The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-06-14
CAPT. MAHAN ON TbE ARMADA.
The Great Naval Tactician DISCUSSES
the Cause Of the Disaster.

The Great Naval Tacticiam Discusses
the Cause Of the Disaster.
Capt. Alfred 4. Mahan contributes TO
the June Century an article on "Ths
spanish Armada. [" Introductory 60 a Ion
ger paper On the same sub5ect by William
FL sderick Tiltor. Capt. Mahan says.
am onR ether Z, iues:
The Armada entered the Enelisi ohan-
ntl on July 10. anu on the 9TH II August
anchored on Calais. having traveTseu tae
channel . ,cce ssfully In a week. Thres
several actions a oorurr,d. None was
decisive; but all tonded 60, orally in favor
OF the English, who uiiiizsd advantages
with their long guns. walls keeping out
OF range OF his musksts and lighter can
non. Tie Spanish iosses in Eattle. bv a
Spanish authority, were sou killed and 6OO
wounded. TIE English ioss from fiss
to last, did not reacn 100. such q discrsp p
ercy tells its own tsle: but II Is to b ts-
momtersd m orsver Tat men slain means
sides pierced ana frames shattsIed. Shot
that fly ide, or that cut spsIs. sails, and
TiaginR. Kill comparatively few. NTH
hulla thus damo aged. In spaniards had 70
oopfornt tbs ~equiro.tial gales IL tie At
lhntic.
At Cslais.a ~ffioncIy town Parma might
possibly jim ;but there was no hsflor for
big ships, n IL was unrsasota' l, TO ex-
pect thst be, with the wbols ell { % Il thu
Netherlancs on his hands. woul. e wait
ing there, IGNORANT h the tleet would
appear, or whether IL would come at sll.
Medina Sido 10 sent him word OF his AZ
rival; bet 1t could not he Hoped that tee
English woald allow the fset 10 occupy
that unprotsstsd pcsi'iou un0i +. rbed. The
Wind being 10 ths westward. taey an
chored ut . s5fs distance &, vino ward,
and on the nigat OF Aug. Z ssnt sgsinst
nary means Of otveI ting thsss falling. t7e
Spanish nj N iral not under way. In tuis
operation. the fiset nrifred nearer the saors
AE d the wind next day coming out strong
from the northwest spa sitting the s,iIs
todily on the coast. nc q der the advice of
tee piloJs, stood into Ia North Hea. Had
Flushing been in their " ssessicn II
might with good pilots, have afforded .
rvfuge; but IL Was held 5y the Dutch.
lhe euemy's stipa more w~eatheFly, drew
M and engaged again; while ths tontip.
o. Of the Wind, . the cluInsiness OF
the H~yantaYde threeteued destruction uI on
the shoals OF tbs Flemish cosst. Tns sud-
Den sDifiing of the wind TO the so2th
saved them = hon slrssdy In OILY six or
vas 20 ba0 luck il or could IL BE- considered
. misfortnne that the southsrly brstzi.
which carried them 10 the Pentlanu
Firth, ohapRsd TO the northeast as they
pssssd the Orkneys and entered tho At
iantic, telling thus fair for their lone
ward cours'
Ihs disasters of the Armads wers due
to the FOLLOWING can SEES; !. vbe failure to
pre- scribe the eflectuai srspI Hug Of she
English navy as . cordttioh PRECEDENT to
any attemItrat invasion. 3 1ne neglect
TO secure Eaforehand y suitable IOint for
making the Junction with toe army.
Com pi natious thus intrusred 10 casnos
have no ripht to exuttt success. T. Ihe
several actions with the English fall ID
beauRa the ships, which onulu exert their
power only cltss 10 tho enemy, were
neither 30 Tart tor SO kenny % the latter.
Only t,oke. who nave tho udvsnts ge OF
range Gao afford inferiority OF speeu. 4.
lhe disasters In the Atlantis were dte
sithsr 10 ori ginol M sevw crthins IS, or
TO damage received In a6ti3r, or Z, bad
Judgment In taxing UNIV eat ,srly skits
t,o close 20 the shores OF Ireland, VI ere
strong westerly gel. $ prevs lied, ana the
was inht spttntIs.