Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1898-03-10

= n
| 2h0 tereft American homes 10 on e., eo
obo'hones In blackness and darkness r.
H nos appropriate, under these efrst--,
stances, that show you the debt tbfs "a.
'ion owes to our American Navy. ar1
speak OF the heroism of sory-s ~ tht,sa ,~r
have trod the decks. and er-ress - So, : !. ,
who may hear, rs well as to those ~, :, ~ n :
read these words. our gratftt le ant. ar,rsr<-
citation Behold also the shipsa
~ this exclamation was appropriate
1bodt elehteen hundred and seventy wears
ago. WAen It was written coDcarnfrft. +bo
erode fsling smacas that sailed IaEa
1ailiee. now much more appropriate in an
age Which has launched from tia ~.
COCKS, Tor the purpose OF peace, the I.u.
CANA, o. the Canart Line; the naiestI,
"a tle Hite Star Line. and the Ney Ta-l,
q tae American Line; and warsh{as tsks,
Inc IGaAo, shenandoah BROOKLYN. Indiana
columbus. Texas; aud the Scared yete~srs :
~ war-shipplng. like the Constitution or
Tue Alliance or the Constitution. that haya
s#uns, leIo- alyy yarls~ toesaen d their E.st
days. ~''
We will not know what our national
prosperity Is worth until we realize what
1t mas cost. L recall the unrecited fact
that the men OF the navy in the past and in
| present have run and are running now
tSpeclai risks. They have not only tho
human Weaponary TO contend with bu. the
iiGes, the log. the storm. Not like other
sAips could they run into harbor at tho
approach OF On equinox, or a cyclone, or a
hurricane, because the harbors wera hos
tile. miscalculatioa of n tide might
leave them on bar, and fog might over
throw all the plans Of wisest Commodore
or Admiral, and accident might leave them
not on the land ready for an amtnlanen
but at the bottom OF the sea Eyervwhers
at the mercy OF the Atlantic and Pacilt.
| oceans, Wnlch have no mercy. Such tenn
Pests as wrecked the Spanish Armada
ntlsht any day sweep upon the squadron.
NO hiding behind the earthworks; no dig
SinS III OF cavalry spurs at the sound OF re-
treat Mlghtier than all the fortresses Of
aii the coasts Is the ocean when it bombarts
L dotilla.
In the cemeteries for Federal and Com
iederate dead tho bodies Of most Of
those who fell on the land But where
those dead are who went down In war yes
se!s Will not be known until the sea gives
up It's dead. The Jack Tars know that
Whiie loving arms might carry the men
who fail on the land and bury them with
solemn liturgy and the honors of war. for
the bodies OF those who dropped from tba
| ratlins into the sea or went down with all
on board under the stroke Of n cunLoat
/ there remain the shark and the whale and
the endless tossing Of the sea, which can
not rest. Nothing but the archance,'s
| trumpet shall reach their lowlv bed Can
non bail threatening in front bombs threat
| enlnS from the BUNS. torpedoes threaten
ing from beneath, aad the ocean with its
| reputation OF f000 years for shipwreck w.
ing all around. Am not right in saving
1t required q special courage for the navy
as It requires special courage now?
| 1T looks picturesque and beautiful 70
see war vessel going out to sea Sail
ors IN new rig singing a Life on the
ocean Wave, Home on the Eoarinc
Deep the colors gracefully dipping to
passing shipa, the decks itnmaculatelv
- on InG a
parting salute. But oil the poetry has
gone out OF that ship as it comes out OF
the engagement, its decks red with blood,
| Wheel mousse gone, the cabins pile OF
sndttered mirrors, and destroyed furni-
| ture, steering wheel broken em0kestac,
crushed, 100 0pound Whitworth rifle shot
| having lett its mark from port to star
board, the shrords rent away. ladders
shattered, smoke-blaekened and scalded
| corpses lying among those who are gasp
lug 1 'iitir las' gasp Iar away from home
ana Kindred, whom they love as much "A
we love ours. Q, men who once belonged
10 the western squadron, or the Eastern
squadron, or the South Atlantic squadron.
or the North Atlantic squadron, or the
MlsslssIppi squadron, or the Pacific
squadron, or the West India squadron
hear our thanks! Take the benediction
OF our churches. Accept the hospltali-
ties Of the nation. II we had our way we
would give you not only n pension but n
homo, and princeiy wardrobe. and an
e4ulpaSe, and banquet while you live.
ana alter your departure catafaIque and
a mausoleum Of scuptured marble with 4
model of the ship in which you won tho
day.
1t IS considered gallant thing when in
| the naval fight the flagship, with its blue
| ensign, goes ahead up river or into q bav
It's Admiral standing in the shrouds watcn-
inS and giving orders; but | have to tell
-
YOU are as loyal to Christ you are 70 the
Government, there is q flagship sailin..
ahead Of you Of (which Christ Is the Admiral
and He watches from the shrouds ana the
heavens are the blue ensign, aud He leads
you toward the harbor and all the broad
sides OF earth and hell cannot damage Won
and ye whose garments were once red with
pain and blood shall have robe washed
and made white in the blood Of ths. Lamb
! Then strike eight betlst High noon in
heaven. With such anticipation, 0 veterans
II the American Navy, / cheer you to bear
| up under the aches ana weaknesses that
YOU still carry from the war times. You ara
not as stalwart as you would have>been but
for that nerve Of strain and for that ter
rifle exposure. Let every ache and pain
instead Of depressing, remind you of your
fidelity.
Bat God never forcets lie remembers
! the swinging hammock: He remembers the
torecastle; He remembers the frozen rores
o. January tempest; He RENE Z bers the an
. putati0a without sufficient auas,hetic4;
He remembers the horrors of that deafeu-
/ ing night when forts from both sides
beAched on you their fury and the heavens
! cloyed with the ascending and descending
missiles OF death and voar ship quak ed un-
der the recoil Of the 100 FOUNDER w h.ie nil
the gunners. according II con.Ta8t stood
On tiptoe, with mouth wide open, lest ins
conclusion Of the ship shatt"r hearing or
/ brain. He remembers IL nI better than
you remember il. and II some shape reward
will be given. God is the best y: all pay
masters, and .o- those who do their whole
duty - Hin tae pension awartei is al
. everlasting heaven.
But will IL not Ire grand when all these
scenes OF earthly struggle are forever
gomez / went down - the seasaore very
/ early oae morning to see the sun rise over
the sea. The night had 10. We: gathered
! up al its shadows. fonr or Eve sails
. against the SKY seemed lie 80 spirits u
/ the night walking ths Jillovs. The gloom
OF the hour and spot wEs - crea. tried -
break /. b. saving aloud '.Tny viii. .
/ fr0S. /. In the s@a and Iaw ra.4 f. il the