New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-09-23
THE GREAT SEA FIGHT.

The sea fight off the mouth OF the laloo Is
memorable as the first in which modern fleets
with their complex mechanism and high-power
artillery have been engaged. For thirty years
naval designers and marine engineers have been
transforming the conditions of warfare on the
o..ean without having any opportunity Of testing
the fighting qualities of their new cruisers ana
battlcships in an Old-time battle between fleets.
For this reason the details Of the battle in East
orn waters are received with eager interest not
only by naval experts, but also by every one
concerned in the modern problem of the develop
ment Of sea power. Those details are sill 100
meaCre and confused TO enable any one TO form
an intelligent Judgment upon the comparative
merits of different types Of naval architecture
but at least two general CONCLUSIONS na! ~ IN
pressed with confidence.
First in an engagement between modern
nayjes the victory will be won by the fleet hav-
ing greater manoeuvring power The Japanese
feet while inferior in tonnage, weight of armor
and ornaments to the Chinese fleet, had me
marked advantage of superior speed and mo-
bility. The victorious vessels outnanoeuvred the
enemy. remained two miles off where they could
bring their long guns into practice ana
when compccd 10 fight at close quarters sailed
every Quarter An unarmorcd fleet nearly
crushed a fleet with five armored ships. 1he
battle was for the swift rather than for the
strong The result demonstrates the supreme
imnor,ance of high speed and mobility Most
Of the experts in Europe and America nave Deeh
contending that manoeuvrng power was more
important than impregnable armor and weight
of batteries Their judgment has been sustained
by practical experience.
Second in a battle between modern fleets the
victory belongs to the Power which has the SUI
perior fighting strain. The Japanese are the
English of the East They are a more intelli-
gent race than the Chinese, and have natural
aptitude for maritime life and adventure. The
Chinese bought battleships cruisers and torpedo
boats abroad but never learned how 10 make
use Of the complex mechanism Of modern
navy. The Japanese purchased ships in Europe
and then began to build others like them, ana
they trained their officers and crews in marine
manoe,lvring and in gun and torpedo practice
When the two fleets met it did not matter when
was the stronger on paper. or which had the
battleships generally considered by experts To
be nyulnerable and invincible The Japanese
were the better sailors and the better fighters,
and the victory was theirs because they knew
how to win II
When Rodney saved the British Empire Ill
11S2 by his great triumph over DE Grasse or
Dominica. it was with feet equal In number
of ships, but decidedly inferior in tonnage, arma-
ments and men. The fleets were becalmed. ana
the English ships were scattered by currents
between the islands. When at last the WIND
blew off land and the French fleet was the first
TO feel IL. De Grasse had victory within his
grasp. for he had only 10 attack the scattered
fleet vigorously in order to crush II. He let the
chance 90 by The astute Rodney went south
under press Of sail until he had the French fleet
on his lee quarter and then, having the adyan-
tage OF the wind, he bore down on the French
line broke through it, and threw 1t into confusion
from which il never recovered DE Grasses
superior fleet with the Vile de Paris as the
Aagship. the largest vessel Of war then afioat,
ought upon it's own merits to have won the
fight: but ii was destroyed. The commander
did not take advantage Of the conditions when
they were favorable and he was defeated by an
adversary inferior in strength but superior In
courage. tactics and genius for fighting. That
great fight occurred over century ago, but the
moral applies with equal force To the battle off
the Yaloo Armaments and mechanism In
modern navy are not OF supreme importance.
Battles are still won by those who know how
to fight and who never let their opportunities
slip.