The Portland daily press., 1898-07-15
VARIOUS KINDS OF HERoIsM.
New York Post. J

Lieut.. Hobsons report on his daring
venture with the Merrimac explains for
the hrst time why he was not able full "
TO block the channel out of the harbor of
oantlago. That passage was left along
sloe the wreck was known, even Before
CerVera used it to make his dash to de-
structlon- But just why the enterprise
had tailed could only be guessed till Hob
son came out of the enemy's lines to say
that the Merrimac's rudder had been shot
away, and the collier torpedoed. by the
Spanish. ms made it impossible to
swing her across the channel. The lieu
tenant, who appears to be AS modest as
he is cool and fearless. says that he was
"chagrined" when he found himself un,
able to carry out his plans. Chagrin is
not the sensation which most men would
feel when cn steamer torn asunder by
dynamite and rained on by shot and shell
from the enemies guns; but, after all, 1t
was true mark of the heroic motives
prompting the man. He had his eye all
the while on the thing to be done, the
service to be rendered to his country.
The manner of doing it, the personal re-
sults-whether manning or death, fame
or forgetting-all this was put aside as
of no consequences compared with the
supreme aim When he failed in this he
was chagrined, but the chagrin of a
hero, in such circumstances proved him
all the more hero. az
This element of personal UNCONSCIOUS
ness we should all agree to be an essen
tial part of true heroism. But it is hard
or to retain in some kinds OF heroic ex-
ploits than others. just in proportion as
the thing done is dramatic. spec tacular,
in the eye of the world, is the danger that
simple heroism will be vitiated by tinge
of self consciousness or vain glory. We
think the temptations of the naval SER
vice are stronger, in this particular, than
those of the army. The navy does its
work on conspicuous stage. Everybody
can see it. There is more glamour about
it, and its achievements necessarily are
more snowy and taking, than in the case
of the army. So many opportunities
come to naval officers to put little en-
phasis on their gallantry, as it were, to
be just little more dashing and reckless
than is absolutely required, that it speaks
volumes of praise for the spirit of the SER
vice to say that . staggering officer of
the navy is almost unknown.
And the navy has its heroes who, if not
forgotten, are seldom heard of. Lieut.
Hobson deprecated the cheers that well
coined him back to the American lines.
"Any of you would have done it, Very
likely. We know that practically every
man on the feet offered to go with him
when volunteers were called for. Such
high appeals to bravery and duty COM /
mand their own response But the men
below-the engineers, exposed to death
without being able to strike a blow; the
stokers, whose enemy is the cruel heat
in which they have to work-where does
their heroism come In? OF course In the
same self -forgetful devotion to their duty
which marks some understanding
deed of an officer like Hobson. That was
frightful detail of the Spanish flight to
ruin-the officers having to stand over
gunners and stokers with drawn pistols
to keep them t. their task. Ships on
which that was necessary were evidently
beaten in advance. Contrast the state of
things on the Oregon, in her long voyage
against time from the Pacific. Capt.
Clark reported that even the stokers
worked till they tainted in the fire.room,
and then would fight to go back as soon
ry up coaling the officers threw off their
coats and shaved like navvies. There we
see the spirit of heroism pervading ship
from captain to coal shoveller; and it is
that which makes the navy invinclble.
The heroic quality requisite in a soldier
is somewhat different, whether higher
and rarer we leave others to say. There
is little that is theatrical about his work.
The display of naval manoeuvres is not
for him. 10 endure the weary march, TO
stand or lie under exploding shells while
waiting the moment to charge, to press
against the distant, unseen foe, to know
that it rests with you alone to decide
whether to Finch and fall out or to push
on while you have breath-all this we
say, requires bravery of different sort
from that we associate with naval fight
ing, and when we see it animating an
entire army corps, as it did before Santi-
ago on July J., we see heroism of o high
and fine type. There is no such appeal to
the individual as there undoubtedly is id
the case of a separate exploit like Hobs
sons He could know that, whether he
succeeded or failed, whether he came out
alive or not, he would be sure of the ap-
plause Of his countrymen and of world
wide fame. But the private soldier is
but one of thousands. IT he falls he falls
inconspicuous. and if he survives he is
not singled out for glory. All the purer.
then, must be the love of country. and
all the stronger the sense of duty, to lead
men to breast the volleyed fire and storm
the flame grit heights. No one who has
knowledge or Imagination enough to pic
ture to himself the work of the army in
battle can be tempted by it's lack of brill
liant and spectacular features to deny il
the quality and praise of the truest
heroism.
rnhINE Tsr11NyNYc-
WAIVE TWINS