The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-07-26
A BRITISH OFFICERS VIEW.
CAPT. ROURNE or THE CORDELIA
TALKS or AMERICAN NAVY.

Great Deal of UncaSineSs to the
AmerieanS-High Tribute to Amer
lean Commanders, scamen and
Tasks ContraSted.
A British naval officer of recognized abil-
fly, who has recently given an opinion Of
the operations Of the American navy at
Manila and Santiago, is the Hon. Maurice
a. Bourke. of H. NJ. 5 Cerdelia. Aside
from the value of the expert testimony Of
Capt Bourke, his opinion has, I'm this CITY
and community, that especial interest
which comes from personal acquaintance.
The captain and his fine ship, il viii be
remembered, paid a visit of several days
duration to this port last sprins: While
here capt. Bourke made a number Of
warm friends, who viii DE especially pleos-
ed TO hear thai he is now the commodore
of a squadron of four cruisers, with the
Cordelia as flagship, in Newfoundland wa
tiers, as well as to read his opinions of the
performances OF the Yankee" sailors with
their splendid ships.
To show that Capt. Bourke is well quail,
fed TO judge of the subject upon which he
speaks, and 10 make an expert
criticism on the various naval
operations of the Hispauo-American
war, it is only necessary to recall The facts
that he is acting commodore of a British
squadron, that he has commanded at least
one of the most powerful batHeships in
the royal navy, that he has seen hard ac-
tive service for a number of years, and
has had some very thrilling experiences in
the performances Of his duty. one Of the
most memorable of these latter occurred
In
when Capt Bourke's ship, the Victoria,
was accidentally rammed by the Camper
down as a result Of an erroneous order
by Admiral TryOn. The Victoria went
down with several hundred souls, includ-
ing Admiral Tryon. Capt. Bourke. who
stuck to his ship until she founderod, al
most miraculously escaped. Talking a
few days ago at ST. Johns Newfoundland
of the American Navy and lis work to a
correspondent Of the New York Sun, Capt.
Bourke said:
THE main cause Of the utter overthrow
of the Spaniards has been their own inde-
cisIon and lack of definite policy. The
American papers, have, very unwiseiy
heaped much ridicule upon their naval
strategy board, who acted as expert ad-
Visers to the nOn-service Secretary of their
Navy Department, and filled a role which
no fleet commander could hope to do with
advantage, an view of the imposslbility of
his keeping himself informed of the move
ments of his enemies. Some such board
was just what the Spaniards needed, which
would arrange a definite plan of campaign
and provide for its being effectively car
ried out. But the declaration of war seem
ed to demoraltze their whole naval machin-
cry; they kept backing and filing. moved
their ships al bout without any definite pur-
pose, and neglected TO avail of the one OPP
portunity which presented itself to strike
their enemy In a vulnerable spot That
would n al ba Tor-fh A
iantic sea coast cities, Portland, Boston,
New York, etc, which could have been
done by sending Camara' s squadron across
To these waters at the same time that Ger
vera was dispatched to Cuba. Though the
Americans acted with cOmmendabIe
promputude in improvising an auxiliary
squadron out Of mercant steamers, Il is
open 10 question as to whether they would
have been of much value in resisting Ca
mara's armored ships. The Americans
would have been at a further disadvantage
by not knowing the point he intended TO
take, and they could not have massed to-
gether very easily enough real warships
10 prevent his making dash into one of
these ports and destroying millions of dol
lars worth of property.
If you recall the panic which prevailed
IN these coast cities at the time CerVera |
was coming across, the sowing of the har-
pors with mines and the utilizing of scores |
OF tugs to patrol the coast, you can easily
imagine what would have been the result
had the Spaniards adopted that policy |
Here was Schley securing the Caribbean
sea, the four American liners circling
ABOUT in midocean, and Sampson in re-
serve to defend the military base al Tam
pa, with its thirty transports and i'm
mense stores of war munitions. Yet Ger
vera escaped them all. He crossed the At !
lantic without being sighted and was
actually inside the American second patrol
line when reported from Martinique by
the Haryards captain as hull down west
of 1.-The port. Then he ran to Curacao
without interference, and from there to
Santiago. He likewise lodged the Yankee
fleet. A little better Judgment or more
accurate informa ton, and he might have
made for Havana and destroyed the small
gunboats and tugs which then comprised
the blockading squadron off that port for
all the effective fighting ships had been
withdrawn 20 cruise in quest of him Had
Camara played the same game off the
New England coast with only a hastily |
converted squadron under Commodore
Howell to oppose him, ships would have
had to be drawn from Cuban waters TO
strengthen Howell, the naval forces of
both nations would have been euualiZed |
and we might have seen some very differ
ent engagements result. Still nothing can
deraot from the admirable manner In
in which the American naval authorities
rose TO the need of the occasion, and pro- |
Nided men, muniuonS ana ships for the
varied purposes which the opening of hos |
Utilities imposed upon them.
The United States have reason to he
proud of their naval commanders. In ev-
cry instance they have proved themselves
men of tried courage and strategy. think
that the spectacle of Dewey setting out
from Hong Kong to fight the Spanish feet
in the shelter OF known batteries and de-
stroyng it without the loss of one Of lis
own men is an achievement unequalled in
naval history in its lack Of Injury to the
Victors. The Santiago fight is another
amazing encounter and If Camara and
Watson should ever meet l look for the
extinction Of Spain as a naval power 1t
is a great pity that the American news
papers have been so prone In the past to
ridicule their own warships, for il has
been proved beyond doubt that In sea-
worthiness and strength Of construction
they are the equal 81 any The record of
the Oregon Do sleamlng from San Eran-