The Hardin tribune-herald. [volume] (Hardin, Mont.) 1925-1973, 1938-12-15
Nautical Novelties
Fit To Fight

~ ID 1Ilcll, 1VUG SHIPS, CQdt
fight" IS a saying that has come
down through the pages of ma
val history. 1t has peen ,plazed
forth IN the broadSide of many
sailing ships on the seven seas,
from the early privateerS to the
last ships of the Line" Inc
esprit ue corps, morale, stamina
and efficiency are all required
today more than ever to manage
the nlgnly complex man-o-War.
These battle ShlpS have some OF
the characteristics of a fine
watch, almost lmpregnable ar
NOR belts and engineering plants
that will develop many thous-
-ands OF horsepower. All TINS,
With the ADDITION Of aviation
ana a great diversity of defen-
"slve and offensive armament,
makes a fighting machine thai
calls for the best of brains to di-
rect 1t In order to attain any
measure of success in action
with the enemy. Because OF the
intricate and specialized require
mentS necessary to obtain this
success, the perSonel of the ma
Wy must train and practice like
"a great musician, an artist, a
skilled engineer, or an artisan
of any kind. This Is necessary
because the machine in the care
'of the naNymen requires the
precision of the second on the
dial, mathematical calculations
are done by machines that
would Stagger the mind; yet all
must be directed by the same
alert, bright, active brains. car
rled by men watching the ma
chimes. These are some of the
reasons the requirements of the
recruiting stations have become
more rigid. These are some of
the reasons that liquor and al
-coholic beverages can nevr have
a place aboard ships of the Uni
ted states navv any more than
in speeding automobiles on the
highways. These are some of the
reasons why the fellow who does
not keep himself fit at all times
may be forced to say goodbye"
before the cruise is completed,
to his shipmates and return to
civil life, where the requirements
are not so rigid, and habits of
living can become lax over per-
iods of time not possible aboard
a modern man-O-War. So the
training of personel in Uncle
Sans navy continues; for it is
the men, not ships, that must
fight should necessity ever re-
quire it.
Public Witnesses Naval Battle
Seldom in the history of the
navy has it been possible for
the general public of any ma
ton to witness a naval engage
ment. Such an opportunity was
afforded the citizens of France
on June 10, 1864, when a battle
between Confederate ship Ala
bama and the United States
ship Kearsage took place off
Cherbourg. The Alabama was
a British shin which was sold
to the Confederacy and fitted
out as a commerce raider in the
Azores. Under Captain Raphael
SemmeS, she burned 81 Union
merchantmen and captured
many more. Finally she put in
at CherbOurg for refueling and
overhaul. Before this was COM
pleted, Captain John A. Winslow
arrived off that port in the
KearSage. SemmeS had every
thing to lose and nothing to !
gain by a battle. However, the
French being anxious to see a !
naval engagement, told him that
the presence of the Kearsage off
the port was a challenge no man
of honor could refuse. Yielding
to public opinion, Semmes said
that he would take his ship out
20 fight on Sunday morning.
The railroads ran special excur-
SionS from Paris, and on June
10, 1864, the bluffs were packed
with spectators to see the fight.
The Alabama was accompanied
out OF the harbor by a French
man-of-war, which was to see
that the battle took place out
side the three-mile limit, and
by the English yacht Deerhound
whose owner wanted to have a
view VI I1Ic
The battle took place seven
miles off shore and was rapid
ly being won by the superior
gunnery of the Kearsage when
Captain Semmes headed for
safety in the three mile limit,
the Kearsage cut in
between him and the shore,
forcing him to surrender. The
sank before her crew
could be removed to the Kear-
sage. The Deerhound helped res
cue the crew and took all the
men she picked up back to Eng
land. After the war England
paid sixteen million dollars to
the United States as damages