On the Ocean 171 



seen that great truth, that there is only success for 

 those who know how to prepare it. 



"It belongs to us to judge impartially these ma 

 rine events, too much exalted perhaps by a national 

 vanity one is tempted to excuse. The Americans 

 showed, in the War of 1812, a great deal of skill 

 and resolution. But if, as they have asserted, the 

 chances had always been perfectly equal between 

 them and their adversaries, if they had only owed 

 their triumphs to the intrepidity of Hull, Decatur, 

 and Bainbridge, there would be for us but little 

 interest in recalling the struggle. We need not seek 

 lessons in courage outside of our own history. On 

 the contrary, what is to be well considered is that 

 the ships of the United States constantly fought with 

 the chances in their favor, and it is on this that the 

 American Government should found its true title 

 to glory. . . . The Americans in 1812 had secured 

 to themselves the advantage of a better organiza 

 tion [than the English]." 



The fight between the Constitution and the Java 

 illustrates best the proposition, "that there is only 

 success for those who know how to prepare it." 

 Here the odds in men and metal were only about as 

 10 to 9 in favor of the victors, and it is safe to say 

 that they might have been reversed without vitally 

 affecting the result. In the fight Lambert handled 

 his ship as skilfully as Bainbridge did his; and the 

 Java's men proved by their indomitable courage that 

 they were excellent material. The Java's crew was 



