Evening star., 1897-05-31

army be told" he said. Let the deeds OF
American soldiers on the battlefield be
told and retold in song and story; let them
be made familiar to the eye upon canvas
and by the more modern invention OF pho
Biography in motion. and let 1t be told In
glowing phrase how the armies Of our
country, after their work was done. dis
solved into peaceful and useful civil life
and our people will be made only the
stronger. more loyal and better by 1t. Al
the same time let 1t be told that the navy
prevented foreign intervention. cut OF!
necessary supplies intended for the con-
federate states, severed the confederacy III
twain. kept open basic comTnun1caiioa IoI
the army. and thereby made final victory
possible.
The speaker told of the achievements OF
the American navy in the past, toid oI
how ''in the war of the revoiutlon our
naval force numbered at no time more
than 5000 men, yet during that fierce con-
fiict the American navy captured oOu yes
sells from the British. and not less than II,
600 prisoners. One capture aione mao
by a single vessel numbered five hundred
soldiers belonging to picked regiments Oh
the English army. The total number OF
men captured by Our deSp.Sed navy was
greater than one-third of Lord Howe
entire army; more than twice the number
of prisoners surrendered by Bursoyne; nve
thousand more than the number of prison
ers surrendered by CORVALLIS and only
1,I6l less than the aggregate VI
prisoners taken at Trenton and SURRENDER
ed by both Burgoyne and CORVALLIS"
1.-THE war of 1872 he said, was strug-
gle for independence on water. as was the
war of the revolution struggle for In
dependence on land. In this war the navy
of the United States hunlbled the pride of
Great Britain as it had never been hum
bled tefore. The American sailors secured
our 'inaHenable rights upon the high seas.
Before this great result was achieved.
how ever, our little navy had captured over
1,50O English vessels and more than 2O.-
600 British seamen, and in eighteen naval
battles wen fifteen decisive victories"
Always Formidab bic.
Speaking of the last struggle Mr.. Michael
continued: THE characteristics of the
American sailor in the earlier wars dis
tinguished him in the war of the rebel
lion. He has been subordinate TO disci-
plins without surrendering the least YES
tige of his manhood: he hss been student
of gunnery and the management of yes
sells in novel situations; he has sought to
improve his weapons, and every detail OF
his ship that would give him advantage
over an enemy; he has shown indomitable
pluck, quick perception, and that spirit
which finds expression in the immortal
words of Lawrence, Never give up the
ship
This is the explanation of the success
of the Yankee sailor in every war he has
been engaged in. 1t was this that filed
England with amaZement and alarm, be-
cause it foreshado~eu a naval power the
like of which the world had never known.
1t was the experience she had had with
the American navy IN two wars that in
spired her with wholesome dread of pro-
vokins us too far during our struggle to
save the Union. 1t was this alone that
compelled her to keep hands or and
made the payment of Alabama claims pus-
sible 1t was a fear of our maritime re-
sources that caused Napoleon third -
quickly abandon his scheme TO r..acc Maxi
mlliian on the threnc OF Mexico Europe
did cSi relieve. at the beginning of the
rebellion that 1t was possible for us to
seal up long line of SeacoaSt, by the Gre
alton of navy large enough for this pur-
pose, and to send forth formidable cruis-
ers in search of commerce destroyers to
protect our merchantmen.
But we proved ourselves equal to all this
and more, because We invented and con-
structed men-of-war while engaged in the
most terrific struggle of history that made
US for the time masters of the sea- When
the little Monitor stole into Hampton Roads
and asserted her supremacy over wooden
ships and defeated the most powerful
enemy that could be brought against her
at that time, the eyes of Europe and the
civilized world were opened to the possi-
bilitieS of American inventive genius in the
construction of men-of-wa and from that
moment all danger of foreign interference
In our domestic affairs completely passed
away. Indeed, instead of threatening lis
with their nayies, all progressive nations
OF tne earth Immediately began the task of
remodeiing their own navies for their own
protection upon the lines of American in
vention and achievement. And TODAY
europe gauges cur standing as a nation
Dy our navy and naval resources No one
can doubt for moment that If the United
States should ever wage a great war win
foreign powers the battles would be main;y
1cught upon the sea; and, for one / have
not Doubt that the results of such a war
would place this country at the head of ali
nations IN maritime genius and power"
brilliant Achievements
Mr.. Michael briefly but forcibly traced
the work of the navy during the war. the
oiockadins of the coast and the clearing
OF the Mississippi. cutting the confederacy
in two.
Continuing Mr.. Michael said: while the
naval forces under Foote and Farrap,,t
were opening the Mississippi, those under
Dupont, Rowan, Stringham, GoIdsboroueh
Worden and Dahlgren were achievine
equally important results on the Atlantic
coast. The Hatteras forts had been taken
the inner fortifications of Albemarle anf
Paml1co were recovered; the southern forts
except those at Wilmington and Charles.
ton, We're recaDtured Mobile and Charles
ton were sealed up. the navy yard had
Deen broken by the destruction of the Mer.
rimac. and the blockade was an accom-.
pilsned fact. All of this was brought about
within fourteen months. Who can saw. ir
the llght OF history, that the fate of the
rebellion was not settled within this ne.
rlod! Who will deny that when the block.
ade was successfully established. the Po.
tomac made safe, the Mississippi opened
the western army placed securely in the