Transcriber’s Note: Italic text is enclosed in _underscores_. Additional notes will be found near the end of this ebook. THE HISTORY OF OUR NAVY [Illustration: JOHN PAUL JONES. _From a mezzotint of the painting by Notté._] THE HISTORY OF OUR NAVY FROM ITS ORIGIN TO THE PRESENT DAY 1775–1897 BY JOHN R. SPEARS AUTHOR OF “THE PORT OF MISSING SHIPS,” “THE GOLD DIGGINGS OF CAPE HORN,” ETC. WITH MORE THAN FOUR HUNDRED ILLUSTRATIONS MAPS AND DIAGRAMS _IN FOUR VOLUMES_ _VOLUME I._ NEW YORK CHARLES SCRIBNER’S SONS 1897 COPYRIGHT, 1897, BY CHARLES SCRIBNER’S SONS MANHATTAN PRESS 474 W. BROADWAY NEW YORK TO ALL WHO WOULD SEEK PEACE AND PURSUE IT PREFACE This work is to tell the story of the American navy from the time when the fathers of the nation first conceived the idea of sending warships to sea “at the expense of the Continent” down to this year of our Lord 1897. It seems to me that the memory of what the naval heroes of the nation have done is worth preserving if only as a mark of gratitude--gratitude to the men whose sole incentive was patriotism and whose only greed was for honor. It seems worth while to tell anew the story of these men who had a noble ambition. It may help to prevent their race becoming extinct. But if that appeal does not secure the attention of the reader, let me say that self-interest demands that he heed the lessons in the story of the navy. Because naval officers and their friends are very properly jealous of their rights in the matter of titles and rank, it is necessary to explain that officers have very often held one rank on the naval list while entitled to a higher one by courtesy. Farragut was a midshipman under Porter, and yet, for a time, while in command of a captured ship, was by courtesy called captain. Lieutenant Macdonough was entitled to the title of commodore while in command on Lake Champlain. I have in nearly all instances used the title which courtesy demanded, but, for reasons which I hope will be apparent, the title of actual rank seemed proper at times.