Makers of the world's history and their grand achievements . tism, and responded to the sympathies of a people then engagedin a war for verj^ existence with an aggressive, tjrannical, and Napo-leonic France. He had a wonderful power of inspiring affection and confidence ;here was not an English sailor who would not have followed blithelywherever Nelson led. His capacity for command was unbounded ; hisseamanship was great ; his tactical skill unequalled. The completenessof his victories is the most striking thing about them; he did somethingmore than defeat the enemys fleet, he destroyed it. Ye
Makers of the world's history and their grand achievements . tism, and responded to the sympathies of a people then engagedin a war for verj^ existence with an aggressive, tjrannical, and Napo-leonic France. He had a wonderful power of inspiring affection and confidence ;here was not an English sailor who would not have followed blithelywherever Nelson led. His capacity for command was unbounded ; hisseamanship was great ; his tactical skill unequalled. The completenessof his victories is the most striking thing about them; he did somethingmore than defeat the enemys fleet, he destroyed it. Yet it must in truth be said that Nelsons victories were no morecomplete than Admiral Deweys at Manila, or that of our North Atlanticsquadron at Santiago. Nor were they more destructive to the enemy thanthe assaults of Farragut during our Civil War. The genius and daringof these great naval heroes will never be eclipsed even by the fame ofNelson, of whom Tennyson wrote : Thine island loves thee well, thou famous man,The greatest sailor since our world COMMODORE STEPHEN DECATUR. HERO OF TRIPOLI—HIS YOUTH AND GALLAN-TRY—A DARING EXPLOIT — PRESENTED BYCONGRESS WITH A SWORD—SAD END OF ABRILLIANT CAREER. Away back in the early part of the nineteenth century we hadgreat naval commanders. One of these was Stephen Decatur. Commo-dore Decatur came of a seafaring stock. The love of the waves wasinherited from his father, who was a prominent naval man. Wheneight years of age young Decatur made his first vo3^age under hisfathers care, and it is said that even at this earl} period he determinedto follow the footsteps of his sire. Through the aid of CommodoreBarry, on April 30, 1796, he obtained a warrant as midshipman, andwas placed on board of the frigate United States. At that time hewas only nineteen years of age ; a handsome boy, well formed, cour-ageous, graceful and attractive. Decatur labored hard to make himself master of his profession, andhe soon became a skilful off
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