Naval War of 1812 53 



men who had conquered the best seamen of Europe 

 were now in turn obliged to succumb. Compared 

 with the great naval battles of the preceding few 

 years, our bloodiest conflicts were mere skirmishes, 

 but they were skirmishes between the hitherto ac 

 knowledged kings of the ocean, and new men who 

 yet proved to be more than their equals. For over 

 a hundred years, or since the time when they had 

 contended on equal terms with the great Dutch 

 admirals, the British had shown a decided supe 

 riority to their various foes, and during the latter 

 quarter of the time this superiority, as already said, 

 was very marked indeed ; in consequence, the victo 

 ries of the new enemy attracted an amount of atten 

 tion altogether disproportionate to their material 

 effects. And it is a curious fact that our little navy, 

 in which the art of handling and fighting the old 

 broadside, sailing frigate in single conflict was 

 brought to the highest point of perfection ever 

 reached, that this same navy should have contained 

 the first representative of the modern war steamer, 

 and also the torpedo the two terrible engines which 

 were to drive from the ocean the very white-winged 

 craft that had first won honor for the starry flag. 

 The tactical skill of Hull or Decatur is now of mere 

 ly archaic interest, and has but little more bearing 

 on the manoeuvring of a modern fleet than have the 

 tactics of the Athenian galleys. But the war still 

 conveys some most practical lessons as to the value 

 of efficient ships and, above all, of efficient men in 

 them. Had we only possessed the miserable gun- 



