Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-08-06

Yeun, but there is no reason to suppose
they were in this fight.
When we turn to a comparison OF cfuls,
ers there 10 q possibility that Japan had
some slight advantage. China could nave
sent into the fight her best three cruls'
ers, the Chin Yuen, Ching Yuen
and Foo Ching. All three had four
inches of protective arinor; the first two
were of 23OO tons and Is knots each, the
third of $500 tons and Is knots. The first
two carried three S-inch and two 6-inch
guns each, and the third, three 2l-cm. and
seven l2-cm guns. The best cruisers ia
pan could oppose to these are the famous
Napiwa, which was probably in the fight !;
the Akitsuschima and the Takschiho. These
are protected with only three inches OF
metal; they are larger and swifter
than the Chinese ships, measuring respec-
lively $3.50. Also and $3.50 tons, and
making 1872, 10 and 1872 knots.
The Naniwa AMI Takachiho have
each two 26-cm. and six l5-cm. guns, and
the Akitsuschima one 32-cm. and twelve
l2-cm. guns. The difference between the
batteries of the Chinese and Japanese cruz
sers was not, therefore, considerable, sup
posing these three to have been in the
Japanese squadron. Over any other Jap
anese cruisers the Chinese would have had
marked superiority. The question Ut tor
pedoes remains to be considered.
The Chinese ship Chen Yuen had
two launching carriages for fish
torpedoes, while neither the Flu 500 nor
any other Japanese battleship has any. The
Chin Yuen and Ching Yuen have each four
tubes, and the Foo Ching none; aud the
three Japanese cruisers we have named
have each four tubes.
Such were the four Chinese ships men,
toned in the news of the battle, and such
the strongest four Japan could have sent
against them. All were modern vessels.
fairly comparable with those composing
the great navies of the world. What
ever lessons are derived from the engage
ment may, therefore. fairly be regarded as
indicative of the probable results of any
future naval contests in American or Euro
pean waters. AS we have seen, Japan could
scarcely have had any such preponderance
of mechanical or battering strength. Neither
does there appear to have been any accident
or other circumstance through which Japan
could win, in sporting parlance, by fluke;
but it was a stubbornly contested fight,
finally decided according to merit. The
merit that carried the day was, we are per-
suaded, not so much in ships and engines
and guns and projectiles as in human brain
and nerve. The Japanese, it has been said,
handled their ships, guns and torpedoes
with more skill than the Chinese. There
fore they won. That tells the whole story.
1t is not new story. 1t was heard when
Drake and Grenvil and Howard outmanGu-
vered and outfought their vastly more pow
erful Spanish foes. 1t was repeated when
the embryo navy of America varquished
the veterans of Britain in 1872, and
again off Cherbourg Harbor on that
glorious Sunday morning Of June,
1864 And doubtless, despite all
changes in naval construction and equip
ment, it will continue to hold true
in every war at sea. Other things being
equal, or nearly equal that sea Power will
win whose ships are best differed and
manned and whose seamen are best disci-
pinned, most active, most intelligent ard
most heroic. Manhood counts for just as
much in the steel fortress of today as in
the wooden walls of Nelson's time. War
is still game of blood and iron. 1t en-
ploys more iron now than it did of old.
But blood is still the more important factor,
and the one upon which the final result
mill turp