WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 1856
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who was, as I am informed, four years in charge of the Naval Academy, and was also at one time in charge of the flag-ship of the West India squadron-Commander McCauley's flag-ship. The gentleman to whom I refer is Captain Stribling. Mark you he is the gentleman who was to qualify midshipmen to command a frigate when they leave the Naval Academy! We will see how much he knows about the matter, or how little he has done-one or the other. I think it is one of the most pertinent cases I ever knew in my life; and I think some of the acts under it will appear very impertinent compared with its pertinency. [Laughter.] I have before me the correspondence in relation to the matter of which I will speak. Captain Stribling was at sea with his ship between seven and nine months. He had been ordered out in the summer of 1854, in the steam frigate San Jacinto, with a view to proceeding to the Baltic, to protect our interests in the presence of the English and French fleets; but, becoming dis- abled at sea, put into Boston and was refitted; again refitted twice at Southampton, England; visited France, and Spain, and the West Indies, and return ~d to Philadelphia in March, 1855, and was immediately ordered to take Commodore McCauley on board, and proceed to the coast of Cuba, to protect our flag from aggression, as the flag-ship of Commodore McCauley in the West India squadron, at a time of great excitement-I think in April last-at a time when it was understood that every American naval vessel which went into the West India seas had authority to strike the enemy whenever they met them, if the slightest indignity was offered to our national flag. In a vessel on such a station as that, everything should have been in preparation, ready at any moment for a conflict with the adversary. If it was not, this gentleman was to blame. He was the captain. He went out in that squadron; and when he returned, an inspection was made of his vessel. I will give you the result of it. Perhaps it is the only vessel ever in the service of the United States that returned in such a condition as that in which this vessel is reported to have been; and the very fact of reporting the truth by a gentleman, who is a very respectable captain and sailor, cost him his epaulets. Yes, he was . stricken down; it was a dangerous thing not to be a favorite of that board under the new regime. A man was lucky if he came within their favor. The first letter I will read is the following: [A report from Commandant C. R. Boarman, New York Navy Yard, June 21, 1855, to Secretary cif the Navy: The San Jacinto
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