Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1898-05-13
Dewey, the NermOnter.
His UnrivRlled Achievements In Manila
Bny---One of the Most Brilliant
Events I'm Naval IIIatorv

his thfNhlltd ACnieNements IN MAMMA
Boy---One of the Most Brilliant
Events I'm Naval History.
From the New York Tribune Sunday, May ST.
News from the Philippines has come at
last. And such news! 1t ranks with
CAESARS despatch from Pontus and Perry's
from Lake Erie In some respects, as we
shall see, it surpasses even them and sets
record for which we shall have to scan the
worlds history most carefully to find
parallel. The message has the simplicity
and directness of a classic. The fleet
reached Manila at daybreak and immedi-
ately attacked and destroyed the entire
Spanish fleet without the loss of a ship or
a man. That is the story which today sets
every American heart to throbbing with a
loftier pride and invests 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 com
pete. The days of silence since have not
shaken the faith of the nation in that re-
suit. Today the authoritative confrma-
ton comes, telling OF a triumph more go.
rious than even the most sangune had
dared to hope.
In two respects it will be hard to find a
/ parallel to the battle OF Manila bay one
is the daring Of the American commander
He was torm-tossed, on unfamiliar seas,
with no port of refuge within thousands Of
miles. Defeat meant annihilatiou, And
the euemy's ships were more numerous
than his, and the harbor was supposed to
be dotted with mines and the shores were
lined with forts. 1t was the enemy's own
fighting ground. \ man as brave as Com
modore Dewey might well have hesitated,
reconnoitred, set up a blockade. and such
tactics would doubtless have prevailed and
won the yictory--iu 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 crushing. No doubt it
was perilous. All war is perilous There
may be those who will say he staked his
all on a single throw. But they will not
be just. The iron death-dlce Of war" do
not fall by mere blind chance. There is a
power, even in man himself to control the
lot. There are 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.
Wellnigh unique, too, stands this battle
in its results upon the combltants On the
one side, enjoying the advantages OF de-
fence at home, every ship was destroyed,
every fort was silenced and the roll Of kill
ed and wounded ran far up into the hun
dreds. On the other, suffering the disad-
vantage OF aggression in strange waters.
not ship was even materially damaged,
not man was killed and only six were
slightly wounded.
There are few records approXimating to
that. Napier, in his famous expedition to
Magdala lost not a man. Jackson, III the
final struggle at New Orleans, lost only
eight killed and Is wounded But these
operations were on land and in circum-
stances of exceptional favor to the vctors.
OF all remembered sea fights there is not
one that equals this in contrast between
the smallness of the cost and the greatness
OF the result.
Some years ago, when Lord Dufferin
was yiceroy at Calcutta and when there
was thought TO be danger of foreign inva-
sion and a native revolution in the Indian
empire, a British statesman sententiously
remarked; at is worth a whole army
corps TO have Dutferin at the head of
things just now II i worth a whole
fleet of warships and vast island empire
20 have had George Dewey at the head of
things in the China seas for the last few
weeks. Use your discretion the Presi-
dent is reported to have said to him. 1t
was safe permission. The commodore
has used it, and the nation eXults in the
result.
Many years ago, when both were sub
alterns, George Dewey and Charles d.
Sigsbee fought side by side at Fort Fish
er. Then their tracks lay apart, and the
present crisis found them on opposite sides
of the world. Today, though ten thous-
and miles apart, they are again close com
rades in arms. The one a few weeks ago
sustained a mighty loss. The other few
days ago obtained therefor a mighty ven
geance. From Sigsbee to Dewey might
well have gone the message, The Span
iards have treacherously destroyed my
ship" From Dewey to Sigsbee might
well come back the message, 81 have open
ly destroyed the whole Spanish fleet" Ha-
vana has found its complement at Manila.
The most dastardly crime in naval annals
has been followed by one of the most bril-
liant victories. In 1.-The long wash of Au-
stralasian seas" American seamen have
remembered the Maine.