Bryan morning eagle. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1898-1909, 1898-09-22
CAPTAIN PAoET ON
OUR WAR WITH CUBA.
He says Csrsera Made a Great Mi.taks
When lie Attempted 20 -
cape Prom santiago.

Washington, Sept. 2l.-Cap:ain Al
fred Paget, the British naval attachee
assigned to observe operations during
the recent campaign in the West Indie,
engagements, Is here assembling a lar, Z
mass OF material gathered In Cuba an
experimenting this with official data
not being supplied by the navy depart
ment. He viii spend most Of the fall
gathering together material for his r..
port TO the British Admiralty, which
VIII b an exhaustive treatment OF the
naval branch Of the campaign with con.
siderable attention TO the military
branch owing 10 joint operations Of the
two branches during several stages OF
the war, particularly tho siege Of santi.
ago
Speaking informally Of some Of his
observations, Captain Paget said IL had
been shown quite clearly that the naval
branch OF the service should have com.
plete control OF all army transportation
by sea. He points out that this was the
prHctice the world over. In the British
service all transports are under the con.
troll Of the admiralty. Il was not until
the troops were ON land had the army
authorities the right to assume direction
OF affairs This practice Is in general
operation with all large countries, par.
ticularly those having colonial posses.
sions and could b, adopted with advan.
tage by this country, in Captain Paget's
opinion, as much confusion Of transport.
alton and landing Of army aud supplies
was due 20 the inexporionce Of merchant
captains Of transports and TO the direc.
ton OF all sea transportation by the army
rather than by the navy.
Captain FACETS report will devote
much attention 90 the destruction of
Admiral Ceryera's fleet, as this was the
main naval incident Of the war He Il
securing from the navy department
complete reports 81 the gunnery Of
American ships with view Of showing
the importance Of the "man behind tho
gun" Captain FACETS personal views
are that Admiral Cerycra's s0rtie was
most foolhArdy venture, which cannot
be justified by naval standards, even
though ordered by the admiral's SUPER.
ors.
According to Captain Paget's views
the most effective use Admiral CerverA
could have made with his squadron was
20 have dismAntled them OF all the light.
er guns, particularly the quickhring and
turned over these guns and men over
20 General Toral for use in defending
the city. These quicktirs guns some 100
or more, distributed along the entrench.
ments and handled by trained men Of
the squadron, would have been able TO
sustain deadly fire on the American
advance.
Captain Paget expresses the belief
that such move would have made San.
tiAgo practically impregnabe lie has
no doubt that starvation and disease
would have broken down the Spanish
defense in time. but Ceryera's guns
could have held the town from defeat
by assault In case Of sortie from the
harbor Captain PaRet shares the view
Of American naval officers, but the sor.
tie should have been made at night II
attempted in daylight, the Spanish
ships should have directed their attention
o. the American transports, A. they fur.
nished a vulnerable point where greaI
hayOc could have been wrought Capt
Paget maintains that the Spanish policy
should have been 10 rush at our ships,
taking them unAwarcs before steam
could b. got up, and taking the risk Of
loss 20 long a. some damage was inhict.
ed. Had this plan tcen adopted he
thinks Il might have resulted n ram.
ming or sinking one or more u our
ships.
Captain Paget speaks highly Of our
new battleships and cruisers, particu.
larry those now on stocks, which. be-
has examined critically through plans
aud specifications He says foreign
naval experts long ago recognized that
first class warships could bo built in tho
United States although he docs not al.
INIT that our ships yet excel or even
equal those Of British build In tins
connection a prominent American naval
officer recently told Captain Paget the
new cruiser New Orleans, bought in
England during the early stages Of the
war was a revelation 10 the authorities
here In 50 far as her guns and arma.
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