Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1898-02-04
THE BRITISH MILDLY"
Writer Draws Comparison Between
Him and His American Compeers.

Him and His American Compeers.
Admiral Sir Vesey Hamilton pub
lished not long ago an interesting con-
versation which he had with an Amer
lean admiral, wherein the latter spoke
with the warmest admiration of the
manner in which he saw our young
midshipmen handling their boats and
keeping their men in order, and then
drew comparisons between them and
his own fine gentlemen" most unflat-
tering to the latter, says Blackwood's
Magazine. His young gentlemen, he
said, knew how it ought to be done,
but ours knew how to do it. The diff
ference is great. The British midship-
man is brought up in his profession,
and when he finds himself suddenly in
a tight place he knows what to do in
stinctively without waiting to reason
about it. He does the right thing at
once, and as rapidity Of action is one
Of the most important factors Of sue
cess in nautical matters he generally
gets out of his tight place with credit
to himself and his profession. Thus he
gains confidence at every step and pre-
pares himself for more important COM
mands. On what grounds, then, Of
logic or Of common sense, are we about
to alter a system which has produced
such excellent practical results? 1t Is
only fair, however, to see what can be
ha NJ eli NJ hn
and thus we would frankly acknowl-
edge that our naval officers are the
worst educated in Europe, taking the
word education" in the sense in which
it is generally used. 1t is only quite
natural and reasonable that they
should be so, for reasons which we
have already sufficiently indicated. For
our own part we do not think that they
are by any means such ignoramuses
as they are sometimes supposed to be
and portrayed as being by some self
constituted critics. For instance, a
well known civilian writer on naval
subjects, masQuerading under the title
of "Nauticus," published lately vio-
lent diatribe on the gross and deplor-
able ignorance Of the British naval Off
GERS. He described them as being al
together behind the times; as compar-
ing most unfavorably in point of gen.
eral knowledge N:,i the officers of all
European nations, as well as with
those of the United States. They were
held up to scorn for not being men
of the world" and for not being able
to shine in society,"" in consequence
of their faulty education; and it was
further stated that they were not
sound, scientific officers. 1t is quite
possible that all these accusations
might be true-the third modified-and
yet that ours might be the best naval
officers in the world. We say the third
as it depends good deal up
on what we understand by sound,
scientific officer. 1t is probable-nay,
almost certain-that SO far as abstract
science is concerned, our naval officers
are surpassed by those Of most other
and certainly by those Of
France and Germany, but when it
comes to the practical application of
such scientific or other knowledge as
the officers Of the different nationali-
ties possess it has been proved a hum
dried times over that our officers are
ahead of all. Ten thousand horse
power which cannot be applied is not
so good for propulsive purposes as 5000
horse power which can be applied.