The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-05-25

necessary TO pepper the hull of a nlan-of-
war full OF small cannon bali holes III
order to sink ii. This can De achieved by
one single well-drected shot from any or
the great guns with which the warship or
the present day is armed. Everything de-
ponds therefore. upon the precision OF the
gunnery, and the belligerent whose every
shot carries home Is practically certain 10
win the day.
This has apparently constituted the Sc
cret of Commodore Dewey's extraordinary
success at Manila. Each projectile from
his guns seems 10 have found lis billet,
judging by the humiliation OF the Span
ish fleet and the great loss OF Spanish lie,
whereas, owing to the poor craftsmanship
OF the foe the harm done TO the AmerI-
can squadron has been r:dicOlousiy small.
And in the same way the superiority OF
American gunncrs : certain 20 carry the
day In every other naval engagement thai
may YET take place with the spaniards.
English and American Gunners.
In order 10 appreciate It's excellence IL 10
only necessary to glance at tae official re-
port. just ISSUED. OF tae re firing OF the
bartleshirs of the British Mediterranean
squadron which may b. ascrioeti as the
corps d'elite" Of the English navy. Ac-
corling to the figures. the trials. which
take place under conditions as ntIriy
a
warfare. the ships firing at fixed target
while steaming eight 10 ten knots an hour,
showed maximum percentage or hlts or
a. per cent the general average being as
low as - per cent. Thus the Royal Oak
with It's ten big guns only hit the target
four times IN seventy rounds, while the
Arson h4ti{eship failed 10 make single
h,t in twenty rounds. Vet the gunneFy of
the Eugiisch navy is recognized by all tho
naval experts in Europe az vastly superior
to that Of the maritime forces OF every
other power II the Old Word, and certain
I. IS that the English government devotes
far more noney ard attention 10 this
feature % warfare than any other govern
naeni. save that OF the United States.
Had. however. the gunnery OF coinnao-
dore pewey's squadron been on par with
that OF Engiands Mediterranean fleet, the
American victory at Manila would never
have been Of so overwhelming a character,
nor could the commodore possibly have
succeeded in angihlating the Spanish
force with so little damage 10 his saip@.
AZ pointed out IN the foregoing English
sailors are only deprived Of their ratons
of grog when really going INTO action, ana
ara subjected 20 10 such restrictions when
engaged IN mere rlaneBvers or gunnefy
practice. while in tne Spanish. Freneh,
German Russian and Italian naF'@s The
oid~fss nioned custom og doubling the a.
i0yreuce Cf w,ua or spirits 10 TIE crews
when going into action is .s'iu retained
May not Therefore. the abstinence en-
forced ,ipan CnlteS States men-of-war
have something 10 do with the superiority
OF American eunnevy over that Of the r.
rnaintler ~ the world? Certain II = that
a mar yho does nos drink is more cool
and collected and therefore better able 20
shoo, with precision than any one whose
pulse i in the least bit 9u!ckened by
stmulsnt.
MAY Abolish the Hation.
TIE Fnef.sn admiralty has. IN fact. rec
5g,-ze4 fll.s ~ forbsddins ths use %
,iors1r II aav k.nd OF che day when ships
"a s,olnx into action. and 10 one need feel
e,yrr,rise<i II ina. present war leads - the
gros ration beiag abolished altogether IN
the British navy
II tns case q hostile opera tons ga land
fga same cssgls Iteration prevails. ara must
vveigh r, The balance u victory or defeat
II . rot mercy that .. soldiers staying
r.azverz are augmented BY total abstinence.
fu. likewise slis shooting - Improved. IN
these days. especially with the nsw quick
firing rifles ana gans. there Is 4 zen !sgscy
on the part OF III. troops 20 Are ~a.1lY,
and 10 sguanSer Their ammunition az the
otts@t os TIE engagement. fndeed4 re one
object og The differs Is 70 keep tIls.F men
cain, Coal and collected ana free from sx-