The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-07-15
OUR FOREIGN MILITARY CRITICS.
The Landing at Santiago "a Brilliant
sManeuver.
Philadelphia Press.


When General Scott landed at Vera Cruz
and disappeared into space and Mexico half
a century ago. European military. critics
wrote learned demonstrations of the GER
tainty of his defeat, which got over here
about the same time that the news of his
victories reached Europe.
Our old friends are at it again. The thor
oughly slxillful and successful landing Of
General Shafter at Baiquiri comes just in
time to show how dangerous prophecy is,
even for a German military expert The
Militar Wochenblatt is the recognized organ
of German military critics. It's leading spirit
was interviewed by the New York Herald
a. fortnight ago. He kindly pointed out that
it would be some months before we could
possibly land in Cuba and that when we
did, in our ineXperience it would take us
good while to do. it.
In June, 1897, the Russian naval maneuv-
ers were devoted to the landing of an ex-
petition of 5000 men, just the size of Gen.
ShafterS force. Preparations for the work
began months before. 1t was carried on by
staff trained to its tasks. Not twenty
years ago Russia was in great war. It's
standing army is about forty times the size
or ours. It's fleet is about twice as large
as ours: 1t is the only military power of
which German experts speak with a re-
spect born of just apprehension. The landing
made by the Russians in the Black sea was
pronounced by the editor of the Militar
Wochenblatt to be theoretically the most
successful attempt ever made by a fleet to
land large bodies of men in the presence of
the enemy" and this is what the German
critic said about our job in the light of that:
=, But, of course, you readily understand
that the difficulties of such an operation
mere encountered in a sham fight and in
tune of peace are naturally immeasurably
increased by the unforeseen in the case of
real warfare. Yet compared with what the
Americans propose, this Russian landing
attempt is small matter. Just look here
Ihere were two naval squadrons each con-
slsting of about nine large ironclads any
NUMBER OF cruisers, gunboats and torpedo
boats, and each squadron only succeeded
IN landing eight thousand troops, and took
three days to do it,
At Santiago Admiral Sampson and Gen.
Smarter, between Them have landed sixteen
thousand men in just two days They have
done 1t in the face of an enemy of nearly
equal numerical strength. The task has
been carried out without the loss of a man
under fire. two men being drowned The
landing, once made, was followed by the
instant occupation of region large enough
to give entire safety in future movements
One-eighth of the force was made up of
volunteers. OF the regular army scarcely
a regiment has been together in decade
General Shafter has never commanded two
brigades together in thirty years Instead
or working with a base at hand as in the
russian maneuvers, his base is half the
length of the Mediterranean distant No
officer concerned ever saw war on large
scale for thirty-three years, and of the rank
and file minute fraction ever were under
fire.
The feat at Santiago is put in its proper
relations by this comparison. 1t stands as
brilliant and successful maneuver which
matches any like work done anywhere