The Republican journal., 1905-09-07
OUR NAVAL HEROES.


Fla.
Gen. Sidney Herbert Lancey, whose
pen name is Sidney Herbert, Maine
man by birth but long resident of
Florida, says in one of his recent enter
tanning letters to the Savannah Morn
ing News:
The story in last Sundays Morning
News, in regard to the grave in Savan-
nah's Colonial Cemetery of Capt. Cot
tineau De Kerlouen of the Pallas, one
of John Paul Jones fleet, was deeply
interesting, and adds one more to the
scattered and unhonored graves OF our
cOuntryS early naval heroes that are
being brought to light. 1t reminds me
that way down in my native State OF
Maine, in the quiet town of Bremen, is
another such grave, neglected and un-
honored, in which lie the remains Of a
naval hero of 1176 and 1872. On March
Is, 17I, Congress commissioned Capt.
Samuel Tucker of Marblehead, Mass,
whose name appears in the list of cap
tains Just below that of Capt. John
Paul Jones. Although he is said to
have captured sixty-two British yes
sells, with 500 pieces of cannon and
5000 prisoners, his chief reward was
simply congressional vote of thanks.
One of his daring teats was to outsail
the British ships and safely land John
Adams, our envoy to France, in that
country. Like Paul Jones, his prize
money accounts were not settled and
he died a poor man and a neglected
hero and patriot. My old classmate,
Congressman Nelson Dingley, years
ago, put in a petition for the old man,
but it was pigeonholed, like many
others of a similar character. The
honors now being paid to Paul JONES'
improperly called our first admiral
and the Father of the American
navy have stirred up the people OF
Maine to urge the claims of Commo-
dore Tucker upon Congress.
l wish it to be distinctly understood
that | have no prejudice against Paul
Jones. | simply protest against giving
for | still claim that he was not the
only naval ''pebble on the beach," If
our country is anxious to honor her
neglected naval heroes she can find
their unhonored graves all about. One
Of Paul Jones lieutenants in foreign
waters was Richard Dale, who began
his seafaring life as a cabin boy and
before he was twenty years old he was
sailing master. On July 20, 1871. he
was a third lieutenant in the Colonia
navy In June, 1894, he became cap
tain in the United States navy, from
which he resigned in December, 1902.
His sci, Richard Sutherland Dale, was
mldShipman June Is, 1872, but was
killed in action five days later. His
grave, almost forgotten, and sadly neg
lected, can be found in all obscure
corner of st. Peters churchyard on the
Island of Bermuda. The old sloop of
war Dale 1880, of which my brother,
Capt Thomas Crosby Lancey. was an
officer, and present torpedo boat des-
troyer Dale, it is true, keep the names
of these two heroes alive in naval
circles: but the same sentiment that
prompted the removal of Paul Jones
body from Paris to Annapolis, if it was
truly patriotic sentiment, should
prompt the removal of Richard S.
DaIes body from Bermuda to Annapo-
lis. John Barry was the real Father
OF the United States Navy" and over
his neglected grave in st. Mary S
chUrchyard, at Philadelphia the same
sentiment should prompt the erection
of an appropriate monument. | am
opposed TO max ing fish of one and flesh
of another"
| have very Interesting letter from
my Old Bangor Ne. schoolmate, Mai.
Gen. Augustus b. FarHham. now adju-
taut general of that State, at Augusta.
We We're comrades Ill 1861, and | am
glad TO see so gallant a soldier and es-
tlnaDle gentleman rewarded by such
all important office, and one that he
fills with marked ability. But | refer
TO him here because he has been camp
ing III the wilds of Maine, and writes
me: Il met at West Outlet Camps, on
Moosehead lake, a few days since, Mr..
F. {. Battey and family OF Savannah,
Ga, whom | found to be very agreeable
News and | read your last article in it
with great deal of pleasure. You are
still kindly remembered by quite a
number of Bangor people, although you
left there long ago" Well, | should
smile. 1t was only fifty years ago, Gus;
and yet there are friends down here
who call me "a kid on account of my
youthful spirits.
Ralph Paine, son of Rev. S. d. Paine,
OF Melbourne, Fla, is a y ale man who
gave much time to athletic sports and
became a well-known reporter of COL
lege ball games and boat races. After
graduating he married a daughter of
the late Thomas Mast, the famous car
toonist and chose literary and jour
nalistic career. In Scribner's for July
he has one of the finest stories, "a
Victory Unforeseen" ever written in
connection with Harvard Y ale boat
race, or any similar contest. No one
but the son of good mother, saint
in heaven, could have written as he
writes in this tender and beautiful
story, of a mothers love and devotion
and worthy sons deep and abiding
affection. But | only refer to this
story to use single sentence. Mothers
are handy sometimes, but most boys do
not find it out until their mothers are
gone from them.' Alas. alas. how
true is this statement, and how many
men, eminent in the world of law and
letters, not to speak of other profess
sions, have in their later years mourned
over supposed neglect of their sainted
mothers. GLOW little" says Washing
ton Irving, ''do we appreciate moth
er's tenderness while living. But when
she is dead and gone, then it is that we
think of the mother we have lost" The