The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-09-19
HONEST MEN BEHIND THE GUN.
stiIl Drawing Lessons From Our victory
at santiago.

at Santiago.
From the London Chronicle.
Much has been said of TIE man be-
hind the gun, and 1t has been pointed
out that the Saxon being superior 10
he Latin, Ii was only natural that
Spain should be defeated on the sea.
Very true: and yet it seems to me one
factor in the equation has been over
looked. Morality counts In fighting ike
everything else. FOUR honest nan Is
a better man-in all things-than a
rogue. According to the testimony OF
one of the officers of the Spanish fleet,
the crew of the Cristobal Colon were
mainly convicts, taken out of the 1alls
and forcibly put aboard the ship Just
before she sailed from Spain. Is IL 10
be supposed for one minute that men
of this stamp could stand up before
American sailors-sailors because they
love their work and glory in their
~country? Another Spanish officer Is
authority for the statement that liquor
was beautifully served to all the crews
before the ship left Santiago harpor,
and tha a great many of the men
were drunk. Drunken %convicts pitted
against sober, he American
freemen. Is IT surprising that In eo
minutes Cervera's fleet was a mass oil
twisted steel and iron, while the Amer
lean squadron had passed through It's
ordeal unscathed?
We have been finding explanations
for the marvellous hitting qualities
of the American as demon
strated both at Manila and Santiago
One. to me the simplest. has been over
looked. There are very few American
naval commanders who have had mucf
experience in feet work. American
%sauadrons have rarely consisted, since
the close of the civil war and until
the commencement of present hostill'
- r -, .l.n - th-an ~ Four NnGGQlG
and these have been generally scat
tered over the station. There has beef
practically no opportunity for fleet evo
lutions. for the intricate maneuVer'
which DISTINGUISH European navies. II
their place. American commander
have devoted their time to gun drill
to sub-calibre and target practice, wit
the one end In view of bringing thei
men to the highest state of proficienc.
as gunners. Probably. in fleet tactica
%evolutions the American admiral migh
be at a disadvantage. but in gunner
he has shown the world what he ca
do.
Another thing we have been taugh
Is the uselessness of the coming
tower. 1t cannot be ascertained tina
, a single commanding officer availe
himself of the protection OF his al
mored citadel. The space is too nal
row to permit a captain to see every
thing happening around MN, ana IN az
1 ton the commanders vision must M
be narrowed. Perhaps even a strong'
objection to the use of the conninf
tower is the implied reflection II col
yevs on the courage of the command
ing officer. The men must stand in Il
= open, the captain is safe behind ste
walls. The sight of the captain stan'
n ing on bridge or pilot house, seeing ar
: seen by his men. encouraging them J
his presence. sharing with them Il
risks. is an inspiration, an incentive
greater leeds. Would Nelson he Il
u glorious FIGURE of history If he had be-
shot while telegraphing to the engin
room from the conning-tower? Fa
- ragut dashed TO the rigging made evt
il the timidest a hero; in comparati
,s safety behind his belted walls the l
!, ~spiration of his presence would ha
been lost.