The times., 1898-09-11

whose cOunSelS ana luediS were very uit-
ferent from those of Capt. Porter. The
reader of Marryat can imagine the state
of affairs. However. good first lieuten-
ant. an older midshipman and other useful
friends did great deal to guard the boy
from the evil influences on which he
afterward looked back with horror Serv-
ing in vessels of different classes, Farra-
CUTS knowledge broadened. He saw much
to interest him in the Mediterranean. but
Porter's rational discipline inspired him
with abhorrence for the brutality then so
common on board men-of-war. cambridge
said that he had known martinets 10 go
through drills so elaborate as to throw
men into catarrh in cold climates and into
fever in warm ATTITUDES. 1t is painful
even to think of what was once not mere
~ tolerated but defended. Farragut held
to the nobIer creed. that the golden rule
applies even on board ship.
, After Porter. the best friend of Farra-
CUTS youth. was the Rev. Charles Fol-
SOM chaplain. who became our consul
at Tunis. THIS gentleman prevailed on
Commodore Channcey TO allow Farragut
to spend some time in study and travel
under his care. All sorts of odd incidents
marked their journey. The natives wished
to murder .the Christian dogs" and
would have done so had it not been for
the protection OF guard of soldiers fur
.
ing place, II the supper was not satisfac-
tory, the soldiers bastinadoed the cook
The travellers had to endure a plague
quarantine. Farragut drove back an as
sassin with his pistols, and. while near Ell
JeoD, received a sunstroke. The pleasant
features of the trip, however, outweighed
The annoyances. Farragut learned a great
deai ABOUT books. nature and mankind. In
1850 his old tutor was till living. and wrote
him letter of congratulation on his
achievements
Ihe young officer was one of those who
are always at school When his eyes
troubled him, he delighted in hearing
others read aloud. IL he en-ered a foreign
harbor he studied its docks and batterie.
with a view to possible warfare. After
leaving the Mediterranean he passed some
time in Mexico and in the West Indies,
cruising after pirates, vending his way
through swamps, exploring shoals and
doctoring yellow fever patients On the
South American coasts he saw the rise
and fail of revolutionary governments
The war between France and Mexico
taughs him that host of naval details
had changed since Porter and HilIyar
Fought off Valparaiso Even a hurried
glance at Farraguts letters and Journals
viii show that he moved with his profess
sion and sifted the wheat of genuine i'm
provement from the chaff of mere empfr-
icism- Frequent service in courss-martiaI
brought out the rejecting and judicial
traits of his character A cordial letter
from the veteran Commodore Porter
proves that the junior had been respect-
ful and grateful to the preceptor OF his
early years
When the war with Mexico began few
Officers were more hopeful of IaureIs than
tarrasGt, and none was more bitterly dis
appointed. A plan of his for taking the
castle of San Juan de UIloa was rejected
by the Navy Department: he was under
the displeasure of his commodore: he
was exposed to much hardships in block
aiding duty he nearly died of yellow fe-
Yer; two-thirdS of his crew were down
with the same disease and he was wor.
ried nearly frantic by drunken officers.
Yellow fever was followed by cholera and
his death was considered certain; but for
two years. though unfit for sea service. he
labored zealously in the cause of i'm
proved ordnance. He was almost equally
fond of gymnaStic exercises and of scA
entific lectures He applied to the Navy
Department to be sent abroad to observe
the management of the Crimean war, and
had his request been granted his report
on the foreign navies might have equaled
McCIlan's book on +'The Armies of Eu-
rope. Farragut was not sent to Eu-
rope, but was assigned to the important
q
Island Cal Here. we may say, he
learned how to rule New Orleans The
Golden Gate was a wild place, the out
laws were desperate, the vigilance COM
mittee only lesser evil No telegraph
brought instructions from Washington.
Problems had to be solved on the instant.
Firmness, discretion. physical bravery.
moral courage, tact, knowledge of law.
were all necessary TO the commandant of
TGiand ri Annfhn-
cruise along the coast of Mexico followed,
and a hasty visit to New Orleans re-
freshed Farragut's memory of the great
river he was to enter in command Of
fleet.
Our war records show what the great
admiral did These facts show how he
was made He began his naval career
when men who had sailed with Paul
Jones were still living. He saw the war
of 1872 and knew veterans of the struggle
with the Tripolitan pirates. When steam
vessels crossed the ocean when ironclads
came into use. when new types of ord
nance crowded out the old, he was in the
front rank of progress. At once the lover
of tradition and the friend of improve
ment he linked the days when Porter
the father cruised in the Pacific and when
Porter the son bombarded Fort Jackson
The most exciting and the most weari-
some features of naval life. the delights
of travel and the horrors of the sick bay
were familiar TO him. Every tyne of
craft, every type of officer. every form of
government had come under his notice
He knew the hero and the weakiing. the
martinez and the drunken fool The rec
ord of his fifty years schooling IS sug-
gestive to every patriot. David Glasgow
Farragut was faithful over a few things
before he became ruler over many things