The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-12-18

10 tne Earl OF Mayo, and IS eguerry 70 the
Duke 81 Edinburgh, 70 utter a word Of re-
rnonstrance. ard 10 p0.n. out TO his chief
that catastrophe must ensue. But re
was soundiy rated by the admiral for his
presumption, and a few minutes later. as
he had foreseen, the flagship was rammei
aEldships By the camperdown and sunk.
Here again. as in the case OF Capt. Crit
ifths, OF board the Michigan, Sir George
IFy0n at the last minute seemed 10 re-
cover ali his wits. urged The Hon. Maurice
70 save himself. ard displayed pathetical-
~ rateTnal Interest III the safety CO the
/ MILDLY on duty beside him. whom re forced
10 don the life preserver. thanks 70 which
ihe little chap escaped
The disaster would have been still greater
and other ships would doubtless have ram
med and sunk one another had not some OF
the captains, as Wen as Rear Admiral
Markham, second in command OF tbs
squadron taken upon themselves 10 dis
obey the signals OF Sir George. The iron
nature OF naval discipline may be perhaps
best illustrated by the fact that the rear
admiral and these captains were subse-
qGently brought before court martial az
Malta and actually censured for the very
disobedience tn superior orders by means
OF which they had saved not only their
ships but likewise the lives OF all the
officers and sailors under their command
This censure passed By the Malta
court martial upon Rear Admiral Mark
ham and the other commanders for dis
obedience TO the fatal signals of Sir
George Tryon. goes far to explain why
neither the first officer OF the Mohegan nor
any OF his subordinates venturei To inter
fere with Capt Griftithg when he altered
the course OF his ship and steere1 her
straight upon the rocks.
IN the case OF Sir George as a,so Of
Capt. Grifiiths, the only explanation of
their issue Of insane orders. necessarily
leading to terrible catastrophes. is that
there vas sudden and mornentary failure
of brain power similar to that species of
Cramp or momentary paralysis, which viii
. sometimes deprive a man for few min
utes OF the use OF his limbs. Usually TINS
temporary suspension OF brain power IL
the result Of fatigue of the mind But in
tense anxiety or exec ssiVe absorption III
ono subject will sometimes produce the
same effect. all great chess players are
aware. VINO among the experts Of this
game. which makes such heavy demands
upon ones mind, is there that does not
remember having made wrong and stupid
moves without the slightest intention of
doing so which ne can attribute t. moth
ing else than momentary alteration, or
sort OF brief period OF daze OF the intel
lectual faculties?
Curiously enough. these momentary
"dwams," as the Scotch style then-med-
ical men describe them by the old French
word OF "petitma!'-occur precisely 10 the
most slillful of chess players, just in the
same way as they happen most frequently
10 men of predominant cieverness and
brain power in other instances. Among
the most notable cases Of ''petltmal" which
] can recall at the present minute ar
that Of Gen Sir Pomeroy Cooley. one of
the most brilliant officers OF the English
army who commanded the British forces
ing defeat OF Majuba hill. Discussing this.
at first sight. inexplicahle disaster one
day with Lord Wolseley. now commander
in-chief OF the English army, he informed
ms that Sir Pomeroy, who had been one
of his most intimate friends, was in the
habit Of being seized at odd and most
announcement moments. with an inNincibe
and uncomfortable desire 70 sleep Lord
Wolseley declared that these fits. FORUM
atcly rare. and known to but few of his
comrades. would come upon Sir Pomer0y
almost without warning. and the efforts
which he would t6en make 10 combat this
almost insane desire u s.eep would reduce
him to q sort OF mental stupor. from which
IL was Impossible 20 arouse him no matter
what means were adopted FOR the purpose
Lord Wolseley inferred that Sir Pomeroy
had teen oVcftaken by one OF these hts
on Ma juba Hill. the sudden loss 81 his
head ana az bis ordinarily brilliant facul-
. ties, which threw his command into disor-
der AZ the most critical moment OF the
conflict resulting III defeat SIR Pomeruy,
as everyone knows. met with his death
during the battle uy means ~ q Roer
bullet and hence was never able 10 iuT-
nish any explanation OF his monep;ary
alteration. accountable only in the man
nor communicated to me by LORD No Sc
lev The latter who Is one OF the most
eruaite students Of military history. an
,.4.sre ~ fsS
generally known fact tnat the first Ma
l,oleon was afflicted VITA 'pctitmal' IN
The same way as Gen Sir Pomeroy Cooley.
and that his defeats at t. hattie % Lip
ste ana likewise AZ Waterloo. We're attri-
buiahle 70 tne fact that his mind. rvac-
tf.alv speakinS had stopped work. it
was THE. indeed. that Id 30 the wild
lercnas about his being at times iucapact-
tated Icy drunkenness
NJ another instance - thesa uDacccuat-
able atbrrrations = mind IS ore which hg
tlr.e IN French history. ~ an the kings
~ France Henry II. was tha most cunning
and se1re,iye. Yet one day while hunting
IN the forest z NiucFnnfs lie suddenly
turned 20 Prince william - orause. mere
acguaIntance and guest. v hom BE hsd eV-
efv reason 20 3istruSt ard without any
p~ovocatton ~ reason revealed - him h'~
iroustrouS sacrrt aSyeelreni Win King
Phnir ~ SPAN - era all hor"sN 81 Fran e.
SIS We! as In Spain. by q Wholesale naassa-
ere - all protsstauts T;aat revelation
turned the COURSE ~ European history. YET
neither King Henry Tor ;te prin p -
0~args evs- knew or were able - acCoi.r.
why sha. sc-yc; was revealed u can orlv
~ sscrlbed 20 the sudden and n0u2e0-ary
loss ~ t1e hrai. which IN more recent
times has hem the cause - she ioss % ~
N,hesan ana 80 ire Xi-to~ta. as W. -
CT tie hat-les Shove suecstocct.
!. would - we'll y these were f1~ only
instances - his 'pe.i,Dar' ~ temporary
paralysis - re brain Vet .aere "a every
reason 90 believe that -; merely sror-s
h,if hundreds nav. even thousands - ~
tsli-tes ars as,rl}~ttle - th~ same rea~o--
Z, VII - responsible for th4 engine div
c-'S occasional tnaa.!i-v - distinguish ne
proper s.EEsi~. for thv So Itc'.-'sa's rceIe-.
~ oTeu cr & $50 Tee track. frT t5a c.o-~a-
dt>-e-1 orders e general lu tire field or
- "a naval couwact r~s 80, 20 f9r- fo- any
~ a. - .