Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1900-09-14
An xplOitof the American
( Navy.
(By Special Contributor.)


About two weeks ago occurred the sue
cessful trial trip Of our new battleship.
the Alabama. Even more recent was the
launching Of the monitor Wyoming.
From these two vessels we expect much
on account of their modern design and
scientific equipments as well as from the
prowess of the American sailor. But the
names "Alabama' and wyoming are
not unknown in naval warfare. The
wonderful career of the old Alabama"
involved the two leading A~nglo-saxon
nations in a long controversy that re-
suited in the first great triumph of inter-
national arbitration. The wyoming
was distinguished by one, Of the most
noteworthy exploits know to naval his
tory. and which was of no less interna-
tional Importance than the worldwide
record OF the Alabama" Yet while the
destructive cruise of the alabama" has
attracted the attention of the civilized
world, the battle which yet will make the
wyoming famous. has hardly q place
even in the annals of our own country.
A brief official report in the recently
published Official Records of the Union
and Confederate navies" and an even
briefer but more appreciative mention In
Murray's "Story Of Japan" comprise
about all that is devoted to the battle
which occurred in the straits of Shimon-
oseki in 1863. and which was nearly as
significant an event in the history OF the
island empire as was that greater naval
battle that took place in the same locali-
ty, more than eight centuries ago. No
popular history of the United States even
mentions this battle of wonderful intrep-
idity and of great International import
ance. nor is it referred to in Spears or
Maclay's or any other history of the
American navy, yet it deserves to be re-
membered along with Decatur's destruc-
ton of the Philadelphia, Cushing's de-
struction of the Albermarle. Hobson's
sinking of the Merrimac, and even with
the epoch making battle of Manila Bay.
The sole satisfactory and appreciative
description Of Commander MacDonOugh's
skill and courage is a graphic essay by
DR.. William Elliott Grifiis. published in
the Century about q decade ago.
In cold type it is not possible to picture
the greatness of the battle. It's charac-
teristics can only be briefly outlined. In
a rapid and narrow strait, ignorant eve
Of the ~sOundings, our heroic commander
attacked three Japanese men of war.
supported by several lam batteries and
maintained the conflict for over an hour.
The Japanese batteries and war ships
were equipped with of Euro
pean manufacture and their soldiers and
sailors had been drilled by European
methods. In weight of metal n mum
Der of guns the defendants were six
times as strong as the assailants, while
they a twelve hundred men to one
hundred and twenty on the American
cruiser. The result of the battle was that
the Wyoming was struck a number OF
times, though not disabled and about g
dozen of the crew were killed or wounded
On the other side, one battery was com.
pletely destroyed and another silenced
while two ships were sunk and the thirG
disabled. ',-a
Brilliant and successful as was the at
tack, under some circumstances it might
be called al act of rashness. But under
the conditions as they existed it was the
only purse that a brave n conscientious
commander could pursue. Had it beer
deferred or unsuccessful, a war witt
Japan might have been added to the gi.
gantic civil contest in which the natior
was then engaged. But the immediate
result was ~unbounded admiration o.
American prowess on the part of the gov
eminent of Japan, and a speedy apolog.
and indemnity for the unjustifable cpl
sode hat ~occasioned the attack.
The new Alabama and the new Wyom
ing are the two battleships to which ref
erence was made at the beginning of THU
paper. The old Alabama and the old Wy
oming were somewhat connected in tn,
battle of ~Shimonoseki. The Wyomin,
was a twin cruiser to the Kearsarge an,
both We're then in search of the Alabama
, which under the ~redoubtable Semme
was the seourge of the seas. In this pur
suit the Wyoming, which a been as
, signed to eastern waters, had been disap
pointed and Commander MacDonougl
had received orders to return home. A
this ju%ncture he heard that an American
steamer, entering the straits of Shin
onoseki, in the usual course of it's trir
l had been fired on by the japanese fort
and compelled to change it's route. With
out hesitation the resolution of the com
mander was taken and the insult effect
), ually resented. The episode tn
) greater significance from the fact that
Dutch and French man of war had eac
I come within range of the batteries be
! fore the Wyoming essayed it's task an
each had been driven away without in
nicting any apparent injury, althoug
the Dutch captain had remained unde
: fire long enough to obtain the official rec
:. ognition of his government for his az
e ton. But in the crowde days of the mic
y die of our civil war, one of the creates
exploits of our navy was entirely ovel
looked by government n people.
was not overlooked however, by tn
young-old nation of the east. With thel
the preponderating impressions wei
g wonder At the daring and success of tt
y action and a recognition of what Japa
must learn before it could stand on a
eqaul footing with the nations of tt
modern world. Henc the battle of Shin
onoseki was an element of great eff
: cheney in the regeneration of the "YaI