The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-04-26
Personnel Of our Navy.

In a war WITH SPAIN, WHICH setuIS
highly probable-war that may chal
lenge our honor and valor at any mo-
ment now-the fighting ships Of the ma
vies will be about equal in number and
in power of armament. but when we
compare the personnel of the two SER
vices, we cannot but think that Spain
will suffer exceedingly thereby.
The differences in the types of ships
and the changed conditions of motive
power and guns, have changed the
character of the enlisted men in our
service. Their habits are better, and
the skill man of them is of more
mechanical order: and while we miss
some of the characteristics which made
the old man-of-war'S-man so attrac-
tive and interesting, so unique and SO
superb as a sailor, the new man is i'm
bued with the same loyal devotion to
the flag that possessed the souls OF our
seamen in the colonial and revolution
airy days, the war of 1872, and at the
outburst of the civil war in 1861, and
may be depended upon to do equally
gallant services under whatever stress
of circumstances.
AS to the officers, no service in the
world can match them. In every
branch and corps they are superior in
education and in training to the Off
| GERS of any other service-men SO well
| grounded and practiced. schooled and
equipped that their services are sought
in many directions. Many officers, in
| deed, have resigned their commissions
| for the higher pay and greater civil
advantages eagerly rendered them by
| individuals and firms, colleges and cor
pOrations, than the government gives
| or affords. But many remain in the
| service; and we have officers today,
| graduates from our naval academy at
1 --l -. I'LL.
the land, who can take the metal from
the mine and put it through all the
processes of preparation and manufac-
ture until it appears in completed form
in the hulls and engines, boilers and
| dynamOS, guns and armOr, shells and
torpedOes of our ships of war. Expert
as electricians, they invent or improve
electrical appliances: as chemists, they
manufacture the needed explosives for
naval use; as inventors, the guns and
gun carriages of our navy since the
days of DafAgren, have been designed
by them in every part and built under
their supervision. The guns turned
out at the naval gun factory at Wash
ngtOn are not eXcelled by Krupp or
any other fabricator of heavy ord
nance in Europe; as linguists and
mathematicianS, n~aturalists, and
adopts in therapeutics and rge
sanitation n hygiene, they have won
Worldwide fame; as photographers,
they have no superiors, whether in
surveying the coasts and harbors of
the globe or in sounding the depths of
the sea. Equally at home in the hand
ling of infantry and artillery on shore.
they lead the world as versatile and
accomplished officers on ship board.
Nor are there any harder worked men
in the country today than its naval
officers, and whether in peace or war.
they can always be depended upon to
do their duty Loyalty and devotedly in
every emergency of demand or peril
their profession may call upon them to
meet.
Such are the men Spain is to meet
on the sea. if she enters upon hostiIi-
ties with this country. We need have
no fear OF the outcome. Yet II is never
wise to underrate an enemy. The Eng
lish did that in 1912 to their sore cost.
Let us not make such a mistake and
all will be well.-Rear Admiral George
+. Belknap, in The Independent.