The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-06-19

Before proceeding to examine the additions
made to Mr.. Maclay's history in the two volumes
before us, we would mark some interesting points
In the introduction to the work. 1t is probable
that very few, even among educated persons.
npprooiate the value OF tho services rendered by
the United States Navy during the war OF the
Revolution. As a matter Of fact, the Continen-
tai cruisers and privateers-the latter, of course.
oorrespondcd to the land militiG-captured, in
the course of that contest, about eight hundred
vessels. II we mako the reasonable allowance
of fifteen mon to each craft, we have a total Of
10000 prisoners taken on the high seas
by a maritime force which, at no time.
consisted of more than 5000 men.
About five hundred Of these prisoners were
soldiers belonging to some of the best English
regiments, and had they been captured on land
the incident would have occupied many pages
in our popular histories. 1t was. moreover, by
means OF our maritime forces that tho Ameri-
can armies were supplied with the munitions Of
war during that terrible struggle. Another fact
10 recalled by Mr.. Maclay, namely that in the
two years of our naval war with France. during
which, of course, tho work was all done by the
navy. about eighty vessels, carrying over three
thousand men, were captured from the enemy.
Neither 10 IL to be forgotten that the wars with
the States OF BRrbary were brought to a highly
honorable termination by the unaided efforts
OF tho navy, the UnlLeu St0LeS securing pTlNl-
leges that had been denied to European powers.
1t is. however. the achievements Of our
navy In the war of 1912 that reflect upon
It the highest credit. Over fifteen hundred
vessels wero taken from tho English and
moro than twenty thousand Of their sOam0n
were made prisoners, and this although at the
outbreak of the contest the British Navy was
at the zenith of its glory. 1t had matched Its
strength against the combined navies Of the
greatest maritime nations Of the world and had
como off victorious. In 200 actions between
single ships it had been defeated but five times.
and on those occasions the British vessel was
admitted to have been Of inferior force. On the
other hand, in two and a half years of
naval war with tho United States, British COM
merce was almost annihilated. and In eighteen
naval engagements the Royal Navy sustained
fifteen defeats. The most serious aspect of the
war, however, 10 distinRuishable not in tho
number OF ships engaged but in the astonishing
disparity Of losses. u the battle of Trafalgar
Nelson's 1o0-gun flagship. tho Victory. after five
hours OF fighting, sustained a loss of 81 killed
and 102 wounded out of a complement of about
800 men and boys. In the action, on the other
hand. between tho 44-gun frigate Constitution
and the 39.gun frigate Java. which lasted less
than two hours. the English lost go killed and
1o1 wounded out of a complement Of 426, while
the Americans had only 8 killed and 25 wound
%. Az tue OhJtlo Vi the MIG, IN WllCn
there were twelve hours OF hard fighting,
the 74.gun ship of the line Bellerophon
sustained the greatest loss on the Brit
iBh side, her casualties being 40 killed
and 14S wounded out of a complement Of 5S4.
In the action between tho 44-gun frigate United
States and the 3s-Eun frigate Macedonian,
which lasted an hour and 4 half. the English had
SO killed and 80 wounded out of a complement
Of fewer than 800, while the Americans had
--1- K II. --I - u-.ll I l. Al
great naval engagement off Campcrdown, the
74-Run ship Monarch sustained the heaviest
losses on the British side. She had SO killed and
100 wounded out of a complement of 500. On
the other hand. in the action between the 49,
gun sloops of war Wasp and Reindeer. which
lasted only 10 minutes. the English had 25
killed and 40 wounded. Next to tho Monarch
the 64-gun ship Belliqueux sustained the great
est loss in the Camperdown affair, her casual
ties being % killed and 70 wounded out of a
complement of 4s5. In the action between the
A4-gun friRate Constitution and the 3s-Run
frigate Guerriere, which lasted only 40 minutes,
the English lost l5 killed and SO wounded
cut of a complement of 263. The third Eng.
lish vessel at Camperdown in respect of casual.
ties was tho 74-gun ship Powerful. which had
10 killed and 70 wounded out of q compile.
mont of 5s4. II we turn to the war of 1912,
We ind that. in the action between tho ls-pun
eloops of war Wasp and Frolic, the English
vessel had lb killed and AZ wounded mt NJ a
complement of Ito. while the wasn had orlv :
killed and 3 wounded, So, too, in tho action be.
tween the lS-gun sloops Of war Hornet and Pea
cock. which lasted but II minutes the EnC,Ist
had & killed and "a wounded ont NJ n cornl.
mept of 13O. while the American loss was nnI,
3men injured. These figures sufico 70 prov,
that the naval war of 1919 IL we keen IN vi.u
the forces engaged and the losses sustained
was A contest more caIamitous To Great Ri,
ain than any in which she has been en-
gagged. and we are not surprised to hear that 4
"apread a degree of gloom over London tho,
was most painful to observe" In those dis,s
ters Intelligent Enelishmen for.saw the ami
version of their naval supremacv. and tb.,
knew that. II that were overthrown no,binI
could avert the reduction Of England to ono -
the least among the European mower,
such being the seriousness ~ tho suhi.o
from the English viewpoint, one can unJsr