COMMAND AND OBEDIENCE. "Aot right and fear nought." COMMAND, to be beneficial, should be exercised with that dignity which does not enlist a haughty deportment for its support, nor require the aid of intemperate language to enforce the deference which it claims from all who are within the sphere of its power. Obedience, which is a necessary condition in all who are subordinate, should be practised cheerfully from a moral sense that it is right, not merely because it is obligatory, and without reference to the conduct of a superior, whether considerate, or oppressive. This must not be confounded with what is called "passive obedience" which is the result of necessity; this, of principle. Upon these two conditions discipline mainly depends; and that will ever be considered the best which can be attained and maintained by the least possible degree of rigour. Unhappily, however, it is one of the errors which officers of a certain temperament imbibe, to believe, or to suppose that, nothing short of austerity and severity can keep a body of men, isolated from general society, in good order. Those fancied conditions, which of themselves, must be irksome to the possessor, are founded upon a misconception of human nature, entirely at variance with every generous feeling of the heart; and therefore, incompatible with that good government and strict discipline that shall be established by a wise system, and supported through the cheerful and willing regard of the governed, as well as from principle. We should consider that, whatever good we may imbibe from example or precept, must add to our happiness, if we have any soul within us, not past receiving impressions. The reverse of this, has a tendency to create and to augment misery. Is it not, therefore, a subject, morally speaking, worth considering, whether we should place any confidence in an estimate, we suppose to be formed by others, relating to our deportment which we choose to "carry high", and from the effect of our disposition to severity, there from expecting marked deference and implicit obedience? For we may be assured that, seeing and hearing are reflected back upon the heart, and form the judgment from the feelings; and that judgment may have great influence on the conduct of an inferior. A consequence of so rigid a disposition of any person in authority is, to fall into the habit of watching for, and taking offence at every trifling incident. "How much happier are they, who go through the world with an easy good humour, passing over every trifle; and thereby placing themselves above all such peevish follies, maintaining more real dignity than those who are the proudest.*" * Talbot's Reflection. There is no sight, where a body of men are congregated and form a society, more pleasing than in a well constituted ship-of-war. The order, regularity, cleanliness, and cheerfulness observed, must strike the mind of an observer with astonishment, if a stranger; and be extremely gratifying to his feelings as an Englishman, proud of his country's glory; for, here he sees the perfection (as far as that is attainable) to which human laws and observances may be brought in consummating the dicipline of the mind of man, by judicious care in their application. It is doubly pleasing from the conviction that, an unanimous desire to excel, must pervade the whole community; and wherever this result does not become apparent on ship-board, we may reasonably believe there is a radical error somewhere. It is scarcely necessary to remark that, in the use of gross language a superior lowers himself to a level with the vulgar; loses the dignity which was his shield; and casts away that moral force which was his support. To strike an inferior, even the least in position or the youngest, is always considered as an act of cowardice; at all events it is unmanly; because the blow may not be returned, and therefore, the giver lays himself open to contempt, though that may be felt and not expressed. How guarded therefore, we ought to be, not to allow impulse or passion to master our better feelings. As a necessary stimulus to command, and to obedience, we should never lose sight of the fact that, all have a mutual dependence on one another. That, at least, should make us reasonable, and ought to make us contented under the various circumstances in which we may be placed. It is the key-link running through the whole chain of society, joining its framework; and should not only abate pride, but induce kindness, so that "society may be the better for every one of us." But it This is a general principle; but in particular, it bears on the reciprocal duties of small communities, such as are found in ships of war. is of higher importance even than the comfort which may be derived from its observance therein. It has a bearing on the character and well being of the noble service at large, which, if all who are intrusted with command, and all who, being subordinate, are voluntary servitors, would always make the principle to action, we should less frequently hear of discontents and of courts-martial. So says the voice of EXPERIENCE. NAUTICAL RETROSPECTS OF THE WAR. "Would I had fallen upon those happier days, There are a thousand things learnt, incidents of the past, which lie eribbed in that wonderful immaterial store-house termed "the memory". It is a curious gift, but a valuable one, for which nations as well as individuals may be thankful,-a monitor well worth attending to, if only to abate state pride, and control its power when in action:-to teach moderation and the practice of justice. A moral poet thus apostrophizes Britannia : "It shakes the sides of splenetic Disdain, To trace thee to the date when yon fair sea, That clips thy shores, had no such charms for thee, Our modern "Punch", perhaps, according to the prevailing taste, could not point a shaft with a finer edge at the undeserving; but the sort of "dirty-water" thrown in the face of the "plumed dame", as to original condition, is an insult not merited; for, apply it to individual genius, though "flighty" and the point is lost all must have a beginning in career, and the nation, as the individual, which rises by energy and honesty, can never be dishonoured by obscurity of origin, or meanness of pristine condition. Arrogance and pride in such may deserve. censure, but the above reproach is entirely neutralized from the fact that all nations and all men have one common origin. The pre-eminence which England attained at sea during the late wars was, one of those remarkable advances made by nations, that create universal wonder. The high hand, however, with which she exercised this plenitude of power, among the neutral wanderers of the Ocean, generated a spirit of deep-rooted anger against her, and she may depend that that fact, is stowed away in the dark shroud of the memory of nations, to flash forth whenever future opportunity shall call it into light. Perhaps, it was not so much the exercise of that vague authority understood as the "Law of Nations", as the manner in which she carried out those arbitrary measures practically. To avoid excesses, therefore, on any future occasion, it may not be altogether useless to show the mode by which that practice was performed; for it is highly probable that, even among naval officers, there are many who have no knowledge of the truth. Indeed, as to the future, who can speak? Though the "Peace Societies" should eventually exercise a moral force successfully over the ambition, jealousy, weakness, pride, and inclination to hasty resentment of potentates and their ministers, whether hereditary or elective, so as to dissuade them from war,-what nation would disarm? Far distant yet, we imagine, is the time when such a desirable event may be expected, although, in that prediction, opinion is worth absolutely nothing. An old historian speaking of the period of 1673, says: "The English have chiefly applied themselves to sea affairs, and in this the French cannot hitherto be compared with the English; yet England can scarce reap any great advantages from France at sea. For, suppose they should beat the French fleet, yet they would scarce venture to make a descent upon France, as having not any footing there; and the French privateers would certainly do great mischief to them.” England, it is true, had enough to do at that period to keep down faction, and to preserve internal peace at home; but the future proved that she could and did reap very great advantages" "* from her successes against "France at sea". She not only beat the French fleet and made a "descent upon France", but, in conjunction with her allies marched in and took possession of Paris!-in which, the mischief done by French privateers was entirely absorbed. Our old author adds a remark which, though written for a particular period long since passed, would seem to have some force in our day on events which lie veiled in the future. "But," says he, "if the English should once miscarry at sea, and that the French should once get a footing in England, it might perhaps prove fatal to that kingdom, since the fate of the war must be then decided by the issue of one battle, England having no inland strong holds." Very doubtingly expressed, but worthy to be held in recollection. All, however we feel called upon to say on that score is, that it will be England's own fault if ever the French or any other people get a footing on the shore of her sea-girt isle. According to the reputed "Laws of Nations," it would appear that a neutral shall not supply a belligerent with warlike stores; and this specification has been rigorously enforced by the seizure and condemnation of the vessels (or their cargoes) transgressing. I am unaware whether we acted in striet conformity with the prohibitions contained in the "Code Universal"; but certain it is that in the category of prohibited articles, salted beef and pork were included by us; thus increasing the liability to seizure of vessels belonging to neutral nations:-a proceeding, with reference to the islanders of the West Indies on "short commons," very humane, and otherwise as an action, highly complimentary to the refined civilization of the British ministry of the day! Whether the Americans of the United States subscribed to these recognised general laws of Europe, or not, (we believe they did not acknowledge them,) their speculations among the islands of the Carribbean Sea were carried on with a most active and persevering spirit; and not only in that direction, but in all parts of the world; their vessels becoming the carriers for the merchants of those nations involved in the general war. As England however, may be said to have held the absolute command of the Ocean at the time, they were met by a corresponding activity and unceasing vigilance on our part to frustrate their designs. Indeed, had the Americans been actually at war with England, their vessels could not have been more eagerly sought for; and so rigorously was the system of search observed, that, their very ports and estuaries * What were these? The national debt, and, especially, the "Dead Weight"! Peace, &c., &c. were blockaded by our men-of-war up to the time of their declaration of war. The right of any European nation to force the Americans into the compact of acknowledgement of Vatel, Puffendorf, &c., as binding upon them as a neutral power, is not apparent; and it is clear that the Congress thought so by issuing protests, and declaring for "Free Trade, and Seamen's Rights"; their complaints however, were unavailing,—the Britishers played on their games to the end! Truth and justice alike demand that the case be viewed with candour; It then must be admitted that the transactions on the immediate coast of the states were of an unparalleled nature, unjustifiable, and as exercised against civilized unarmed beings, monstrously offensive! The Americans, whose forbearance was for a long time wonderful, were, at last, completely worn out in patience, and becoming desperate,-though in no proper condition to resist a great naval power, boldly declared war against their oppressor. They were wrong in one thing, however excusable in others. Their hatred and resentment should not have been vented on the instruments: they should have recollected that the first principle to be observed by a good officer is that of strictly obeying his orders, the effect of which should not be cast in his teeth. The unprejudiced historian of strict integrity of principle, would not shield the policy of his country from reprehension where the measures adopted were either tyrannical or otherwise unjust. Why should the mere journalist prove himself less a lover of truth? How far the Americans were wrong in not subscribing to the acknowledged laws observed in warfare by the European powers, and in defiance persisted to trade with a belligerent state, in articles prohibited by the enemy of the latter, is a question on which as a seaman I am not inclined to offer an opinion; but we all know that policy often casts all morality aside, and where the power is great that the assumption of might constitutes the right. But, I might go on in this strain of moralizing until a good sized volume be filled, and arrive at last only to the conviction that, the affairs of this world, in a political sense, are managed without the slightest regard to justice, when that interferes with State'interest;-a point, by way, in which, it must be admitted, the Americans themselves, have shown the very worst of examples! the The Leeward station, in the Carribbean Sea, being rather "out of the beat" of the American vessels in their intercourse with the French colonies, the number detained was not so great as on the Windward, and Halifax stations. Many were, however, sent into Port Royal, Jamaica, for adjudication, upon the suspicion of having false papers, or carrying prohibited articles; some were condemned; but in the majority of cases, I believe, it was found no easy matter for the detainers to bring the facts of transgression clearly before the Vice-Admiralty Court. Perhaps, at no era was there a more extraordinary display of vigilance, activity, and daring on the ocean manifested, than during the latter portion of the war of 1803; and assuredly, never was maritime power |