The evening times., 1899-11-18
CRITICISMS FROM NUNEZ
Comments of Spanish Officer on
the Recent Struggle.
His Review Of Biockades and Coast
Drf-uces Translated and Published
by the Naval Intelligence bureau.
A Charge Of Covert American Pri-
vateering-Othcr Assertions Made.

Commander Richardson Clover. chief in
telligence officer of the navy. has just had
published in official form translation of
a volume entitled THE spanish-American
War Blockades and Coast Defences," by
Capt Severe Gomez Nulez. of the Spanish
artillery, a writer On military topics, who
served in Havana during the war. From a
popular standpoint It is not nearly so inter-
esting as the story of Lieut. Muller y Te-
ieiro, of the Spanish navy. about the siege
of Santiago, but is of greater technical
value than the chronicles of that gossipy
diarist. Captain Nunez's work is not free
from mistakes, obvious to any American
who followed the progress of the war in
Cuba. but his reputation, as a writer and
the fairness with which he discusses the
problems confronting the United States and
Spain were considered by the naval intel
ligsnce office as sufficient grounds for add
ing his latest volume to the valuable series
of publications issued by the Navy Depart
ment about the recent struggle.
The writer despite his official position
does not hesitate TO score the military and
naval officers of his government for being
unprepared for hostilities. He maintains
that the plans of campaign prepared by
the United States became public property
before hostilities commenced, but this val
liable information was disregarded By
Spain. On this point he says: 1T might
be objected that there could be little foun-
dation for a plan of war which was i'm
parted before hand to the enemy. Antici-
pating this objection We will say that any
one who has lived in the United States and
is acquainted with Its mode of being knows
that there is nothing hidden in that coun-
try. This special idiosyncrasy is carried
10 such a degree that even the most secret
plans are published. AS an example. We
might cite the filibustering expeditions,
which were always announced before hand,
and afterwards confirmed by facts
Captain Nunez bases these remarks on
the wild supposition that a theoretical pan
of campaign published in an American
newspaper and of course wholly unau-
thoriZed officially was inspired by the
strategic board
An example of Captain Nunez's imagi-
nation is afforded in the following para
graph:
After that Che extension OF the block
ade to the south coast of Cubal the bio *
ade tof Havana) at times assumed the
character of a veritable farce. With glass
es we could see from the batteries of Ha-
vana among the blockading ships. and, ex-
ercising functions of vigilance and even
chasing coasting vessels and carrying or
ders back and forth, private tugs of the
United States. of the press, and pleasure
yachts on board of some of Which We could
distinguish lady excursionists and almos
feel the excitement of champagne.
There were. of course. no private vessels
permitted to go inside the line OF block
ade and no women were on any OF the
other vessels. Captain Nunez follows
these remarks with a criticism OF the
Spanish Government for not using the one
method of warfare which the enemy fear
ed privateering; while in TIE United
States. though not under the name OF pri-
vateers yet under that of auxiliary ves-
sells. there were in the b.ockading fleet
numerous craft whose functions, as mat
ter of fact were identical with those OF
privateers He makes pea for priva-
teering, and asserts. enormously. that the
auxiliary vessels of the United States were
not all commanded by officers of the navy.
WAS il not covert method of privatser-
ing which the United States practiced?'
he asks.
A long argument is made by Captain
Nunez to show that the United States did
not maintain its declared blockade. He
says: Now then, the United States
squadron was repeatedly compelled to
eral other ports of the island in order to
look after other objects which were not due
TO fGrtuitous causes but, on the contrary,
to the necessity of giving attention to
danger presented by our squadron. The
fact may be pointed out that for three days
the Unitetd States ships were absent from
the waters of Havana owing TO the
rumored approach of Cerveras S squadron.
during which time they left at the block
aiding station only a few inefficient vessels,
some of them sailing craft, which could not
really be considered as blockading ships
because they lacked the necessary attri
hutes and power to prevent by force the
ingress and egress of the harbor. The
blockade OF Havana must have ceased sew
eIal times if the law had been properly
laid before the nations of the civilized
world. In our opinion. absolute blockades
should be limited to fortified cities ard
harbors, and as far as towns are concerned
there should be restrictions on the intro
duction of men, arms. ammunition, and
war supplies, but is not humane to extend
these restrictions to food medicines and
clothing for the non -combatant in habi-
tants.
I'm the Spanish-American war the whole
enormity of the effects of the blockade be-
come apparent in the frightful mortality.
After two months of blockade in Cuba,
there could be seen in the cities and in the