The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1898-08-17
The Hero of Santiago.

Detailed reports of the naval battle
make the contention between friends OF
Sampson and SchIey for the glory of
destroying Cervera's fleet look doubly
foolish The victory, says the New
York Commercial Advertiser was the
work Of no one man, though the adj
vance dispositions, thorough discipline
and perfect drill which made It posi-
bic were technically the work Of the
commander Of the feet. The battle
was surprise, for which all the vessels
within reach were ready, and in which
every Captain did his whole duty. II
was not a fleet battle, and Commodore
Schley had no opportunity TO do more
than any Captain. All the circu M
stances permitted him to do was TO
fight his own ship. The only signal
made was the warning one, ''The enc
my is coming out.D This may have
been made first on the Iowa or the
Vixen; the reports are not specific about
a matter of so little importance; but it
could not have been made first on the
Brooklyn from her position. But when
the signal flashed from ship to ship
each sprang to work and did with its
might the work nearest at hand. Every
Captain fought his ship independently,
and Commodore Schley fought the
Brooklyn in the same way. Not one
Of them did better work than another,
except as chance gave him the oppor-
tunity, and not one deserves more
credit than another for the days work.
If the battle must have personal
hero, it is Captain Clark of the Oregon,
but Captain Clark has been doing his
duty at the ends of the earth for
good many years, and he had no time
to organize a literary bureau or po-
litical pull. Ii was accident that gave
the Oregon the opportunity to do more
execution on Spanish ships than any
other ship, but it was not accident that
she was in perfect condition TO seize
the opportunity instantly and improve
it TO the uttermost, any more than it
was accident that she raced around a
continent and arrived ready for battle,
with hull and engines in perfect order
aud men in highest spirit and perfect
discipline. 1t is not accident that the
Oregon, after a performance without
parallel and an experience that in
theory should send the best battleship
TO dry dock, is better fit for battle than
any ship Of SIMPSONS fleet, and is
ready for another voyage of 10000
miles to Manila on days notice. As
a cavalryman is judged by the cOndi-
ton Of his horse, a Captain may be
judged by the condition Of his ship.
When Cervera's ships came out the
four battleships lay opposite the har-
Dor mouth, with the cruisers at either
end of the line. Admiral Sampson in
the New York far 10 the es-ss Aad coEa-
modore Schley in the Brooklyn as far
to the west. Had the ships turned
east Schley would have been out of
the battle TO the end of 1t, as Samp-
son was when they turned west, and
would have run into SIMPSONS arms
as they ran into Schley's. Chance
decided which should have hand in
the battle. But Schley's chance did
not come till the battle was half over
and there was only one ship left to
fight; though he met that one alone at
first aud she was more powerful than
the Brooklyn. He was so far ahead
that he made a complete circle, pre-
senting both sides to the enemy's fire
before coming 10 close quarters In
the meantime the bsttleships had dis
posed of the three slower cruisers,
though only one of them had speed
enough to deal with all of them and
finally coae up with the Brooklyn
and the fast Colon. There was the
Oregon. Starting to the east of both
the Iowa aud Texas, she was first to
get under way and pass both in sue
eession, pouring shot into one Spanish
vessel after another until all were de-
stroyed and finally coming up to the
head of the line to help the Brooklyn
destroy the Colon. Here is a battle
ship doing the work of a cruiser,
steaming as well as she fights and
fighting as well as she steams. No
common management could get this
superior performance out Of a ship
which has two nominal duplicates and
one technical superior in the same
feet. II was soldiers battle and
everybody's victory, but If it must
have hero, why not Captain Clark?