The evening times., 1898-10-12
Our Navy's Losses.

HAaA S1 ASNhBpViiilNS.
Our Navy's Losses
There is no intense interest in the re-
ports that have to do with the part the
havy took in the Spanish war, simply be-
cause the public knowledge is enough.
1t is known that never in the world. on
sea or on land, was such work done as
that performed by our bluejackets. 1t
more than realizes the widest fancy of
the marine novelist, and closer contem-
plation only confirms the opinion that
in no circumstances could 1t have been
better. The ancients who believed in
the intercession of the gods never con-
ceiVed Of such perfect fighting as that
which oursown sailors have performed
SO perfect. indeed, that it must have
been ascrlbed to simple good fortune
and accident but for the fact that il
was persistent and inyariable. The vic
tory of Dewey in Manila Bay was cred
ible only on the theory that good luck
was with him, until ii was duplicated
in Cuban waters by Schley. Even then
we might have karbored a doubt
whether accident had not made an
amazing coincid1nce. il il We're not that
whenever an American boat, in one is
stance only a yawl, came in contact
with the boastful Spaniard, the same
masterful record was achieved. Quick
ly. cleanIy, and thoroughly the enemy
was smashed in every case. When it
was eXpedient to send shell into the
engine room of the Terror, three miles
away. Captain Sigsbee had the gunner
to do il
There is no need of details; people are
impatient of details where the sum of
achievement is so comprehensive and
complete Yet the final report of casu-
alties is worth noting because, like all
the navy did, it is without a precedent
in the history of ocean warfare. In
sinking little less than a score of war
vessels of all kinds and in the killing,
woundng, and capture of several hun
dred men. Admiral Dewey did not have
a single man killed. There were nine
wounded but all returned to duty. In
the battle off Santiago on July 3. in
which the flower of the Spanish navy
became a semblance of old junk; bat
tie in which scores Of Spaniards were
killed. hundreds wounded, and other
hundreds were captured, only one man
was J. and there were eleven casu-
aIties odd. Every one of the wound
ed returned TO duty. Exactly the same
casualties-one killed and eleven injur-
ed-was the American record in the at
tack on the Santiago forts on July %,
and Of these seven returned to duty.
At Guantanamo the marines fought
ashore, holding their own for one hun
dred hours against a force of greater
numbers and concealed in ambush.
Here the heaviest losses of the war
were recorded. OF sixteen wounded
men nine were returned To duty. three
were invalided from the service, and
four are under treatment OFF Cienfu-
egos the casualties numbered twelve,
with one killed. One died of his wounds,
nine returned to duty, and one is under
treatment. In the fierce battle of the
Winslow, a torpedo boat, and the Hud-
son. a revenue cutter, with the Spanish
land batteries, artillery, and gunboats,
one American was killed and eight were
wounded OF the latter five died and
three returned to duty. In the bonn
bardment of San Juan. one American
was killed and eight wounded, six of
the latter returning to duty and one
being invalided. In four other engage
ments there was an average of one
casualty for each.
In brief, the record is seventeen killed
and siXty-seven wounded. ffty-four of
the latter returning to duty, one dying
from wounds, six dying under treat
ment, and six being invalided from the
service. Considering what was achiev-
ed in these battles. there is no approach
to this list in the naval history of the
world The results themselves, with
out regard to losses. are without par
allel. 1t has been accounted for by
Dewey and Schley. the particular vic
tors. The former by the statement that
every movement was planned before he
left Hong Kong; the latter by the as
sertion that it was the efficiency of the
men behind the guns. American head
work and American efficiency in shoot
ing did the business. Valor we may
find elsewhere, but certainly not in
Spain could we find the other qualities.