WRITINGS OF 5AM HOUSTON, 1856
271
Why, sir, he had about three hundred of them out for nine months previously, in which he might have drilled them; and is not target practice with small-arms a part of the drill of a naval sailor? It is an important part; for, although he may not walk very well, or stand very elegantly, or though he may be ·a little clumsy with his gun, if he shoots well, that will make up for all his other deficiencies; but he did not want that done. Oh, no! Again: "The boats were not fitted, as the inspectors state, for mount- ing and landing the boat-guns; they had, however, been used in the boats, as the reports at the Office of Ordnance and Hydrogra- phy will show. The fact that the landing of the stores of the ship had commenced before the inspection, will to a great extent_ account for any deficiencies at the guns of grummets, wads, shot, &c.; and the dissatisfaction of the crew at the prospect of being transferred to another vessel, under new officers, and all its attendant evils, prevented that alacrity and zeal usually exhibited by a crew about to be discharged. "I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant, "C. K. Stribling, "Captain United States Navy. "Hon. J. C. Dobbin, Secretary of the Navy, Washington." "All its attendant evils." What are the evils in transferring men to a ship? Only tell them to take up their duds and go-a very important matter! They have no furniture there, and take none with them but what is personal to them. I suppose these men must have been very unhappy when they came to be trans- ferred to another vessel, because they must have had a glorious, easy, lazy time there, doing nothing, sailing along in a fine vessel, and pretty "clean," too, they say. Well, now, this explanation is "perfectly satisfactory!" It is nothing but the most flimsy excuse in the world, which would disgrace any officer, for his ship not being in trim in the face of the enemy. If it had been in the military service he would have been shot for such inefficiency, or if spared his life would have been degraded in rank. This is the first time in my knowl- edge, or in the history of the Navy of the United States, as far as I am informed, where a vessel was ever reported in such a con- dition on her return to port. What! the hose too short! Had he not power, when refitted at Boston, or when he came in from
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