Fifteen years after the close of the contest in which Farragut took rank as one of the great admirals of all time, the splendid navy of which he was the chief ornament had become an object of derision, to every third-rate power in Europe and South America.
This passage highlights the severe deterioration of the American navy in the years following the Civil War, making it a target of international scorn.
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More from Teddy Roosevelt
the fate of the leader for the time being is of little consequence, but the cause itself must in the end triumph, for its triumph is essential to the well-being of the American people.
The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood.
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