New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-05-04
TIE WAR NARROWED.

single week has completely eliminated
considerable part Of the danger to American
interests which has troubled imaginative per-
sons There Is no Spanish feet in the Pac.nc
TO prey upon American commerce. All posi-
bility Of attack on Pacific ports or seizure OF
Hawaii has vanished. al the least for some
months 1t is scarcely conceivable that Spain
will be foolhardy enough 10 send any armed
vessel into the Pacific Ocean until peace has
been restored because II could not get into those
waters without being obliged to put In for coal
somewhere on the way to Cape Horn or the
Cape OF Good Hope, thus giving notice OF IT'S
purpose long enough ahead TO enable Ameri-
can vessels to meet and destroy 1t. As Spain
will evidently need nearer home all the force
she has the attempt can no longer be reckoncd
among the things possible. Even greater diff
Guilty would attend the sending Of priyateer
on the long voyage. for such a vessel could not
get coal at many stations " here a vessel Of the
Spanish Navy might. Moreover. there
greater opportunities for such vessel In the
Atlantic
Thus more than half the world Is taken ont
of the theatre Of war at the start. II there
should be occasion this would enable the Gov
eminent to withdraw part Of its fleet IN the
Pacific, as It did withdraw the Oregon. for ser
vice nearer home. But 1t is not improbable, In
the light Of what has happened that no vessel
from that quarter will be needed. The effective
part Of the Spanish Navy now remaining has
started westward There is time TO strike it
before it can reach Porto Rico to reft after the
long voyage and put It's torpedo-boats into CON
dition for use. II is TO be presumed that the
Navy Department which has calculated so &C
.al,, md Mt "
know what Is best 10 do. and that If there is
delay II will be only for the purpose OF making
the end more certain and speedy.
The Spanish Navy, as something unknown,
has been treated with certain respect, as II
possibly equal TO the American, gun for gun.
Bnt a single week has shown something Of the
men behind the American guns, and has In
creased the original probability that Spanish
vessels with the same metal will not be found
q match The accuracy Of firing shown even
at long range in the affairs about Cuba, and in
Manila Bay under fire of vessels and forts to-
gether has been instructive to foreigners and
enough to inspire some new thoughts in the
Spanish mind. II 1t proves that the American
vessel sustained the fire OF the Spanish forts
and feet without serious injury TO single
ship. that also will 90 far to clear away tho
idea that. gun for gun, the Spanish are match
for the American forces But II this be not
true, the feet coming westward has only the
chapter Of accidents 10 save IT,
The idea that the Spanish feet means TO strike
some point on the Northern coast before giving
warning by appearing In the West Indies Is one
which the naval authorities have been bound
to keep In mind, and they have taken extensive
precautions to guard against such an attack
Considering the strained and almost crippled
condition Of light torpedo boats after long
Atlantic voyage. that course would probably
throw away part Of the advantage in such craft
upon which the Spanish evidently rely much