The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-04-02

tween Spain and the United States-un-
less it shall happily be averted-will far
surpass any fighting hitherto recorded in
the history OF warfare. Ii VIII cause the
whole civilized world TO shudder, by rea.
sen OF the unprecedented destruction of
human lives. The carnage will be most
frightful. doubtless, IN sea battles, be-
cause on the ocean there is no possioili-
~ Of getting away, and the conditions
are such that in every case the combat
must be carried to sanguinary extremes.
1t is estimated by experts that in iigh-
between the Indiana and Spain's mighty
ship-of-war. the Pelayo--a very fair
match. with SOD men on each side-each
vessel would have about thirty killed and
l2o wounded in the first twenty minutes
This, of course, would be only the begin
ming. In the naval engagement OF the
Yaiu. the Chinese battleshia Chen-Yuen
lost $50 men out OF a total of AGO, or about
76 per cent. Troops on land may retreat
or surrender. and as a rule they viii do
one or the other when Their losses reach
30 per cent. which is the point of break
ing strain" as military authorities call II;
but so long as a ship floats and has gun
20 fire she will keep on fighting. There
is always a possibility that well-airned
shot viii disable an unharmed adversary.
An encounter between the Peiayo and
never been seen on the water. 1t Will
transcend in ferocity and fatality any
thing of the kind recorded hitherto. The
American battleship Is apfe to throw ev-
cry minute one 1.l00 pound shell. three or
go pounds each, two of 100 pounds, fifteen
Of 60 pounds each, and twenty or
pounds. The l,lOo-pound projectile, fired
from one of the four 13-inch guns. strikes
with an energy Of $500 foot-tons-force
enough TO Jife the Pelayo bodily two ana
a half feet. If the commander wishes, ne
can 50 connect his batteries with wires
as to fire all the guns simultaneously,
striking the adversary with such ire
mendous storm of projectiies that no
ship could very well stand up against IT.
But the Pelayo is as formidable vessel
as the Indiana.y and she could return
blow for blow.
The naval actions in this war will be
short. sharp and decisive. There viii be
no prolonged struggle, such as tnat De-
tween the Scraps and Bonhomme Ricnaro.
which were dashed together ana 1ougnt
for four hours. plying all the means OF ae-
struction known to the times. A single
missile from one OF the Iowa's great guns
weighs more than twice as much as
whole broadside of projectiles fired from
the Bonhomme Richard. and is discharged
with an enormously greater velocity. The
explosive shells, too, work frightiui havoc.
scattering death and destruction all
around and setting fire 10 every Dit OF
woodwork. In ten minutes cruiser IKE
the Brooklyn, armed with eight S-inch and
twelve 5-.nch guns. twelve out OF the
twenty in play at time, can fire over 400
shells. transforming the deck Of an ad-
yersary into shambles and literally rid
ding every part Of the opposing ship not
pr0fected by armor.
1t has been figured out that In all the
naval battles of the world since ls62 the
proportion of persons killed and wounded
in the first twenty minutes or the engage
ment averaged SO per cent. This percen-
tage certainly will be more than doubled
in the sea fights of the approaching war.
In a ship carrying $50 men, from go to 5OO
will be killed or disabled in the first quar-
ter of an hour One shot fired by Chi
nese ship at the Yalu battle. and striking
a japanese cruiser fairly. killed and
wounded l02 men. In the confusion, car
mage, fire and terror there VIII be no time
to minister to the wounded. For them.
indeed. there is hardly any chance of
escaping death. The deck being swept by
a continuous storm of bursting pro1ecuieS.
there will be no opportunity or CARRYING
them below. While the combat Is at long
range and the causa!t.es few, they can De
laid behind the turrets. but when the
action is at close quarters no attention
can be paid to them.
1t should be explained that In an engage
ment at close quarters the matches are
closed with so-called battle plates, ana no
wounded can possibly be passed below.
Meanwhile. all parts of the ship above the
armor belt, which only extends four feet
above the surface OF the water. are being
rIdtiled by gun-fire. and the number of
t., vil N IN
an action at least one of the vessels en-
gagged Is likely TO be sunk and that means
death to all on board of her. Her own boats
have been knocked to splinters early in
the combat, and the same fate has be-
fallen the boats of her adversary, so that
the latter. even II not otherwise occupied.
would not have any means OF picking the
drowning men up. These suggestions will
make IL evident that very little is TO be
done by the medical department in a
modern sea fight. 1t is only after the con-
fiict has come to an end that the surgeons.
IL they are still alive, find an opportunity
10 perform their duties.
Surgeons. though non-combatants, take
as big chances as anybody In an up-to-
date fight. In the Yalu battle the COM
partment occupied by the doctor of a
Japanese ship was cleaned out by one ex-
plosive she'll and he and all his wounded
were utterly destroyed. Each vessels
deck is IL distinct battlefield, and no sue
cor from one TO another is practicable. The
medical and surgical outfit of a United
States warship. with $50 men and officers
costs S3,5oe. Each vessel has it's apothecary
and bay men. or nurses. Landing parties
of go men are accompanie by one sur.
geon, one apotheeary, one nurse and four
men for bearers. Shelter tents for hospi-
tai purposes, II required. are improyjsei
with rubber blankets. The medicines and
other such paraphernala carried along in
eiude dressing Tor fractures and wounds,
iourniguets. bandages. an.iseptic ga,lze
antiseptic powder and tablets OF opium
quinae and calonei.
FROM the statements already nnsde.
"hich are carefully accurate. 1T vii. be
apparent that the modern naval action
represents type OF conflict far mora
sanguinary than any hitherto known on
sea or land. II is literally victory or
aealh rom the po,nt of view of the par
tlcipant. for only those who win stand any
chance worth mentioning of s,,rx,,,ya, NJ