Titan--Vanderbilt

Commodore as commodore. They call to mind Tolstoy's observation in the The Sebastopol Sketches, a soldier's view of the Crimean War. Discipline and obedience, he wrote,ultimately depend upon "the subordinate's recognition that those placed in the authority over him are possessed of a higher degree of experience, military prowess or--not to beat around the bush--moral development." But a superior who lacks real ability--or character--draws only scorn. In a quasi-military (or, more properly, quasi-naval) culture such as that of the merchant marine, a commander need not be sweet-tempered to be admired; rather, he had to be skilled, knowledgeable, fair and preferably tough. Beyond all analysis of Vanderbilt's historical role, it is worth remembering that men willingly followed this difficult, profane titan, even at the risk of their own lives. It was not because he was generous or kind, but because he was a man of genuine prowess. No one, they knew, understood steamships better, no one, they knew, was more willing to face personal danger; no one, they knew, was truer to his word. Vanderbilt was many things, not all of them admirable, but he was never a phony. Hated, revered, resented, he always commanded respect, even from his enemies.