The evening times., 1898-07-05

Commenting upon the victory gained by
Rear Admiral SIMPSONS squadron OF
Santiago de Cuba, Secretary Long said:
THE moment I received Rear Admiral
Simpsons dispatch 1 saw 1t was of such
universal public interest that 1 immedi-
One of the boys looked up and in the
most characteristic manner said: Mr.
Secretary, is there anything you can add
to this?"
1T seems almost elimination of glory
that such news should come on Inde-
pendence Day. II Is Dewey's victory over
again-the total destruction of the enemy's
feet. with terrific loss, and with but one
man killed and two wounded on our side
Nobody questions the bravery of the
Spaniard. and this makes all the more
significant the superiority of the Ameri-
can officers and seamen in skill. training
discipline and efficiency How splendidly
this victory rounds out the thus far glori-
GUS record of the American Navyi"
Captain A. S. Crowninshield, member OF
the Naval War Board, and chief OF the
Bureau of Navigation. is naturally most
enthusia site over the destruction of Ger
yera's feet.
From the moment those ships enter
ed the harbor,' he said, Il was confident
that they would never escape. | think
the result shows the utter inefficiercy of
the personnel on board the Spanish meu-
of-war. and their lack of gunnery exer-
else and drill. The ships We're first
class vessels of their respective types.
and should have given Rear Admiral
SIMPSONS men-of-war a stiff fight. But
they inflicted such little damage as to
show the great inferiority Of their equip
ment to that of the American vessels. and
the poor gunnery of their men as COM
pared with that displayed by the Amert-
cans.
THE result clearly shows that we have
no:hing to fear fror. the Spaniards on
the sea When Admiral Cervera, with
his fleet, started from the Cape Verde
Islands for the West Indies we were
naturally apprehensive. but, judging the
past By tn" present. IL would seem as
though We had overestimated the Span
fish strength. Why Cervera left the har-
Dor in broad daylight is a question which
can only properly be answered by him
self / suppose that Cervera, in leaving
the harbor. desired to make as good an
appearance as possible in the eyes of the
world
at Wis one of the boldest deeds in ma
val history said Gen. Miles. in speaking
of Cevera's attempt TO escape"
Even though Cervera is an enemy. his
daring action seemed somewhat TO thrill
the chivalrous sense of the rugged COM
mander of our Army.
For" he added. calling his Young son
TO confirm his estimate of the exact num-
Der of Simpsons fleet, you see he was
going right up against a fleet of over four
times his own strength
Gen Miles said he supposed Cervera leit
during ID ylight. because the sinuosry
of the chapnel being considered. the buoys
could not he seen at night. nor could the
pa ssage of the Merrimac have been safely
made in the darkness"
Gen MRcs was asked II Santiago sur
rendered today what would be the idea
of sending further re-enforcements 10
Santiago.
ITO invade Cuba" he laconically re-
piled
Then Gen. Miles added significantly
that he would not regard the troops now
being sent as in the nature Of re-enforce-
ments.
But it was remarked by another au-
thority that there are yet about i10t]
Spanish troops TO be subdued in Santiago
Province. and that Santiago was good
base TO move from for the attack on
Porto Rico.
This view seemed strengthened by the
reasons which Gen. Miles gave i few
moments later. as TO why an invasion of
Havana would be unwise at this time
First" said the general. the bulk of
the Spanish army is concentrated in the
western end of Cuba, ard it is a well
recognized maxim in warfare that the
smaller force of divided enemy should
be first attacked
Second. the low ground about Havana
during the rainy season is in no condition
for planting our heavy siege guns.
Third. it would. in my opinion. be un-
wisely hazardous to expose our troops to
the yellow fever, now at its height abou'
Havana"
Gen. Miles having stated again posi-
lively that he would go to Santiago. he
was asked if he would take command.
.'If / were in Santiago tonight" he re-
piled. 81 should not attempt to interfere
with Gen. Skaters plans. but I should
be in command in the sense that II Presi-
dent Mckinley were to go to Camp AL
ger to review troops he would not go as
Mr.. Mckinley. a visitor. but as Presi-
dent Mckinley. OF course. I should exer-
else the supervision of the general COM
manding the United States Army
Gen. Miles would not state when or by
what vessel he would sail to Cuba.
Meanwhile he says troops will be sen.
forward 10 Santiago as fast as We can get
transports to take Them.
Moreover. General Miles repeated the
statement made yesterday that the gen
eral campaign against Spanish posses
sons would proceed as if Santiago had
been but ar incident and had not been
expected to capitulate. He expressed the
Iivelest qualification at the results Of
"the zeal and energy of both Army and
Navy before Santiago"