The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1921-02-12

-. Usher invited a group of men, in
~ Guiding among others Roosevelt,
Barnes, Spears, Connolly and the
writer, to select the six greatest ro-
mances of the sea. 1.-THE Two Adj
mirals" was the one of Cooper's sea
tales included by a unanimous vote.
Well does the book deserve its Sc
lection for it is without question the
greatest of all the novels of the sea.
all of which have read and not few
of which have written.
1t has more of the best Of Cooper,
and less of his worst, than any of his
naval or other romances. No writer
was ever more at home on a ships
deck than Cooper-nOt even Marryatt.
And all his knowledge of the great
deep, the way of ships therein, the
habits and customs of sailors, has been
utilized il full measure in this immor-
tai story. 1t rings true alike to sea-
men and landsmen.
There Is subsidiary story concern
ing the love affairs of gallant young
sea officer, Sir Wycherly Wychecombe,
and Mildred Dutton-Bluewater dam
sci as lovely, as delicate and rs inane
as Cooper at his worst could describe.
Whenever she appeared she was either
suffused with bushes or bursting into
tears. On one occasion she wept
steadily for above one half hour!
The supposed daughter of a drunk
en-, retired officer and woman of the
middle class, Mildred turns out to be
the lawful niece of one of the two ad-
mirals, just in time to soothe his dying
hours; while her husband. a Virginian,
turns up in the nick of time with the
papers In his hands to prove his sue
cession to the ancient title and lands
Of Wychecombe. All of which Is ex-
cessively tiresome.
Fortunately the greater part Of the
book Is taken up with the doings Of
the Two Admirals. The puerile, pre-
mid-Victorian romance will easily be
forgotten but the remainder will rich
~ repay the reader.
In 1745 when George II reigned in
England the young pretender, Charles
Edward made that daring and unSuc-
cessful dash for q crown which came
to a bloody end at Culloden in the fol-
lowing year. 1t is that abortive but
gallant effort which furnishes the mo-
tive for the action of the novel.
Vice Admiral of the Red Sir Gervaise
mr. q fitted
differed, well manned, homogeneous
fleet of shipS-of-the-line which had
been cruising in the Bay of Biscay. AS
ISOLATED with him was Richard Blue
water, rear admiral of the White, sec
Ond in command. These two men,
both welded to the service alone, had
been shipmates and friends, during q
naval career Of nearly forty years.
Cakes was a typical English admiral,
superb sailor, a downright fighter;
Bluewater his complement and oppo-
site, q subtle thinker and q brilliant
tactician. The combination was ideal,
as was the completeness of a friend
ship, not to say an affection, as sim
cere as it was lasting. Nothing had
ever broken it; nothing, it was be-
lieved, ever would break it.
In but one point did the true friends
differ. Cakes was a Wing, BlTewater
a Tory. 1t did not seem possible, how
ever, for political consideration to in
terrupt their warm relations. The
bold adventure of Charles Edward
babe fair to do that very thing, how
ever. Fer Bluewater, frank, unWOrld-
~ sailor that he was, cleverly played
upon by politicians, began TO waver
between the House CT Hanover, whose
commission he held, and the House Of
Stewart, to which his heart inclined.
To bring matters to a head NJ. lie
Vice Amiral lie COmte de Vervillin,
sailed from Cherbourg with fleet of
such ships as fairly entitled him to
challenge the English fleet of Vice Ad-
miral Cakes for the mastery of the
narrow seas.
The latter, more than willing to try
out the matter. at once put to sea in
heavy gale of wind, his capital ships
weighing anchor in succession with
long intervals between them so as &c
spread q broad clue to intercept the
French. Bluewater with his division
brought up the rear. Tie rear admiral
was obsessed with the idea that De
Vervillin's course had something to do
with the pretender's effort and his
conscientious scruples threw him into
piteous state of indecision. The
vice admiral was not troubled by any
such subtle casuistry. He only saw
the enemy whom it was his duty to
beat when, where and how he could.
After a series of the most brilliant
tactical maneuverS and a successful
minor engagement with the whole