The Palatka news and advertiser. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1908-19??, 1913-09-05
THE VICTORY WHICH
WON PEACE.

co, though France and the other coun-
tries Of the old world have expressed
their pleasure at the opportunity Of
fered
Great Britain has denied our right
to offer free passage through the canal
to American vessels; as if this coun-
try didn't have the right to discrlml-
nate in favor of our own ships
through a canal built with our own
money and through our own terri
tory.
War? No there will be no war with
Great Britain We and they have
gotten beyond that.
1t was the victory Of Commodore
Perry at the battle of Lake Erie, one
hundred years ago next Wednesday,
(Sept. 10th, 1879 which wen a last
ing peace between this nation and
Great Britain.
And as we approach the one hun
drcdth anniversary of that victory it
might be appropriate to recount the
story of that battle.
One hundred years ago last spring
some American sailors were cutting
timber in the green-scented woods be
hind Lake Erie and hauling the hewn
boards to the lake shore. There a
dashing and magnetic young heuten-
ant named Perry hurried the building
of two briggs; two masted, square-rig-
ged ships Of war.
Out in the lake ranged British
squadron under Commodore Barclay.
Later and when his ships were COM
pleted, Perry shipped his green-tim-
bered, fresh-saiIed briggs over the har-
Dor bar while the British squadron
nodded, and with seven other little
ships he moved along the shore, ready
to transport the troops of Gen. Har-
rison, who wished to cross the lake
into Canada and go to the relief of
Detroit, which had been captured by
Brock and Tecumseh.
Pery's flagship was named the
Lawrence, after the lost hero of the
OVERWHELMINGLY flagship was
called the Detroit" after his recent
ly captured post
We have been hearing the story of
Perry's trip to Put-in-Bay all through
the summer, and there has been some
stout American boasting in the tell
ing of it, for the British had more
guns, Ionger-ranged guns, more men.
PerTy's fleet, except for the briggs he
built, was a hotilla of converted trad
ing vessels. Yet he flung to the
winds the last words of Lawrence,
Don't give up the ship" and the
Americans opened fire.
And Perry did not give up the Law
renee until under leyeling British
bombarGment SO of her 1O1 officers
and men were killed or disabled and
all her guns were silenced. Then came
that great act Of courage, Pcrry's trip
in a row boat with his standard in his
hand, half mile across the front of
tie British squadron to the Niagara,
and over waters quaIling with thunder
and kissing with shot, through the
dusk and the stencil of smoke. He
passed with rent clothing and with
shattered oars. The battle lasted |
only seven minutes after he stood on
the Nlagara's deck.
This is the story of proud daring
which shows why in 1872 the United
States, with navy Of II ships, dared .
declare war against Great Britain and
her armament Of 1000 vessels. That |
rowboat passage shows what was
shown in the Commute defeat of the
Guerriere by the Constitution, that the
British gunners Of those days were no
mGrksmen.
The fruits of that victory Of Per-
rvs were great 1t was necessary
fer the peace Of two nations that the
United States should prove its fight
ing ability. That war was in some
measure "a second war of Indcpend- J
ence," and by winning II out of Is
naval battles we won the respect of
the greatest naval power ahoat.
Perry's victory alone did not win
peace, but it was a mighty factor in
that game Of war. A year later
there was another incident of Ameri-
can vaIor that will not be forgotten.
That was the defeat of the British
squadron under Sir Thomas Cochrane
by the American privateer General
Armstrong" under Capt. Samuel Reid
in the harDor Of FayaI in the Azores.
You will remember that stunning
fight by recalling the ballad James
Jeffrey Roche was inspired to write
concerning it, and the opening lines
Of which are:
Tell the story to your sons
Of the gallant days Of yore,
" hen the brig Of seven guns
FOUGHT the feet Of seven score.
From the set Of sun ill morn,
Through The long September night CO.,
Ninety men against two thousand,
And the ninety won the fight
In the harOor Of Fayal in the Azores"
The respect of our English brethren
Was won like cur Independence, and
IN that foundation of respect is laid
he beautiful edifttc Of amitv and I'M
Outstanding, sympathy, cooperation
md perpetual pel-r, which these two
Anglo-SaNon peoples are building to-
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