Shiner gazette. [volume] (Shiner, Tex.) 1893-current, 1895-09-19

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%asT Japan, but because
@Y 1t was the first one
fought between modern ironclads
with modern arms. The Century
prints the first authoritative ac-
count of the battle that has yet
been published, written by Philo
N McGlfin, the brave American
officer who commanded the Chinese
battle-ship Chen Yuen. This is illus
trated with photographs taken during
the actual engagement, as we'll as by
those showing the damage done to the
vessels. A second paper by Capt. A.
T. Mahan, the greatest authority on
naval tactics, discusses the Lessons
from the Yalu Fight" The following
is an extract from his article:
1t appears from Commander McGif-
fms narrative that both Chinese and
Japanese were led by design or acct
dent, to accumulate projectiles and am
munition on deck in advance of i'm
mediate demands-a practice greatly
deprecated But is the depreciation
wholly sound? Offense is better than
defense. Rapid fire with some risk is
better than slower fire with no risk
risk, that is, from this particular
source-because the slower fire yields
to the enemy an advantage greater than
the risk avoided. On board a foreign
battle-ship, not long ago, the Captain
said to me that in providing for action
they accumulated a certain number of
rounds-ten, think-near each rapid
fire gun. Don't you consider that
geat risk?" l asked. Undoubtedly"
he replied; but not so great a risk as
that the enemy should fire faster than
We"
| think he was right. Collingwood
used to tell his crew that If they could
fire three well-aimed broadsldes in as
many minutes, no enemy could resist
them. Farragut noted with emphatic
commentator, in 1899, when the
French attacked the castle of San
Juan de Ulua at Vera Cruz, that
they habitually kept great num-
Der of shot accumulated in racks
on deck-a practice many naval
| officers still remember. The in
PRODUCTION of shells-explosive projec-
tiles-gave pause to this habit, for dire
full experiences had taught that shot,
solid or hollow, striking one would ex-
plode many near by. Nevertheless, the
difficulty of insuring rapid supply at
any time, even the quletest, and the
dreadful liability to severance of the
chain of supply by the casualties of
battle, suggest the imperative necessity
of an accumulation. This should be so
planned and so proportioned to the
rate of fire possible to the gun as to in
sure the minimum of risk that must be
taken If the full efficiency of the battery
Is to be maintained. Especially is this
necessary for the beginning of an ac-
tion-usually, at least as regards the
single ship, the most pregnant of the
final result. AS regards systems, the
result OF this episode is drawn battle,
which may be summed up broadly as
the successful resistance of two ships,
/
$4,000 tons, to five ships, partly pro-
tected, of 10000 tons. This, as far as
1t goes, favors the view that a given
amount of tonnage in one or in few
big ships possesses a decided advantage
over the same, or even greater
amount, divided among several, This
view is also in strict accord with the
general teachings of warfare, that force
concentrated under one command is
more efficient than that disseminated
among several. This conclusion must
not, of course be pressed to absurdity
hut tempered, as all practical conclu-
slons are, by moderation and discretion
A man may consider one 10,000-ton ship
better than two of 5000 without want
ing one of 10000 tons at ALL for suffi-
cient reasons. Our forerunners found
74-gun ship absolutely superior to
two frigates-for the latter to attack
was considered folly-yet the IA was
their norm for the battle-ship, and only
exceptionally was exceeded in size.
On the other hand, this episode was
a drawn fight, because 40 (more or less
quick hring guns got the better OF
eight 12-inch guns unsupported by any
quick-frlng guns at all, They did SO
| apprehend. because they destroyed
the personnel of the ship either direct
ly or by shattering its power of eff
clent offense. Men, however brave
cannot stand up against fire of GER
tain intensity; and when such a condi'
ton is reached and sustained, they are
as good as dead for the time being.