The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-11-01
THE NAvYIN THE WAR"

is a most interesting article on THE
Navy In the Wer," by Captain +. 2
Chadwick. who con nanded The flagship
New York Captain Chadwick does not
indulge in any harsh criticism. but dis
cusses The conduct Of the naval cam
paign in a spirit Of fairness that makes
Lis orlicle all the more readable as we'll
as forceful.
Captain Chadwicks first observation
is that although the government deemed
u wise not 10 assault Havana N the be-
ginning. no one conversant with events
would say that the easy silencing Of :hc
Havana batteries was not certainty.
II the government had so ordered and
with their silencing the city would have
been al our mercy
But waving that roint he thinks that
the government should have first ,ar-
tured Porto Rico, taus taking from
Spain an important coaling station and
base Of supplies. and relieving the Cties
OF our own coast Of the fear Of an as
sault from the Spanish gun boats. He
argues also that we should have sent a
fleet at once to the coast Of srain for
the purpose Of occupying TIE Spanish
mind at home.
But hts article In the main IS devoted
to a DISCUSSION Of the relative merits Of
the different Kinds Of naval vessels as
developed by the war. The first de
...f.r.,-,. go be ,rag he erroaf fneg-
equacy Of the monitor type to the SER
Vice attempted These ships, he de-
clares had no quality whatever ir their
favor under such conditions Their coal
supply was limited, their speed vas
slow. they were nels OF suffering TO their
crews. and above all their rapid period Of
oscillation made them such poor gun
platforms that accurate shooting from
them. unless the water was perfectly
smooth. was impossible, 81 have 40
hesitation in saying" he added that
our experience condemned them unqual-
ihodly for general service; it IS type
for simple harhor use only"
This opinion Of Captain Chadwick's we
see from the Washington dispatches, IS
having It's weight with the Navy De-
partmen,.
Captair Chadwick speaks in highest
praise Of the armored cruisers and bat
ueships Such ships as the New YORK.
and Brooklyn type. Dc says. with their
heavy gun IRE, high speed great rates oi
action and very far armor-protection.
have shown themselves to be a primal
necessity Of a well organized naval
force. Speaking Of his own ship. the
New York. he SAYS that she could easily
keep the sea month without ooaling.
could spring at any time 10 thirteen or
fourteen knots. and in a short time 10
seventeen or eighteen. was equal TO meet
ins on fair terms anything short of
heavily. armored battleship. and developed
altogether a general utility which speaks
FL strongest terms for her type
As to the botueships. De thinks they
are misplaced in an ordinary tlockad,
Il IS too much. he SAYS. Ike using
sledge hammer 10 crack a nut but that
their value shone with brightest lustre
when the biockadss OF the ensmy's feet
in Santiago's harbor was established.
These battleships. he says were able 10
20 right under the forts of the enemy.
and Fash their search lights all over the
harbor. thus making the escape Of the
lee. as Impossible by night as by day.
The long and brilliant beam Of light nc
adds. shore through the entrance and
over the intervening hills as far as San
,isro. six miles distant. although the
hattleshlps were within a mile OF The
enemy. and the whole proceedings ca
be properly described In the remark Of
the British naval attacne who on look
Ing At ~ from the deck Of tne New York
said what id mpertineree
IS Cor the torpedo boats he says that
thev mad very little opportunity during
me past war Of showing what was IN
them. and while the work Of the Nesuvius
with her dynamite guns Was limited he
thinks t1at there Is great possibilities in
that class OF vessels.
In conclusion. Captain Chadwick asks.
why did the spanish fail so markedly"
His answer is that while We arc accus-
toned 70 look upon the spaniard as a
European, in point OF fact he Is not one.
lie is largely Moor in blood ano char
acter. 1t is from him. he saxs. that the