Publisher's Synopsis
Excerpt from The Pacific and the Amoor: Naval, Military, and Diplomatic Operations From 1855 to 1861
We are prepared to admit that a naval commander of the pre sent day is surrounded by almost insurmountable difficulties. He is charged with diplomatic as well as warlike duties; he is bound to the strictest secrecy; and at the same time is hampered with so many cautions against endan ering his ships or risking a reverse, that he is frightened out of a 1 energy, and terrified at incurring the slightest responsibt In addition to all this, he has been taught to believe that t e First Lord may set aside his public instructions by private letters, - ao that he comes to regard himself as the humble servant of the First Lord, and may forget that he owes a duty to his country, to himself, and to the noble service in which he has the honour to be enrolled. He is tempted to do his utmost to penetrate the secret wishes of the First Lord, rather than to act upon his ostensible instructions; and it is only just that the country which has been in the habit of honouring courage, even when unsuccessful, should pour forth the full tide of its indigna tion on those who, while they receive its pa and profess to serve it, are willing to sacrifice the duty for rewarti refer honours to honour, and are content on those terms to en ure reproach which, after all, may be more justly deserved by those on whose instruc tions they have consented to act.
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