The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-05-13
FRIDAY, MAY 10, 1898.
TIE INVASION OF CUBA.


has abandoned tho conservative and sate
Motley that be adopted at the beginning
Of the present war with Spain, and has
accented the views Of those who want
things rushed along at railroad speed.
We assume it to be settled that an army
Of some fifty thousand men is to be sent
10 Cuba Just as soon as they can be
landed upon the shores Of the island ana
that Blanco is to be attacked at once,
both upon sea and upon land.
We fear the President has allowed the
limoges to capture him. We very much
fear the President has been dragged
away from his first and much more pru-
dent policy 10y Admiral Dcwey's bril-
liant naval victory and by the clamor OF
importunate men rather than by sound
and wen considered argument. But
Dewey's case ought not to have been al
lowed any influence in determining the
motley about Cuba Deweys problem and
the Cuban problem have nothing in COM
mon whatever. The Spaniards that
Dewey had 10 fight were aboard ships
that were no match whatever for
Deweys. and they were utterly unframed
in the use Of their artillery. His battle
was. therefore. the fight Of giant
against a rdgmy We do not mean TO de-
preciate Admiral Dcwcys brilliant VIC
tory by these remarks. We think that
his invasion Of the port OF Manila,
thoroughly mined as he supposed il TO be
and protected by land batteries. manning
heavy guns, was one Of the boldest and
most audacious feats of war. that Will
make his victory take rank as one of the
great exploits Of all time Nevertheless,
the fact cannot be overlooked that the
Spanish ships were no match for his
ships, and that the Spanish artillerists
were no better than children for the pur-
pose Of their business. Nor at the same
time, can II be overlooked that though
outmatched and foredoomed 10 destruc-
ton. the Spaniard, as a man, entirely
maintained his reputation as a fighter,
and stood by his guns and ships until the
one were detroyed and the other were
sAAfANhA ~ - inns AtANN NAAANA NNhAb ~
receive the Presidents consideration
when the Manila matter IS up, and it
should be given FAR more weight in dis
posing of the Cuban question than the
case with which Admiral Dewey de-
stroyed their fleet.
Blanco has an army variously reckoned
OF from fifty TO seventy-five thousand
men The invasion Of che island with
nifty thousand men proceeds upon the
assumption that Blanco's men will not
stand before ours. But there is absolutely
nothing in the case TO justify such an
assumption. His soldiers may not be thor
oughy drilled and disciplined. but they
know enough Of both TO form in line OF
battle. and their officers. all from the
ranks Of the gentry Of Spain. will die at
their posts before they will show the
white feather. The chances are a hum
bred TO one that when in line of battle
their officers viii hold their lines steady
Cor giving and receiving fire. and. IL they
do. battle between their troops and our
troops win become very largely ques-
ton Of which line can stand the most
and the hardest pounding. We have no
doubt our line would come out best in st.
but We see no picnic in II for our men.
We see nothing in the case 10 Justify our
authorities in supposing that the Spanish
line Of battle will disappear as soon as it
IS faced by ours. and II is clear 10 The
Times that II ought not TO be confronted
until we can face It with such numbers as
will make resistance practically impossi-
BILE. Nor Is It 20 be forgotten that while
the Spanish soldiers may be without dis
cipline and drill. our volunteer soldiers
are just as deficient I'm both. Many Of the
companies that will so 10 Cuba have
never moved IN battalion or regmental
formation, and the best results can hard
~ be expected from troops that first
manoeuvre IN large bodies upon the bat
ile-Held and under the fire Of the enemy.
The Times is anything but a pessimist,
and Il does not make these remarks as
prophecy OF disaster. The Times knows.
however, that II an army should meet
with a reverse IN Cuba the effect in the
country az large would be most depress-
ing after the great expectations now IN
dulged IN. The Times makes these sug-