The times., 1899-07-05
HUMoRs OF THE WAR.
Hichborn's Claim to He ahe Hero OF
the Orcgon's Achievement
(From Dc So York Tribalnel }

(FTom the New York Tribune)
The war with Spain would scarcely have
had genuine American flavor IL it had
not evoked its full share OF humorous in
eidents. or these the enemy furnished
their full quota With the tragedy and
pathos which attended the lowering OF the
Spanish standard in this hemisphere there
VIII be joined always in the minds Of
Americans the recollection OF the brave
out fantastic dons. naughty in their rhet-
orle and wild-eyed in their shouting, con-
quoting modern warfare on principles and
with an equipment comparable to those OF
the famous Manchan knight.
The war had but begun when the can
ture of the big liner Panama by the pigmy
tender Mangrove sent ripple OF laughter
over the continent. Then the first man
10 reach the crest of san Juan Hill" ap-
peared- and the grin broadened as his
numbers grew from a single file to a pla-
.ooh' company. and a regiment The gun
BOAT Su~anee clearing for action to light
battieship: Skaters expedition held up
ny spook fleet OF Spanish warships.
the lieutenant of regulars who failed to
see why Russia's military attache should
not Join in his qualification that the war
had solidified the two branches OF the
Anglo-Sa race-those and dozens OF
similar incidents have stirred the mirth
OF people which in far darker days had
found time and inclination to laugh with
Artemus Ward.
Naval officers in Washington are chuck
ling quietly over the latest addition to the
humorous history of the war-the claim
advanced by some OF Chief Constructor
Hichborn's friends that to him is due the
real credit for the oregon's presence at
Santiago and hence for her great share in
the victory there. The claim is so bold
and so sweeping that Admiral SchIey will
have to recall his famous saying .sTnere
is glory enough for all" or there may be
left only enough for the newest acquisition
TO the ranks OF the naval heroes Captain
Clark and Chief Engineer Miiiigan will BE-
stripped of their mistaken laurels, and the
bays will encircle the brow OF Chief Con-
structor Hichborn- The friends OF the con-
structor assert that the 0regon's success
was due to- the energy of one man. who
Just previous to the war ordered her in
dry dock to have her bottom "seraped and
sandpapered. thus increasing her speed
at sea- Is 1t possible that in unguided ig-
norance the nation has been worshiping
false idol? 1t would seem SO from this
dictum- The real hero of the warship, ap-
parently, is not the man behind the
gum" not even the man before the furnace
fire, but the man in the overaIls who
scrapes the sea growth off her bottom
A slight flaw is developed in the aIgu-
ment which, supports this claim made ior
the Chief Censtructor-that he has no au-
thority. namely, to order" any commits
stoned ship OF the Navy into dock That
is the prerogative of others. He simply
sees that her bottom is cleaned when she
gets there But it is further asserted that
on the occasion of the battleship's now
famous docking the Chief Constructor also
had bilge keels fitted Ito render the vessel
steady for a gun platform" The Oreson
fought off Santiago. however. on sum
mer sea, on whose placid surface she found
no need of bilge keels. Their sole effect.
in fact, was to reduce her speed and thus
delay the surrender of the Colon.
Scraping a ships bottom and fitting
thereon appliances which-however ser
viceable at other times-aetualIy RETARDED
her in action seem scant grounds on which
to base q claim for transcendent glory.
and one, too. at the expense of men who.
through torrid days and sitting nights.
guided and steamed the ship to her fnaI
victory. The man behind the tarnacle-
scraper will hardly replace the man behind
the gun. and the man behind the stokins
shovel as the real author of Cervera's de-
struetion.