New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-06-20
THE DIFFERENCE IN MEN.

The men behind the guns settled the ques-
ton at Manila and will probably settle 1t else
where There have recently come forward
many full and minute accounts Of the battle
M Manila some in private letters and others
from correspondents of proved correctness or
observation and known fidelity While they are
highly interesting they are especially impor-
tant for one statement. In which they all sub
stantlally agree-namely that the superior In
telligence and skill of the American gunners
threw far into the shade all other differences
between the opposing forces One trained OBJ
server himself a naval officer Of experience.
carefully compares the strength Of the two
forces in guns and position. and concludes that
the Spaniards had q decided advantage, so great
that had the American officers and men been
handling the Spanish guns, ahoat and In FORTH
cations there would have been nothing left OF
the American fleet in short time.
But this difference Is one which counts quite
as much, II 1t exists, in the land battles which
are coming If there is found on one side great
" superior intelligence and faculty OF handling
modern weapons, other differences will quickly
be put out Of sight Set one man who is
dead shot, with the pistol before another who
has little natural aptitude or training, and the
DISPARITY Is so great and obvious that some
duellists would forbid the contest and call 1t
murder But the disparity Is not less II In
stead Of one there are thousands Of sucf. men
on each side. What chance has an ordinary
body OF unframed troops against thousand
trained Indian fighters? Before one force could
get the range enough to hurt anybody 1t would
no so rddled and demoraIed that 1t would
he incapable Of fighting In greater or less
degree such differences exist between all OPP
posing armies, and in these later days OF i'm
proved weapons the personal superiority Of the
soldier. man for man, counts for UNNECESSARILY
more than In the old time.
II has vet TO be proved in action how the
soldiers OF this country compare with those OF
Snaln. Still. there is ground for somewhat
definite opinion. The Spanish force has been
tested 70 some extent There have been Off
c,al reports of many Spanish battles with the
Cubans. lasting for hours and using up vast
onantity of ammunition, IN which the most that
Spanish mendacity has cl.ISsed has been de-
font Of the Cubans with loss Of one 10 dozen
men. About how long does anybody suppose
such Spanish soldiers Will have opportunity TO
blaze away in that fashion when they get with
IN range OF the American Regulars who have
seen service in the Far West? Even the poor
est militia regiment this country has forwarded
may be expected TO have In 1t fairly large
proportion OF men who know how to shoot
Most of these regiments have had considerable
drilling In the use Of arms. Judging from Span
ish reports Of battles since the war In Cuba be-
gan. It would seem that Spanish craftsmanship
must be as defective with small arms as II has
been found in all forts and vessels yet met In
combat.
n such superiority of intelligence and skill
exists Il Will soon be demonstrated. and so
plainly that the Spanish troops themselves will
recognize It, Then will come the question how
far lighting against bullets which generally hit
WIN demoralize a force and deprive 1t Of such
fighting qualities as 1t originally possessed. A