The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1903-03-26
ANCIENT AND MODERN NAVAL WARFARE.
Interesting and Instructive Article Written for The News
by Hon. John Evans

fleet, with 10000 prisoners, 5000 kill
ed and the Liberation of Is, 600 Chris
tan prisoners. Nor was tho victory
cheaply bought by the christians, for
they left 900 dead men as witnesses.
We will now discuss one naval en-
gagement i'll the wal OF the revolution,
between the ''Bon Tomme Richard, =
commanded by John Paul Jones, and
the British frigate "Serapis,' COM
manded by Commodore Pearson, of the
British navy. The Richard carried 56
guns, $50 mon; the Scraps SO guns
and $40 men. The former was old and
decayed, with molly battery, throw
ing only 2S2 pounds at q single broad
side. The Scraps, on the contrary,
was a new ship of approved construc-
ton, considered one Of tho fastest sail
ers in the British navy, and, besides
her superiority III number Of guns of
heavy calibre, throwing at a single
broadside $40 pounds The battle was
fought on a clear moonlight night,
and was terrific from start to finish
The Scraps was at last forced to strike
her colors but the victory was dearly
bought by the victors. Out of $50
men Jones lost 300 and the loss was no
less terrible to the British. Jones'
ship went down directly after the battle
and the Scraps which he had captured
and, on which he saved the small rem
nant of his men, was wholly unsea-
worthy. We will now discuss one
more naval battle, though not ancient,
but before the vast improvements that
have been made in naval architecture
Trafalgar. This battle was fought
October 10Th, 1905, near Cadiz, be-
tween the allied French and Spanish
fleets of 33 sail of the line, and the
British fleet, Of ~ sail. The British
fleet was commanded by Nelson, con
coded to be the greatest naval COM
mander of any age. Nelson annihi-
lated the French and Spanish fleets,
but lost his life in this engagement.
1t has been said that Trafalgar was
the dearest victory England ever won,
while she annihilated two fleets, she
lost Nelson, who was worth more
than her whole navy. France and
/ Spain could build new navies, but
England hadn't any more Nelson's.
1t is not necessary, here to give
figures concerning the losses in paval
battles during the Spanish war, Of
these everybody who has kept up with
the newspaper reports is already fam
liar, but suffice it to say, there was
never, either III ancient or modern
times, such brilliant victories achie-
we'd with SO small loss OF life, and
neither is it the object of this article
to detract, or draw inyidious compari-
sons between our gallant soldiers who
distinguished themselves in the late
war ARD the valorous achievements of
ancient naval officers and soldiers, but
to prove by figures that our modern
improved war fare is less destructive
to human life than the methods used
in olden times.
If the modern vessels heavily amor
ed and furnished with all the modern
equipments to render her formidable
adversary in an offensive movement,
SO, also is she correspondence formid-
able in 1epelling the attack of an adj
versary when thrown ON the defensive.
When two of those ocean monsters
meet at sea. they may hammer each
other for hours, and unless struck in
vital place they may come out of the
engagement without much serious
damage and with comparatively
small loss of life.
JNO. L. EVANS.