but in that time while the Peacock did not re-
ceive shot In her hull, and only the iOreyard
was damaged. her opponent had all her guns
but one dismounted the side exposed to the
Peacock's fire, her rigging almost destroyed
and forty-fve shot holes in her hull. Such are
the traditions OF the American Navy. and Mr..
Maclay indicates that the new Navy preserves
them The American IDEAL was practically real
lied at the outset when IL was announced III
behalf Of the Nay Department in 1894. that the
new frgates then provided for would be superior
individually to any European frieate OF the
usual dimensions. The best ship OF It's Kind, In
each case not the greatest number Of ships. has
been the aim Of the naval administration. Rela-
lively TO other nations the United States rank,
in his opinion. about as they ga In lSl2. HIS
work IL a careful and worthy tribute 10 ser
vice which har sometimes been d"cried. HIS
theme Is treated simply, but with dignity.
4 CHARACTER ~ "7RILBY."