The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1898-06-24
Our Wonderful Superiority

(From 3 private letter from past
assistant engineer E. T.. Beateh of the
cruiser Baltimore, Of Dewey's feet.l
We feel that we have had a great VIC
Tory here which we ascribe to several
causes.
First, the Spaniard is always behind
the times. He knew that an American
feet Was expected, and was 30 sure Of
hia tremendous superiority. that he took
absolutely no precauiton.
The ulght we ran by the forts Tin the
early morning OIL the engagsment) the
Spanish officers were all at q grand ball.
The entrance to the harbor was planted
with torpedoes He thought that vas
enough. and had no patrol. picket-boats.
or torpedo-boais on guard. The result
is that We ran by their magnificent guns
guarding the entrance TO Manila Bay
and were ont of range inside before the
Spaniards knew it.
Another reason for our success 10
due to Commodore Dewey's orders. Not
one of the ships had any intimation that
we would run by the forts as We did un-
til thirty miles away, when the Commo.
dose gave the order. We were by the
Spanish forts and at the feet by 80 a.
N. on Sunday. May l. They were ten
eth strong carrying lie modern guns
20 ~i.i,.h se opposed q superior Feet. of
six ships carrying lS5 gune. Two Of
th-if ships we're over !, 200 tons displaee-
ment, and the rest were modern gun
boats
This feet was assisted By batteries on
sbore. armed with modem gems. which
made their gupe superior in number to
ours. In number of men engaged they
were undoubtedly far superior to ne.
The span;ards were absolutely con-
fident of siciory. No other outcome was
anticipated by them no preparation
vac made for different result.
l think that their ships, combined
with their forts, made them equal to us
so far as powers Of ofense and defense
we're concerned they had as many mod
ern guns approximating to the same
size as We had and more men to fire
them. They should have been able to
have fred as much weigh. of shot in .
specified time as we did.
Every shot fred from our feet was
deliberately, ,,eooIly ami pitllessly aimed.
The Spanisfds fred sn enormous number
Of times, but with apparently the most
impraeticsple aim. shells dropped all
around cur ships. We were in action
for over four hours Hundreds of shot
and shell fell close to ne. Only FIVE or
sax pierced us and they did no damage.
The damage done by cur ships was
rlghtful. have visited all Of the sunk.
en- Spanish snips, and had | nos seen
the effects oil American inarksmanship
| would hardly give.credit to reports of
it. One smokes.acK ofthe Castillo, a 8, 800
ton Spanish ship, was struck eight times
and the shells through the bull were so
many and SO close, that it is impossible
that spaniard could live on her dec1.
The otheriar ship TIE Reins Cristina,
was perforated in the same way.
We. didn't employ much tactics be-
cause there wasn't much need for them.
There were the enemy, and we went for
them bullheadediy. and made them ex-
ceedipgly sick. -
The lesson draw from the fight lie the
great utility of target practice. The
spanisrd has none; we have it every
three months. Strength OF navies are
compared generally ship for ehip. The
personnel ie just as important.
lam confident that bad we manned
the Spanish ships and mad the spaniards
manned our feet the American side
would have been IS victorious az It was.
The Spaniard certainly was brave, for
be stuck to his guns to the last.