The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1898-05-31

LSciantifc Ameriean.l


American fleet in Manila Ba.
have served to emphasize severa
well established principles O.
naval warfare, the truth of which
has been recognized through
many centuries of struggle fol
the mastery of the seas. We be
lieve it was Napoleon who sale
that Providence was on the side
of big battalions. That may bt
on land, but the history of Sc;
fights without number has taught
us that Providence is on the side
of forethought, good Judgment
discipline, dash, WE'LL timed aud
acity and above all straight
shooting. All of these qualities
were conspicuously present in
the compact little squadron OF
half q dozen ships which in the
gray dawn of that eventful morn
ing circled around the bay be-
fore the astonished gaze of the
enemy and at a predetermined
hour and on a predetermined
plan began to blot the Asiatic
fleet of Spain out of existence.
The two most important facts
brought out by the Manila fight
are the ability of modern ships,
even of the unarmored types, to
engage land Notifications, and
the incompatible value of accur-
ate gunnery as means of de-
Tense against the shell-fire of the
enemy. The astonishingly small
casualties to our ships and their
crews during several hours of
fighting is not all to be credited
to poor craftsmanship on the
part of the Spanish gunners. 1t
was largely the result of the
rapidity and deadly accuracy of
the storm of shells thrown by
our vessels. which rendered the
gun positions untenable and
probably disabled the crews fast
er than they could be placed at
the guns. A crack marksman
behind a modern high powered
rifle is worth whole inches of ar
NOR protection to the ship on
which he serves, and it begins to
look as though the theorists
might prove to be correct who
contend that modern fights will
be decided by killing off the gun
crews rather than by penetrat-
ing belts and demolishing un-
armored ends and upper works.
Not less remarkable is the fact
that half q dozen unarmored
cruisers should have run past
shore batteries of considerable
strength and blown out of exis-
tence fleet that held a strong
position under the guns of a
powerful battery. The supreme
confidence with which this sup
posedly impossible feat was I'M
deataken is only equaled by the
splendid audacity and cool DELHI
GRAFTON with which it was car.
ried out. If the Spanish fleet
was taken unawares, it was be-
cause its admiral judged-as byI
all the canons of naval warfare
he was justified in doing that
the American feet of cruisers
would never dare to undertake
an attack for which only heavily
battleships are suppos- |
ed to be available. The success
with which the Notifications in
Manila Bay were attacked is GER |
tain to enhance the value of the
swift cruiser as against the more |
cumbersome battleship. The |
LANCER will be that critics will |
ose sight of the fact that the
'orts and probably the guns were
lot OF the latest description, and
Will push too far the lessons that
nave been taught by the reduc-
ion of Cavite arsenal.
Inc battle has shown again the
Ibsolute necessity of removing
rom warship every piece Of
woodwork that can possibly be
pared. Our shells loaded with
ommon brown powder served to
ct lire to the Spanish ships
arly In the fight, and had the
hells been loaded with high ex-
'loslves, the confagration would
ave started sooner and burnt
ven more fercely. Fires were
tarted in two of our ships bv
Exploding shells, and, though
hey were speedily extinguished s
1ey emphasize the necessity for S
Igldly excluding all unneces. I
airy combustible material from a /
'arship. i
The fight again demonstrated t
le utility of torpedo boat at
'ck when carried out by dav-
ght and in the open. Three
9pafate attempts were made bv 1
lese little craft to run out from a
he harbor and dash within fir. v