New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-05-08
DEWETS RECORD BATTLE.

News from the Philippines has come at last.
And such news. II ranks with Caesars dis
patch from Pontus and Perry's from Lake
Erie. In some respects as we shall see. it sur
passes even them and sets a record for which
we shall have 10 scan the worlds history most
carefully to find parallel. The message has
the simplicity and directness Of classic. The
feet reached Manila at daybreak and immedi-
ately attacked and destroyed the entire Spanish
feet without the loss OF a ship or man. That
Is the story which to-day sets every American
heart 10 throbbing with n loftier pride and in
vests the old Stars and Stripes with new beauty
for its friends and with new terrors for its foes
Six days ago the victory was believed TO be
complete The days Of silence since have not
shaken the faith Of the Nation in that result
To-day the authoritative confirmation comes,
telling Of a triumph more glorious than even
the most sanguine had dared to hope
In two respects II will be hard to find
parallel to the battle Of Manila Bay. One is
the daring of the American commander He
was storm-tossed. on unfamiliar seas. with no
port Of refuge within thousands of miles. De-
feat meant humiliation. And the enemy's
ships were more numerous than his. and the
harbor was supposed to be dotted with mines
enemy's own ighting-ground. man as brave
as Commodore Dewey might we'll have hest
tated. reconnoitred, set up q blockade. and such
tactics would doubtless have prevailed and won
the victory-in time. But they were not for
him. Moved by the very genius Of war he
seized upon the psychological moment for an
instantaneous stroke, swift, terrible and crush
ing. No doubt 1t was perilous All war is
perors. There may be those who will say he
staked his all on a single throw. But they will
not be just. The iron deathdce Of war" do
not fall by mere blind chance. There is a
power, even in man himself. TO control the lot.
There arc times when the height OF daring is
the height Of prudence. times seen and used by
inspired warriors. Such time was May Day In
Manila Bay
Wellngh unique too, stands this battle in
ts results upon the combatants. On the one
side, enjoying the advantages Of defence at
home. every ship was destroyed, every for, was
silenced and the roll Of killed and wounded ran
far up into the hundreds On the other sur
fcring the disadvantage Of aggression in strange
waters not n ship even materially dam
aged. not a man was killed and only six were
slightly wounded. There are few records APP
proximating TO that. Napier, In his famous
expedition to Magdala, lost not n man. Jack
son. In the final struggle at NewOrleans. lost
only eight killed and thirteen wounded But
those operations were on land and in clrcum
stances Of exceptional favor to the victors. OF
all remembered sea fights there is not one that
equals this in contrast between the smoness
OF the cost and the greatness Of the result
Some years ago, when Lord Duffcrin was
Viceroy at Calcutta and when there was thought
to be danger Of foreign invasion and native
revolution In the Indian Empire. British
statesman sententiously remarked: ut is
"worth a whole army corps to have Dufrerin
at the head Of things Just now" 1t is worth