The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-03-15
FRIDAY, MARCH Il. 1871.
HISTORY AND SAMPSON.

Pear-A tilnirai Sampson. WITH ms afis-
tocrltic notions. may study WIFI itioiit
10 himself tl.e conduct OF the bflilsh
navy IN, the seventeenth century by
certain ENGLISH ..gentlamen, who We're
appointed by Charles IL because ei
their social distinction. Macama! tens
us that in those days gentlemen VINO
knew nothing whatever of the methoas
of naval warfare. nothing even Oh sea
falinr. were put in command OF brll-
iSh ships of war and incidentally drove
snlendid business for themselves by
CARRYING money back and forth. as
bankers were afraid 10 en'rast their
funds 10 merchant ships. because Oh
The pirasical raids of those times
These sentlemanly'' commanders lisea
in great luxury and abandon III lhelf
ships and the King winked 1t iheir
,nisaofpcs, The whole wretchsI syS-
TEN was a disgrace TO the natloa, aha
The crown and The gentry were re
sponsihlc for III.
.Br. .pincled with these fellows
adds the historian, were TO be fonnd,
happily for our country, naval com
nanders of !: very different dcScrtp-
ton. who had worked and fought 'h"r
way from tlp. lowest offices of the
ferecastie 10 rank and distinction. one
of the most eminent WAS Sir t!1Tls-
ionher Mines. who entered The service
rs cabin hoy and. who fell lighting
llrayely against tho Dutch. ana whom
his crew. weeping and 'NoWlnS zen
.cancc. carried 10 ahe Gfavc- From
linn srranr by Il singular kind of de-
scent a line of valiant and expert sail
ors. His cabin hoy Was Sir John Mar
borough. and The cabin boy Of Sir John
was Sir Cleudcslcy Shovel. TO the
strong natural sense ana daun'ieSS
courage OF ;his class Of men England
owes a debt never 10 he forgotten.
But it does mol appear thai ancrc W:tS
in The service OF ANY of asc S:uaris 4
single naval officer such as. according
Il, The notions of our times. Il naval
officer oucll; 10 l,2-that is 10 say, a
man versed in the theory and prlnci-
pies of his calling and steclcd against
all the dangers of battle and tempest,
Yet Of cultivated and polished man.
ners There were gentlemen and there
Were Scamen in The navy of Charles
IL. but the seamen were not gentlemen.
and the gentlemen Were no; Scamcn.
II is nothing against 4 seaman that
inc is Il gentleman by birth and cdilca-
1ien. nor should it be in The United
States. the land Of democracy. any
thing against a seaman that he is not
born and bred a gentleman. aNc he
lieye in college training. we believe in
good breeding and good manners aud
attach all due Importance To them.
But M4. believe more than al in true
merit and in the merit system. IN the
srmy, i'll the navy and in The civil
service of this Government. men
should be promoted according as they
are entitled by their qualifications FOR
promotion and il this rule. rather than
The rule of political PM. were follow
ed. there would he 4 much more eff
s.ient and honorable service in all de-
I,afiments OF government.
---=-=-S-=--=
Some folks seem 10 be much dis
.nrbed by The statement that Mr..
ss.bmah. president of The United
States Steel Corporations is 10 receive
Il salary of !, million a year. BIl why
should this disturb the American pub
lie. Why should The people fret be-
cause one of their number is able 10
command Il salary gleater than that
of . king II Mr.. Sciiwab receives Il
. million year from The steel trust. ii
viii he because his services. i'll the
estimation of The directors. are worth
IL. and Tor our part, we are proud thai
an everyday American can earn such
a salary. Would The g:,nmblers put Il
limit upon a mans earning capacity !:
Mould they put a limit upon The mar
ket value OF his labor and talent.
Away with such an un-1american. un-
democratic notion.
=--------z----------SS-,e->---@
1.he New York journal OF Cons