Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1898-09-01

they could lay their hands on.
Same Mode of Attack.
In the fight between Pembroke and the
Spanard Ruy Diaz he Roxas, near Ro-
chelle, although cannon were used almost
for the first time on sea. the same mode Of
attack prevailed. Pembroke WAS made
prisoner after four Of the enemy's vessels
had been dashed to his vessels. In fact.
all the records of ancient naval warfare
seem to indicate that sea fighting wus lit
tie more than land fighting. The cantend-
ing fleets would he dashed together and the
men would fight hand to hand until one Of
the principals surrendered. The Spanish
armada. with its $50 vessels. was little
more than series Of Homcric duels. The
ships were clumsy aud u!Iwieldy, commu-
ncation was effected hy means OF small
boats and most Of the destruction was
wrought by tireships- Guns cut little
figure. and most of the Spanish vessels il
appears, were destroyed hy violent storms,
in open sea Even as late as 1862, when
Admiral Russell Of England engaged the
French in n series of sea fights known as
the battle of La Hague, he positively for
babe his men TO fire on the French until
his opponent, Tourville, had taken his dis
lance In battle array. One English ad-
rn!ral in a battle with the French forbade
his men firing until the enemy had fired
the first shot an incident which furnishes
a precedent for President McKinley's re-
ported order to Captain SampSon
II was not until forty years ago that the
ironclad cut any figure In naval warfare.
" the great battle Of Trafalgar in 1905,
in which Nelson was killed. only hand
ful of powder was used in a Discharge.
and the guns were all twelve and six
Founders. II is a rpmarka BILE fact that
England herself the leader Of the world
as sea fighter, weighed down by q can
kerous stretch of peace. has not fired a
shot, metaphoricany speaking. in four de-
cades. The bombardment OF Alexandria
IN 1852 was not an exception, as England
was then simply firing ut a target. having
no opposition whatever. Neither were the
efforts of the Chilians and Peruvians In
their late belligerency of any avail In az
fording q clew 10 the great problem Of the
| ironcladS, The attempts made by the
vessels Of China and Japan four years
| ago were anXiously awaited by the rest
OF the world, and, although they were on
q more extended scale than any previously
made, they still failed to furnish an exhi-
| bition of the real merits or dement's of
the iron monsters Japans smaller ships
| got the better of China's heavier craft
with the same ease with which American
soldiers prevailed over Pekin's raw land
! levieS.
Originated In America.
1t was America, however that intro
| duced the ironclad to the world. and the
| duels between the Monitor and the Merri-
mac were pathhndcrs in the new and I'M
certain warfare which defies wooden
| beaks and ships of fire. AS a result of
! the Spanish war; the whole world has
been thrown on the defensive Almost
| Immediately after the United States vot.
cd @ naval appropriation Of S50,00O,OOO
| Russia set aside the same amount for the
| construction of men-of-war and England
ordered built eighteen battleships to her
annual budget of thirty-two cruisers, for.
ty-one torpedo boat dcstroyers and eleven
other war vessels Next TO the English
come the French, with a total Of 600 yes
sells OF war, and the United States has
quickly come TO the front as naval pow
er. Her vessels are not as heavy as those
of her cousins, but they excel in speed
and American seamen have always rink
ed with the best in the world.
To recount the most famous naval bat.
ties tn history Is like recountinS the most