The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-06-30
A DASHINC
MILITARY FEAT.
Establishment Of Skaters Arnv
on Cuban SoiI--What Our
Troops May Accomplish.

Tho Successful establishments Of Gen
eral Skaters army upon Cuban soil
when IL is adequately appreciated b,
the American public, will bc rightfull,
regarded as ono of the memorable mill
tary achievements CT history. European.
who are moro familiar with vast army
movements are already astonishcd n,
the briiliancy with which tho commit.
Gated enterprise was carried out, cspe.
ciaiiy in view Of the slight experience
American army officers hayo bad with
tasks Of such magnitude.
lt turns out that the misunderstood
delay ct Tampa wns utilized 10 excel.
lent advantage ty tho authorities 10 In.
sure every feature Of tho programme
against failure, and the result demon-
strstes that tho command of tho United
States forces has been in thoroughly
capable hands. Impartial experts who
have r,ndc comparisons between Gener.
III Shafter's exploit end tho most in.
nous expeditions Of similar character
which have occurred IN the last cen.
tury, declare that no MORO than three or
iorr incidents In military history have
approached in Importance the present
dispatch CT troops TO Santiago, and that
ncno ot these wcra moro famous than
General Sliaftcr's promises to Lcccme.
Greater bodies of troops have perhaps
ccen transported TO distarcc from
their main Lasc Of supplies, but these
movements tavo taken place either in
times CT peace or havc been unsuccees-
fnl. Tho rapidity with which his 49,
OCO men havc been carried over 900
mites on The high seas and successfully
landed III q fortified country is pro-
rcnnocd TO bo unprecedented.
Historically Abcullir bay, tho scene
OF at least two Ct thc most famous en-.
gaGemcnts over fought. comes to the
mind CT every army AID navy officer
when santiago is ncnticacd. II was et
this point that Nelson fought the Lattle
of the Milo just 100 years ago. where
Nsrolccn landed e year later with >. Coo
rloa 2:d defeated l5,C00 Turl:s. ard
where, in March, 1901, was fought the
greatest confined naval ard rlilitary
engagement. CT tic wcrld, when the
.Eritish began tho expulsion of the
Frcrc,i.
= Tie LnGlish naval fcrce engaged was
comparatively small, consisting OF seven
line CT battle. ships and several frisatcs
ard slcops.~Shilo tho array numbe rcd
1900 Ill rra-:ncd transports. The acot
being composed entirely Of calling ves-
GELS, 1t took day 10 anchor them. fol.
lowed r. delay cf 'siS days on account
CT tho heavy gales and rough surf,
which prevented n landing end enabled |
the French to make preparations for
effective resistance.
The first division CT G,Co0 rcn was
landed in snail beats under heavy fire.
While this division hcld its position on
TIE beach tho beats returned to tho
ships for the scccrd division, and it |
was not Until late CT night that the en-
tire landing was completed. Then |, 900 |
fenr1en had to Eaul tho heavy guns M
tho beach il tho ecrd.
The French wcro rc-cnforccd by Z, 900 |
rien before they wcro ottncked end dc.
feated after ccrce fighting, aud it was
not until n month after tho landing that
Alexandria capitulntcd. Tho gallant de-
fcnsc made By tho Insignificant French
forco was in etrcua contrast TO tho rc-
ceptior which greeted General Shafter.
especially rs tho, lattcr's operation was
conducted upcn we'll wooded and de-
clivitovs coast easily held by concealed
guerrillas, whilc in Egypt tho land was
fiat ana Practically trcclcss 1t remains
to be seen whether tho strategical di-
version executed by portion, Of Admi.
raj Sampson's feet completely succeed.
cd IN drawing tho c:,einy away from tho
selected point CT dcbarEation cast Of
Santiago, whether the Sraniarjs wcrc
by mortal fear of getting within
range OF tho battlcships' guns or wLcth.
CT the Cubans had driven them tac.,
into tho city. ~
Another CT tho greatest landings was
that at Vcrn Cruz in April, jS41, when
General Scott. after taking all tho reg. !
ulars away from General Taylor. leav.
Ing him tho volunteers, organized his \
expeditions Of l2, iacii in 20 ships !
and transports at Lobes island 200
miles from his object point Tho armed
convoy to this expedition consisted Of
'en naval vessels. aud fer the first timo 7
N history the cxreditioDary force used
steam as q motive power.
Special surfboats. to carry 100 mcn 6
'ach werc provided for rlandirg purposes, {,
md the organization was established 5
ishore without tho loss Of a nam. the !
,oint selected for commencing the in. =
of the city being outside of tho q
angc Of tho forts. The Transports In $
his expedition werc roomy, side wheel !,
'essels, particularly adapted for tho q
hort journey they undertook, ard tho /
oyage was not necessitatcd by the dis I,
ance from home. LIT rather hy tic ia. :