Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1898-03-17

cania, OF the Cunard Line; the Majestic
Of the White Star Line, and the New York.
Of the American Line; and warships like
the Idaho, Shenandoah, Brooklyn, Indiana,
Columbus, Texas; and the Scared veterans
Of war-shipping, like the Constitution, or
the Alliance or the Constitution. that have
swung into navy yards to spend their last
days.
1--WE will not know what our national
prosperity is worth until we realize what
It has cost. recall the unrecited fact
that the men of the navy In the past and In
the present have run and are running now
especial risks. They have not only the
human weaponary to contend with, but the
tides, the fog, the storm. Not like other
ships could they run into harbor at the
approach Of an equinox, or cyclone, or
hurricane, because the harbors were hos
tile. A miscalculation Of tide might
leave them on a bar, and fog might over
throw all the plans of wisest Commodore
or Admiral, and accident might leave them.
not on the land ready for an ambulance,
but at the bottom OF the sea. Everywhere
at the mercy Of the Atlantic and Pacific
Oceans, which have no mercy. Such tenn
pests as wrecked the Spanish Armada
might any day sweep upon the squadron
No hiding behind the earthworks; no dig.
ging in OF cavalry spurs at the sound OF re-
treat. Mightier than all the fortresses OF
all the coasts is the ocean when it bombards
q flotilla.
'.In the cemeteries for Federal and Con-
federate dead are the bodies of most Of
those who fell on the land. But where
those dead are who went down in war ves-
sells will not be known until the sea gives
up its dead. The Jack Tars know that
while loving arms might carry the men
who fall on the land and bury them with
solemn liturgy and the honors Of war, for
the bodies of those who dropped from the
ratlins into the sea, or went down with all
on board under the stroke of gunboat,
there remain the shark and the whale and
the endless tossing Of the sea, which cam
not rest. Nothing but the archangel's
trumpet shall reach their lowly bed. Can
non ball threatening in front, bombs threat
ening from the bluffs, torpedoes threaten
ing from beneath, and the ocean with its
reputation Of 5000 years for shipwreck ly
ing all around. Am not right in saying
it required special courage for the navy,
as it requires special courage now?
1T looks picturesque and beautiful to
see war vessel going out to sea. Sail
ors in new rig singing "A Life on the
Ocean Wave, Home on the Roaring
Deep the colors gracefully dipping to
passing ships, the decks Immediately
clean, and the guns at quarantine firing
parting salute. But all the poetry has
gone out of that ship as 1t comes out OF
the engagement, its decks red with blood,
wheel house gone, the cabins pile OF
shattered mirrors, and destroyed furni-
crushed, 100-pound Whitworth rife shot
having left its mark from port to star
board, the shrouds rent away, ladders
shattered, smoke-blackened and scalded
corpses lying among those who are gasp
ing their last gasp far away from homs
and kindred, whom they love as much as
we love ours. o, men who once belonged
to the Western squadron or the Eastern
squadron, or the South Atlantic squadron,
or the North Atlantic squadron, or the
Mississippi squadron, or the Pacific
squadron, or the West India squadron,
hear our thanks! Take the benediction
of our churches. Accept the hospitali-
ties of the nation. If we had our way we
would give you not only pension, but
home, and a princely wardrobe, and an
e9uipage, and a banquet while you live.
and after your departure a catafalque and
u mausoleum OF sculptured MARBLE with
model Of the ship in which you won the
day.
'1t is considered a gallant thing when in
the naval fight the flagship, with it's blue
ensign, goes ahead up river or into bay,
its Admiral standing in the shrouds watch
ing and giving orders; but have to tell
you, 0 veterans of the American Navy, II
you are as loyal to Christ as you are to the
Government there Is flagship sailing
ahead Of you (which Christ Is the Admiral,
and He watches from the ShrOudS, and the
heavens are the blue ensign, and He leads
you toward the harbor, and all the broad
sides of earth and hell cannot damage you,
and We whose garments were once red with
pain and blood shall have robe washed
aud made white in the blood of the Lamb.
Then strike eight bellsl High noon in
heaven! With such anticipation, o veterans
ef the American Navy, cheer you to bear
up under the aches and weaknesses that
you still carry from the war times. You are
not as stalwart Us you would have been but
for that nerve Of strain and for that ter
rife exposure. Let every ache and pain,
instead of depressing, remind you of your
fidelity.
But God never forgets. He remembers
the swinging hammock; He remembers the
forecastle; He remembers the frozen ropes
of January tempest; He remembers the am
putation without sufficient anasthetics:
He remembers the horrors of that deafen-
ing night when forts from both sides
belched on you their fury and the heavens
glowed with the ascending and descending
missiles OF death and your ship quak ed un-
der the recoil of the 100-pounder while all
the gunners according to command, stood
on tiptoe, with mouth wide open lest the
concussion of the ship shatter hearing or
brain. He remembers 1t all better than
you remember it, and in some shape reward
will be given. God Is the best of all pay
masters, and for those who do their whole
duty to Him the pension awarded is an
everlasting heaven.
"But will it not be grand when all these
| scenes OF earthly struggle are forever
gone2 l went down to the seashore very
| early one morning to see the sun rise over
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