The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-05-29

low as % per cent. Thus the Royal Oak
with her ten big guns only hit the target
four times in seventy rounds, while the
Arson battleship failed TO make a single
hit in twenty rounds. Yet the gunnery of
The English navy is recognized by all of
the naval experts in Europe as vastly su-
periOr to that of the maritime forces of
eV cry other power in the Old World, ana
certain it is that the English government
devOtes far more money and attention to
this feature of warfare than any other
government save thai of the United States
Had, however, the gunnery of Commodore
Dewey's squadron been on par with that
of England's Mediterranean fleet the
American victory al Manila would never
have been of 50 overwhelming a character
nor could the commodore possibly have
succeeded in annihilating the Spanish
forces with so little damage to his ships
As pointed out in the foregoing. English
sailors are only deprived of their rations
of grog when really going into action, and
are subjected to no such restrictions when
engaged in mere maneuVers or gunnery
practice, while in the Spanish, French,
German, Russian and italian naves the
old-fashioned custom of doubling the al
lowance of wine or spirits to the crews
when going into action is still retained
May not. therefore, The abstinence forced
upon United States men-of-war have
something TO do with the superiority Of
American gunnery over that of the re-
nainder of the world? Certain it is that
a man who does not drink is more cool
and collected, and therefore better able 20
shoot with precision than any one whose
pulse is in the least bit quckened by slim
uiant. The English admiralty has in fact
recognized this by forbdding the use OF
LIQUOR of any kind on the day when ships
are going into action, and no one need feel
surprised if the present war leads to the
grog ration being abolished altogether in
the British navy.
In the case of hostile operations on land
the same consideration prevails, and must
weigh in the balance of victory or defeat
It is not merely that a soldiers staying
powers are augmented by total abstinence
but likewise his shooting is improved. In
these days, especially with the new quick
firing rifles and guns, there is a tendency
on the part of the troops to fire wildly
and to squander their ammunition at the
very outset of the engagement Indeed
the one object of the officers is 10 keen
their men calm. cool and collected and
free from excitement, so that they NAV
reserve their fire for the proper moment.
and then fire to hit. Indeed, what arous-
ed most admiration at the battle Of
Atbara was the calm and collected manner
in which the Highland regiments advanc-
ed across the bullet-swept plain in front
of the Dervish Zereba, apparently Just as
Tree from undue excitement and cOOllv
keeping their formation with as much
eXactitude as if they had merely been on
the drill ground
And lastly it may be well to point out
that the spectacle of bloodshed and the
noise and din of battle are quite sufficient
in themselves to arouse all the latent dis
position to savagery that turks In every
human breast This being the case, is ii
wise or polite still further to loosen the
restrictions of civilization by the use of
sttmulants? If ever abstinence ought to
be enforced, and becomes of SURPRISING
value it is in times of war both on Land
and at sea.