Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1899-10-02

tempests as wrecked the Spanish arna-
da might any day swCop upon the
squadron. No hiding behind the earth
works, no digging in of cavalry spurs
at the sound of retreat Mightier than
all the fortresses on all the coasts is
the ocean when it bombards flotilla.
In the cemeteries for Federal and
Confederate dead are the bodies of
most of those who fell on the land.
But where those are who went down
in the war vessels will not be known
until the sea gives up Its dead. The
Jack Tars knew that, while loving
arms might carry the men who fell
on the land and bury them with solemn
liturgy and the honors of war, for the
bodies Of those who dropped from the
ratlines into the sea or went down
with all on board under the stroke Of a
gunboat there remained the shark and
the whale and the endless tossing of
the sea which cannot rest Once a
year, In the decoration of the graves,
those who fell in the land were remem-
bered. But how about the graves of
those who went down at sea? Moth
ing but the archangeFs trumpet shall
reach their lowly bed A few OF them
were gathered into naval cemeteries of
the land, and we every year garland
the sod that covers them. But who
will put flowers on the fallen crew of
the exploded Westfield and Shawsheen
tl.., Snr1fhSnl1 10
Winfield Scott? Bullets threatening in
trout. bombs threatening from above
torpedoes threatening from beneath
and the ocean, with its reputation Of
5000 years for shipwreck. lying all
around. am not right in saying 1t re-
quired a special courage for the navy
in 1863 as it required especial courage
in 1898:
Christ the Admiral.
1t looks picturesque and beautiful to
see war vessel going out through the
Narrows, sailors in new rig singing,
A life on the ocean wave.
A home on the rolling deep,
the colors gracefully dipping to pass
ing ships, the decks Immediately clean
and the guns at quarantine firing
parting salute. But the poetry is all
gone out of that ship as it comes out
Of that engagement, its deck red with
human blood, wheelhouse gone, the
cabins pile of shattered mirrors and
destroyed furniture, steering wheel
broken, smokestack crushed, a hum
:, ri 40 oh ho
ing left it's mark from port to star
board, the shrouds rent away. ladders
splintered and decks plowed up and
smoke blackened and scalded corpses
lying among those who are gasping
their last gasp far away from home
and kindred. whom they love as we
love wife and parents and children.
Oh, men of the American navy re-
turned from Manila and Santiago and
Havana, as well as those who are sur
vivors of the naval conflicts of 1868
and 1864, men of the western gulf
squadron, of the eastern gulf squad
ron, Of the south Atlantic squadron, OF
the north Atlantic squadron, of the
Mississippi squadron. of the Pacific
squadron, of the West India squad
ron and of the Potomac fotilla. hear
our thanks, Take the benediction Of
our churches. Accept the hospitali-
ties of the nation. If we had our
way, we would get you not only PEN
sion. but home and a princely ward
robe and an equipage and banquet
while you live and after your departure
a catafalque and a mausoleum OF
marble, with model of the
ship in which you won the day. 1t is
considered a gallant thing when in
naval fight the flagship with its blue
ensign goes ahead up river or into
bay, it's admiral standing in the
shrouds watching and giving orders.
But l have to tell you, o veterans Of
the American navy, if you are as loyal
to Christ as you were to the govern
ment, there is flagship sailing ahead
of you of 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 al
the broadsides of earth and hell can
not damage you, and We whose gar
ments were once red with your own
blood shall have a robe washed and
made white in the blood of the Lamb.
Then strike eight bells! High noon in
heaven!
A Word For Veterans.
While we are heartily greeting and
banqueting the sailor patriots just now
we must not forget the vet
Grams of the navy now In marine hos
pitals or spending their old days in
their own or their children's home
steads. o ye veterans, I charge you
bear up under the aches and weak
nesses that you still carry from the
wartimes. You are not as stalwart as
you would have been but for that nery-
Gus strain and for that terrific ex-
posure. Let every ache and pain, in
stead of depressing. remind you Of
your fidelity. You have in nerve
and muscle and bone and dimmed eye
sight and difficult hearing and short
ness of breath many intimations that
you are gradually going down. 1t is
the service of any years ago that is
telling on you. Be Of good cheer. We
owe you just as much as though your
ifeblood had gurgled through the SOUP
pers Of the ship in the Red river ex-
pedition or as though you had gone
down with the Melville off Hatteras.
Only keep your flag flying, as did the
Illustrious Weehawken. Good cheer
my boysi The memory of man is poor,
and all that talk about the country
never forgetting those who fought for
It is an untruth. 1t does forget. Wit
ness how the veterans sometimes had |
10 turn the hand organs on the street
m cat their families q liyinp Wit.