The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-07-18
THr HrsroRTo GOLDEN non.
And the Noble and niustrious james Cor
don Bennstt and the FrjEhtful TX
pense TIE IL mt fOr News.
From TnE EvEN1So $40, u Saiuriap

-A FN- T~|AN AAA
don Bennett md the FrjEttful Ex-
psnss Tie IL mt fOr News.
FROM TrE EVENING sror Of Saturday.
That distinguished and excellent gentleman.
Mr.. James Gordon Bennett. prints a picture In
his Herald this morning showing n terrific mn
val engagement in progress with n yncht in the
forewater. He Rays IL depicts the destruction
OF Ccrvcra's fleet and that the yacht Is tho
Golden Rod, which. moreover. was the only
newspaper boat present during the engage
ment."
Again II IL our painful duty to reprovo this
worthy but errlng gentleman. In his despera-
tion over tho horrible news famine prevailing
In his journalistic vitals he has been printing
in HIS newspapers all sorts OF imaginary hap
ponings at the scat OF war. takingthc thousand
to-one chance that they would turn out TO have
really occurred. Luck was against him and 70
q degree nothing short OF fatal The things
didn't happeni Not one came to pass!
We dwolt the other day with o sollcitude we
could not repress upon the unhappy clrcum-
stances in whichthis involvedt h
gentleman In question. We showed how ono
detected lie hnd TO be reinforced by n whole
escarpment OF new mendncity. and how each
new avcrment. In turn. had to be buttrcssed up
and sandbaRged into the external semblnnce
Of the truth. We deplored then his shortcom-
ings as mn engineer and topographer Of invent
ed fact, and set forth the melancholy failure OF
his defences. II has been all to no purpose.
To-day he is worse than over.
His picture this morning is q most moving
spectacle. 1t discloses warships discharglng
their functions without n deviation from estab-
lished rule. 1t is a lesson. rs the large-minded
Mr. Bennett gravely asserts. a lesson for the
student OF naval wurfare."a study for the his
t%orlan," and IAN inspiration for the senti-
mental reader" The main thing in It. how
ever. is the yacht Golden Rod. the only news
paper boat present during the engagement"
Now this Is n most unfortunate thing for him
to say. or course he had to say something. but
why not think a little first, 30 MS to say what
would stick. hold water. dovetail and fit, In
stead OF firing of the first alleged idea that
came into his evacuated head. And what an
idea! To 60 and overlook the fact that he had
already proved in the Herald that the Golden
Rod was elsewhere on the occasion! To for
get utterly that he had already had the un-
lucky boat Us busy as n mailer at the same
time in an entirely different place. occupied. It
must be admitted. with the details OF a lot OF
lies Of another nature altogether For awk-
wardness |! For infelicity Surely the like Of
1t was never known.
The public" says this misguided but most
deserving gentleman in his Erening telegram
to-day. 1.-The public says he. must have the
news. and. cost what 1t may, a live newspaper
must furnish It," The Herdh's graphic ac-
count of the destruction Of Cervera's fleet cost
more in cable tolls than its memorable descrip-
tion OF Dewey's victory wired from Hong Kong"
This is a most astounding statement. 1t takes
mathematics to deal with it. A lot Of prepos-
ferrous lies. ridiculous and grotesQue inven-
tions and conjectures. pretending to be an ac-
count Of the greatest event In the naval history
OF our time. Is written at the corner Of Broad
way and Thirty-sixth street. and he says 1t
costs moro than a despatch from Hong Kong.
which we actually believe did come by cable
Now, how can that be so? How can a lot Of
fantastic and semi-lunatic rubbish about Samp-
son and Schley and Cervera have cost anything
but reputation and the disgust and contempt of
sensible people?
What a vulgar imposture! Even Pulitzer
would blush to be thought guilty OF such thingl