The herald., 1898-05-04
BRITISH NAVAL EXPERTS
COMMENT ON DEWEY'S PLUCK
AND SKILL
LANDING OF. WOUNDED MEN
Indicates a More Complete Victory
Than the Spaniards Have Felt
Free to Confess

Associated Press Special Wire
NEW YORK, May "A dispatch to the
World from London says:
England has been staggered by Com
modore Dewey's overwhelming victory.
The superiority of the United States squad
ron was recognized, but it was fully be-
lieved that 1t would have been more than
counterbalancsd by the assistance afforded
the Spanish fleet by the submarine mines
and the powerful shore batteries.
The splendid seamanship and valor of
Commodore Dewey in forcing an entrance
to Manila harbor in the face Of these de-
lenses excite intense admiration, while
among naval experts, the dispatch with
which the American squadron disposed of
the spaniards is held to prove that Com
modore Dewey employed the resources at
his command with the highest possible
amount of effectiveness.
Lord Charles Beresford said: ut was a
brilliant stroke. Everything, as I said to
you before, depends upon the men in mod
ern naval warfare.
dewey is an able officer He brought
his coal and warships with him. He
thought out and planned the whole affair
with consummate skill and foresight"
do you gather that the shore batteries
were useless?"
mo, I should not say that. Deweys
strategy was thoroughly good. 1t was
business from start to finish. OF course,
when he got inside the harbor he could
easily pound the Spanish ships and he did
1t splendidly. 1t was a case of short, sharp
and decisive work, If you like, but from
the information already to hand, could
not say it teaches us much except, as
contend, that everything depends on the
individual man. It was Dewey's victory"
LAS to the political results-do you
think Germany will like it,"
"No, Germany won't; nor will the Japan
ese, either. But the United States should
be satisfied, anyway"
Sir John Colomb, a high naval authority,
said: From the accounts available,
gather that the Spanish fleet is destroyed
completely in every respect. dare say
that when we receive information from
non-Spanish sources, in it's completeness
it will be even more striking. What APP
pears to me and those with whom have
discussed the news, the most disgraceful
feature of the action, is the failure of the
Spanish batteries to give effective assist
ance to their fleet OF course, the fleet
itself was entirely outclassed. But that
does not account for Dewey being permit
ted to enter the harbor which Is provided
with modern defenses.
1.-THE fact that Dewey was able to form
up the squadron for the blockade of Manila
Immediately after defeating the Spanish
fleet proves that his ships could have sts-
tanned no material injury.
"The result Of this engagement sustains
the view I expressed to the world some
time since, that the Spaniards are no
match Whatever for the Americans, either
weapons of war;"
Gibson Bowley, M. p, also an authority
on naval matters, said:
'sIt is perfectly clear in my opinion that
the Spanish fleet has been knocked into
a cocked-hat. They are only letting us
know the facts by degrees, and some things
in their dispatches are not easy to COM
prehend.
"They say that the Americans landed
their wounded, but Dewey would never
do that unless he had taken a base of
operations on shore, and doubtless we
shall hear later that he has done so. But
unless he gets assistance from the insur-
gents he may find it difficult to maintain
himself. He has, under the circumstances,
been unable to bring soldiers to make the
power of the fleet effective But never
theless he achieved a brilliant piece of
work and one which, the more we hear of
1t, the more admirable II is likely to ap-
pear"
Political consequences are likely to en-