The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1900-02-23

ss just as plucky
and bold as that
of the laurel crowned victor. More
battles are decided by accidents than
by want of courage or Of tactical skill.
Before taking UP the actual fighting
between his ships and Dewey's fleet
on May / the old admiral lets out some
state secrets. 1t is well known that
Spain was warned to the extent that
she should have prepared to defend
her colonies, and Montojo affirms that
Sobral, Spain's naval attache in Wash
ington, kept his government supplied
with the military plans of this gov
eminent. He also says that the mill
tary and naval chiefs of Spain told
Madrid that war in Spain's state of
unpreparedness was absurd
A suitable navy of modern ships
mounting modern guns. with torpedoes
and other equipments up to date in ma
ture, Spain did not possess. Specifical-
ly he declares that he and his captains
advised against fighting for the defense
of the Philippine harbors. And Ger
vera also, he says, together with his
captains. told the government on April
20, 1898, that the war must be decided
on the sea. Therefore, Montojo con-
cludes, the order to Cervera to sail to
the West Indies was in effect an or
der to divide what little sea power
Spain possessed and venture frag-
ments against the strong fleets of the
United States. Reasoning thus he as
serts that the war really ended when
Cervera left the Cape Verde islands to
cross the Atlantic.
81 can PROVE" says the admiral,
"that, although years passed without
the government doing anything for the
defense of the Philippines and al
though in all these years the army and
navy commanders had petitioned that
something be done, until SO days
before the declaration Of war no
ordnance was sent to Subig, nothing
| done for the defense of the mouth of
the bay, and even after that the things
sent for defense were four cannon of Is
centimeters Of 1885, which even at that
date were antiquated. The initial We
locity of our cannon was $40 meters
| against the smallest cannon of the ene-
my, which was $50 meters, and the
enemy had many Of these on his ships.
Il was ordered to close the smaller en-
trance of Subig with ships expressly
sunk for the purpose and to close the
larger mouth of the bay with torpe-
does which should have been sent, as
they were sent to Cuba, but which
never reached us in the Philippines.
In order to give an idea Of our misera-
BILE situation l may mention that we
had only IA torpedoes for the defense
of 1000 meters Of space and that the
cable which we received in Hongkong
was only long enough for five torpe-
does, and therefore only five could be
placed"
The idea Of Cavite as military
stronghold Montojo calls absurd. He
says it lies in the corner Of bay hav-
ing two entrances, one Of which is too
wide for defense by ships and too deep
for torpedoes. 1t is wholly indefensi-
BILE and when blockaded is simply
trap. The arsenal masks the fire of
the forts, and ships Of over 1S feet
draft must remain at q distance of
eight or ten cables from forts and
arsenal. 1t has long been decided, he
says. that Cavite is defenseless and
that Subig bay is the most convenient
port In case Of war.
AS for Manila, he asserts that the
Spanish army and navy Offices in the
capital Of the Philippines were rented,
showing that Spain considered herself
only visitor there A governor gen
eral who asked for an appropriation to
erect fort was summarily removed
from Office
The officials at Madrid, according to
Montojo, were warned by the naval
attache at Washington that in the
event of war the United States squad
ron in Pacific waters would attack the
Philippines. Sobral sent to Madrid de-
tailed statements as to the strength
OF Dewey's fieet-the power, equip
ment and strength in men and guns.
The day before this reached Madrid
Monto1o cabled that he had only the
Reina Cristina (fagship). Don Juan
de Austria, Isla de Luzon and Isla de
Cupa. with these and two cruisers
which he asked should be sent him he
hoped to do something, although he
did not know Dewey's strength.
Seventy torpedoes were dispatched
to the Philippines. but did not reach
there In time, but the government at
Madrid gave it out that $50 torpedoes
were safely on the way to Manila.
While publishing this item the off,
Gals warned Montojo that there were
doubts about the torpedoes reaching
him.
Dewey found Montojo's feet in Ca
vite harbor as close as possible to the
forts. Its presence there is explain
ed. The Olympia, leading, circledl
around. pouring broadsides from her
8 inch guns into the forts, the Spanish
ships keeping aloof for the moment.
Suddenly large white Spanish ship,
which proved to the flagship, with
Mortojo on board. left the Spanish
No