Virginia gazette. [volume] (Williamsburg, Va.) 1893-192?, 1898-03-05

tcE owes 10 cur American Navy ana
speak % the heroissn OF some o. those who
have trod the decks. and express 10 those
who NAV hear. rs well as 20 those who may
read these words. our gratitude and appre-
citation. Behold also the ships"
III this exclamation WAS appropriate I
about eighteen hundred and seventy years
ago. when II was written concerning the
crude fshirg smacks that sailed Lake .
Galiiee. how much more appropriate in al .
AGE which has launched from the dry
docks for the purr~se % nesce. thu Luz
cansa. OF the Cupara Line; the Malestis
OF the White star Line. and the New York,
OF the American Line: and warships lSe
the Idaho. Shenandoah. Broo SlyD, Indiana,
Columbus Texas. and the Scared veterans
OF ,-ar-Shippinc. like the Constitution. 90
the Alliance. or the Constitution. that have
swung inyo navy yards 70 spend their last
oRvs.
1--WE wiz not know what our national
prosneritv is worth until We realize what
il hiss cost. I recall the rnrccitcd fact
that the men OF the navy IN the past and "a
the present have run and are running now
especial risks. They have not Only me
human wcaYcnary 20 contend with. but ne
tides the foC. the storm. NOT Ike othcr
shin. could they ru2 into ha-hor az no
approach Of an equinox. o. n cyclone. or
hurricane, because the hareors were nos
rio. 4 miscGlcuiatioa OF a tide might
leSvc tnc-n on q bar. and FOG might over
thr0v al the riars % wiscsr Commodore
or Admiral. ant accident might leave them.
roS on the land ready for an ambulance.
bus q the bottom 81. the sea Everywhere
4 ct the mercy % tie Atlantic and pacihc
Oceans. which have no mercy. such ten
pests 81 wrecSvl the spanish Armada
f migct any day sweep upoa the squadron.
4 No hiding behind the earthwc-ks; no dig
& ci--- ia 90 cavalry spurs az the sound 81 r.
+ tr,at. Eic5tieV -han an the ioriresses %
l a. tas coasts II thc ocean when u comcards
lctiiia-
.Ia the cemeteries Tor Federal and Con-
20
ttose who f-i 90 the land Bat w1c-e
ra--s .atll ars wnr went toCn IL wc- yes
So. wild mss be SHOWN u--I Che sea gives
T. i.- cr.l. l-r jack 4l-s know r1-r
VALE lCv-- r-us might carry the men
VINO ilL cl f.e llnl and bury tlem win
solemn litur.-y and ftc lurcrs 90 wa-. Tor
tile bodies &c t1rse who dropped tr11 the
ra-.il- iDlo tln SEA. l- went down win All
on board lr-r- she stroke ~ a gu1polt,
there re Dlil t.c shark and the whale and
the endless tossing q the scG. which can
/ not rest. Nothing bet the archonGct' g
/ trauret shall reach their lowly bed. Can
+ non bali thre- teainE iu 'front.' bombs threat
. enirc from De- uiu-s. tCrreiuCs threaten
f frg from beneath. and the ocean with its
F. rerut1tic1 90 COO years FOR shipwreck ~
ins al around. Am not right in saying
Il required q special courage for the navy,
g. 10 requires a special courage now
IL looks picturesque and beautiful "a
see q war vessel going ont 20 sea. sail
Crs in new rig singing A Ltte on the
I Ocean Wave. q Home on the Roaring
/ Dec the colors gracefully dipping q
passing ships. the decks immaculate,
clean. and tle guns 6t quarantine airing
/ parting saiu-e- Lrt al the poetry nal
gone olt 81 that ship as Il comes cut q
/ the engagement. its decks red with blood
, wheel house gone. The cabins Pile Q
. shattered mirrors. and destroyed furli
ture. steering wheel hroken. suOkestacl
I crushed a 1Q0-Qound Whitworth rife sho
: having less is marx from szs~-~o star
board, the shrouds rent away, ladder
: / shattered. EuoEc-Dlack enca and sc2lCe
corpscs lying among those who are gasp
. inS their last gasp Tar away from HON
4 and kindred. whom they love as much d
! We love ours q. men who once belongc
. 20 the Western squadron. or the Easter
squadron OF the South Atlantic squadron
CT the North Atlantic squadron, OF a
4. Mississippi squadron. or the P1cl1
: squadron, OF the West India squadron
= hear our thanks, Take the benedic;io
= OF our churches. Accept the hospital
- ties q the nation. II we had our way Y
: would give you not only pension, bat
- home. and q princely wardrobe, and Q
- esuipaee, and = banquet while you Nv
4. a1d after your departure catafalque az
e mausoleun OF =cDlpturcd marble. With
IN model Of the ship IL which you won q
; Gay.
OK TITS considered q gallant thing when
" the naval dght the flagship, with its bl
IA ensign, goes ahead up river or iuto a ba
q
o. Ing and giving orders; but have 10 q
D. ! you. . veterans CO the American Navy,
re YOU are as loyal 20 Christ "a you are 20 Z
OF | Government, there f. flagship saili
= ahead Of ycu OF which Christ Is the Admir-
"a and BE watches from the sh-0uds. and :
&c heavens are the blue ensign, and BE lea
you toward the barbor, and all the brOa
u sides OF earth and hell cannot damage "
a. ard We whose garments were once red VI
az pain and blood shall have q robe wash
.ss aud made white IN the blood % the Ian
81. Then strike eight beilsi High noon
IN heavenl With such anticipation. 0 vetera
Dot G. the American Navy. / cheer you TO b
er up under the eches and weaknesses q
gal . you stu carry from the war times. You
IL not a. stalwart as you would Fave been
.ffe for that nerve OF strain and for that I
nd rife exposure. Let every ache and Pc
as instead OF depressing. remind you OF "
ere 1deiify.
fds Bat God never forgets. he rcmemb
the swinging hammock; He remembers
forecasts; he remembers the frozen 70
,s4 OF January TEN pest; he remembers the &
putstion without sufficient enesthet'
He remembers the horrors Of that deaf
Tag nighr when forts from both 81
belched on you their fury and the heav
OF g.Owsd with the ascending and descend
missiles OF death and your ship qraked
- der the recon OF the 100 FOUNDER while
80 the gunners. according 10 command, ST
"a. Oh tiptoe, with mouth wide open. lest
srg concession OF The chip shatter hearing