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August 1920—What is one to make of an article that includes: “Rien n’est sacre pour un Sapeur,” as the French poilu said when he picked the lady’s lap dog up by the tail . . .”? James Morris Morgan, whoever he is or was is telling us about the Petrel, a swift little one-gun Yankee cutter that was captured by the Rebs in Charleston and turned over to the South Carolina Navy. A very young master’s mate was given command, and the Petrel stormed into the Gulf Stream in search of prizes. He sighted what he thought was a big East Indiaman painted black with a white strip in which was painted camouflage black gun ports. Even the inexperienced skipper knew that all East Indiamen were disguised this way to scare off Chinese pirates. When the huge ship ignored his signal to “heave to,” he fired a shot with his 18-pounder and then, as the poilu says, “Rien n’est sacre . . . .”
But let our young buck tell it: “Just as I fired the shot across the bows of the supposed old water bruiser, her whole side seemed to fall apart and for an instant I saw a sheet of flame reaching from stem to stern, followed by a terrific crash . . . After a time I came up spouting water like a half-drowned whale. And that is all I know about the fight between the United States 50- gun frigate St. Lawrence and the Confederate States 1-gun cruiser Petrel."
August 1940 During his 66 years on the active and retired lists, Vice Admiral W. L. Rodgers had extensive experience in international affairs. His remarkable paper, “Possible Peace Terms—Present War,” was written just before the fall of France and presumes that England and France will defeat the Axis with or without U.S. intervention. Germany will lose because the place in the sun it admits wanting has its origins as a beggar’s expression for a convenient arrangement, through which to collect unearned income. Ancient Rome lost its empire and England, France, and Spain lost theirs in the New World because their arrogant populations tried to conquer and then live off the sweat and treasure of people they considered inferior. Unlike Europeans, he reminds us, the United States never tried to tax the defeated Indian tribes and nations or put them to work for us.
Even if America is not a belligerent, Rodgers says, we should participate in the peace process after the “master race” is brought down. Unemotionally, America must lead the way to permanent peace by subjecting Germany to effective political restraint while awaiting a change in its temperament.
The two tools he proposes sound very much like a United Nations and a North Atlantic Treaty Organization. But even the visionary Rodgers did not foresee anything as noble as a Marshall Plan.
August I960—The imperial reign of Spain was plainly on the wane long before the sinking of the Maine in Havana Harbor on 15 February 1898. Two months earlier, when Commodore Dewey was ordered to take command of the Asiatic Station, he had great difficulty obtaining officers to accompany him. Nobody wanted to be 8,000 miles away from Cuba where, it seemed certain, war with Spain would begin. Least of all did lucky Lieutenant Thomas Brumby, who had saved himself by swimming ashore from his doomed warship at the height of the Samoan hurricane of 1889. Brumby put himself at risk again by becoming Dewey’s flag lieutenant—but won the old man’s confidence and lasting affection.
"News, news, my gossiping friends,” Brumby began a letter to his sister (edited for Proceedings by Georgia Tech’s Willard E. Wight) three days after the surrender of Manila. “I have wonderful news to tell!” As Dewey’s personal representative, he had gone ashore, dictated the surrender terms to the Spanish, and personally raised the American flag over the walled city.
At that moment, he wrote, “An empire changed hands.”
He returned to the United States with Dewey in the Olympia in September 1899, and took part in the “frenzied festivities” upon her arrival. Two months later, Lady Luck smiled her last sad, sweet smile at bachelor Brumby. An unlucky 13 days before the dawn of the 20th century he so eagerly anticipated, he contracted typhoid fever and died. c)ay Barrow
The first day of the seminar will be the “Navy Day,” with the featured lunch speaker to be Secretary of the Navy H. Lawrence Garrett III. Admiral Frank B. Kelso, Chief of Naval Operations and new president of the Naval Institute, will be the kickoff speaker. A morning panel will focus on new technology in combatants, carriers, aircraft, and amphibious landing craft. An afternoon panel will focus on the roles and missions in the new combat environment and feature noted representatives of the U.S. Army, Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps. General A. M. Gray, Jr., Commandant of the Marine Corps, has been invited to be the luncheon speaker on the second day to address the issue of low-intensity conflict.
A series of other professional panels will discuss topics such as interoperability and joint development programs.
For further information on costs and accommodations, or to register, call 1-800-336-4583, ext. 6125.
More than 150 firms will display the latest equipment in communications technology and related items.
If you are interested in obtaining a transcript from our most recent seminar on “DoD Enters the Drug War,” or any other transcript for this and previous years, call our Customer Service line at 1-800-233-USNI. At $10.00 a copy, it’s a great deal!
Annual Membership Campaign
Since 1873, when a small group of naval professionals founded the U.S. Naval Institute at the Naval Academy, healthy membership growth has underscored the value of the organization. Word-of-mouth advertising has been the cornerstone of our recruitment efforts and we would like to show our appreciation for your efforts.
All members will soon receive a membership sponsor information kit in the mail. This kit will contain four applications for you to distribute to others whom you feel would be interested in the Naval Institute. Each application has a space for your name and membership number, crediting you as a sponsor.
When a new member signs up, and you are listed as sponsor, author John Grider Miller will sign and personalize a copy of his award-winning book The Bridge at Dong Ha for you as our thank-you gift. Sign up four new members, and we will also send you an autographed The Hunt for Red October. Quantities of this best- I selling novel are limited; only 150 copies are available!
Proceedings / August 1990