Arizona republican., 1906-04-25

Dewey. These memories include bril- liant victories. and also, now and then, defeats only less honorable than the victories themselves, but the only de- feats to which this praise can be given are those where, against heavy odds, men have stood to the death in hope less battle. It is well for every Amer ican officer to remember that while d surrender may or may not be defens- ible, the man who refuses to surrender need never make a defense! The one fact must always be explained; the other needs no explanation. Moreover, he who would win glory and honor for the nation and for himself must not too closely count the odds; if he does. he will never see such a day as that when Cushing sank the Albemarle.
 In his fight with the Serapis. Jones' ship was so badly mauled that his Op- ponent hailed him, saying, Has your ship struck" To which Jones an- swered, "I have not yet begun to fight" The spirit which inspired that answer upbore the man who gave it and the crew who served under him through the fury of the battle, which finally ended in their triumph. It was the same spirit which marked the com manders of the Cumberland and the Congress, when they met an equally glorious though less fortunate fate. The Cumberland sank, her flags flying
 and her guns firing, with the decks awash, while, when summoned to sur render, Morris replied, Never! I'll sink alongside!" and made his words good Immediately after the Cumber- land was sunk the Congress was at tackled, and her commander. Lieutenant Joe Smith, was killed. After fighting until she was helpless and being un- able to bring her guns to bear, the ship
 was surrendered but when Smiths father, old Commodore Joe Smith, who was on duty at Washington, saw by the dispatches from Fort Monroe that the Congress had hoisted the white flag.
 he said quietly, Then Joe's dead!" Surely no father could wish to feel d prouder certainty of his boys behav- for than the old commodore showed he possessed when he thus spoke; and no ! naval officer could hope to win finer epitaph.
 We have met today to do honor to the mighty dead. Remember that our
 words of admiration are but as sound ing of brass and tinkIing of cymbaIs | If we do not by steady preparation and by the cultivation of soul ond
 mind and body, fit ourselves so that | in time of need we shall be prepared ! to emulate their deeds. Let every l midshipman who passes through this ! Institution remember, as he looks up-
 on the tomb of Paul Jones, that while | no courage can atone for the lack of | that efficiency which comes only l through careful preparation in advance l through careful training of the men | and careful fitting out of the engines | of war. yet that none of these things l can avail unless in the moment of | crisis the heart rises level with the | crisis. The navy whose captains will l not surrender are sure in the long | run to whip any navy whose captains 1 will surrender, unless the inequality
 of skill or force is prodi -ious. Tn, | courage which never yields can not
 take the place of the possession oi good ships and good weapons and the ability skillfully to use these ships ana i these weapons; but its presence vii often atone for many other snort com ! ings. and if with it are combined the
 other military qualities, the fortunate
 owner becomes literally invincible.