On the Ocean 265 



turned strongly in favor of our enemies. From the 

 beginning of summer the blockade was kept up so 

 strictly that it was with difficulty any of our vessels 

 broke through it; they were either chased back or 

 captured. In the three actions that occurred, the 

 British showed themselves markedly superior in two, 

 and in the third the combatants fought equally well, 

 the result being fairly decided by the fuller crew 

 and slightly heavier metal of the Enterprise. The 

 gunboats, to which many had looked for harbor de- 

 fence, proved nearly useless, and were beaten off 

 with ease whenever they made an attack. 



The lessons taught by all this were the usual ones. 

 Lawrence's victory in the Hornet showed the superi- 

 ority of a properly trained crew to one that had not 

 been properly trained ; and his defeat in the Chesa- 

 peake pointed exactly the same way, demonstrating 

 in addition the folly of taking a raw levy out of port, 

 and, before they have had the slightest chance of 

 getting seasoned, pitting them against skilled veter- 

 ans. The victory of the Enterprise showed the wis- 

 dom of having the odds in men and metal in our 

 favor, when our antagonist was otherwise our equal ; 

 it proved, what hardly needed proving, that, when- 

 ever possible, a ship should be so constructed as to 

 be superior in force to the foes it would be likely to 

 meet. As far as the capture of the Argus showed 

 anything, it was the advantage of heavy metal and 

 the absolute need that a crew should fight with pluck. 

 The failure of the gunboats ought to have taught the 

 lesson (though it did not) that too great economy in 



VOL. IX. ia 



