Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1904-07-26
; For Love of
| Country E sssSs
III Author OF THE Honor" The souherner,"
81 enyrI orsa a
III Doct Of
,pyrish. 1898. by CHARLES scRIBNERs
8 ]. s & S


Il confident. well equipped and disci-
plined enemy in overwhelming force,
and before whom they had been habit
iually retreating, they were only held
together by the indomitahle will and
heroic resolution of one man, George
colonies were never ut a lower ebb
than at that moment. and there was
apparently nothing further to look for
ward to but continuation of the dis
indignation until the end came The
meager resources Of the lax confeder-
rcy were already strained to the ut
most. and the capture OF ship laden
as this one was reported to he would
be OF incalculable service. Clothes and
shoes to cover the nakedness of the
soldiery and protect them from the in
clemenCy OF the winter, now fast ap-
preaching. and arms to Put in their
hands. by means Of which they could
assume the offensive and attack the
enemy. or at least defend themselves
what more could they desire!
The desperate nature Of the situa-
ton, the dire need OF Just such addi-
tons to the equipment of the army,
had been plainly communicated to Cap
, tain Jones. and he was resolved to eff.
feet the capture Il II were humanity
possible. The matter had also been
reported 10 General Washington. and
such was his opinion Of the necessity
OF a prompt distribution and a speedy
forwarding of the supplies. If they
could be secured by the blessing of
Providence, and so little was his faith
In the inefficient commissariat, which.
moreover, had to endeavor to keep the
balance between different colonies and
different bodies Of troops. more or less
loosely coherent. that he had detailed
one of his own staff officers to accom-
pany the ship, with explicit instruc-
tons as TO the exact distribution and
the prompt forwarding which the
reeds of the troops rendered neces-
sary when the captured ship should
reach port. which would probably he
Boston, though circumstances might
render II advisable to take the longer
journey to Philadelphia. The officer
ito whom this duty had been allotted
was Talbot, of whose capacity and en-
ergy General Washington already
thought highly. the three weeks OF
their military association only confirm
ing his previous opinion. II was I'M
derstood that Seymour. who was Jones'
first lieutenant and would shortly be
promoted to captaincy, would bring
back the transport IL they were lucky
enough to capture 1t. In case they
were unsuccessful Talbot was to re-
port himself to the commissioners at
Paris as military secretary until fur
Their orders. and Seymour was to COM
mand tina Ranger when Jones should
get better ship In France.
The Ranger was u small sloop OF
war, coryet Of perhaps 500 tons,
with a raised poop and a topgallant
fcrecastle, built at Portsmouth, N. H.,
a new ship and one of the first OF
those built especially for naval pur-
poses. She was originally intended for
twenty-siX guns, but the number.
through the wisdom OF. her captain,
who had tathomed the qualifications of
the ship. had been reduced to eight
cen, four long twelves and the rest six
Founders and smaller, with one long
eighteen forward. She had been some
days In commission. and the effect OF
Jones iEon discipline was already APP
parent in the absence OF confusion
and in the cleanness and order of the
ship. The vessel had been very popu-
lar with the good people of Philadel-
phia, her commander and officers like
wise, many of the latter, like Sey-
mour, being natives of the town, and a
constant stream OF visitors had in
spected her at all permitted hours.
The presence Of these visitors, of
course, including many ladies', coupled
with an inherent vanity and love OF
hnery and neatness on the part of the
captain-and to do him Justice, his APP
probation of the necessity for order
aud neatness-had caused him to
maintain his ship In the handsomest
possible trim, and he had not scrupled
TO employ his private fortune to beau
tify the vessel in many small ways,
the details of which would have es-
capped any eye but that of seaman,
though the general results were APP
parent.
That general appearance which
should always distinguish a trim and
well ordered vessel of war from the
clumsy and disorderly trader was due
entirely to his efforts, The crew.
as we have seen, had chafed under the
unusual restraints of this stern disci-
pine, but they were unable, as, in