New-York tribune., 1900-12-27

1s,,t savs Mr. Wilson truly IL was impudence OF
the ccafest and most calculating kind 10 M tA<'''
we may add, as indeed, the author does tha' -
was most effective. There were futile oepa'eS
among Cerveras captains as to whether eiieH
sortie from Santiago should be made by oay Vi
by night Admiral Sampson decided tha1 aues-
ton for them by making 1t continually midday
The story of the battle of July is chieny
demonstration of the hopeless contrast De-
tween the two fleets in equipment, disclpiile
and skill. Mr. Wilson elsewhere points out Tee
ineffectiveness Of our bombardments OF SahOi-
ago. San Juan and other places. But mere lhe
value of those bombardments was made mani
fest in the increased accuracy OF aim OF our
men and in fheir familiarity with action uhoer
fire. had they not thrown away those tons "a
metal at the Morro and other forts they might
ot so surely have riddled Cervera's ships. Care
ful attention is given to Admiral Schley S ma
nonuvring OF the Brooklyn. concerning "nich
there has probably been more and more violent
disputation than on any other incident OF the
war Mr. Wilson concludes that while Aonirai
schley may have erred in judgment his motiVe
was unirnpeachabl BILE. His ship was the s"illeS'
,n the fleet but weak in armor, and she was
the target of the hottest Spanish fre. Ii she
were disabled early in the fight the loss Oh hel
might seriously handicap the American meet II
not being sure that any other ship could keep
pace with the swift CTlSlOOdl OOAOAA'
he decided to swerve off and let the heaVy
battleships bear the brunt of the fighting with
the slower Spanish ships reserving the Brook
Ivn for a nossible race with the Colon. AS
matter of fact since the Spanish fire was all
too high the Brooklyns danger was actually IN
creased by the increase Of her distance 1roH
the foe But whatever be thought OF Admlrai
Schley's judgment in the matter, MI wilson
emphatically declares it to be cruelty unjust to
inpugn his personal courage Judgment with
which the impartial verdict of the American
Nation and of posterity will doubtless agree
Mr. Wilson SO carefully considers every salient
point as he reaches it that there is little left
for final summing up. What he says briefly
about the perils of fire and the necessity of fire.
proof construction may well be taken to heart
by the chiefs of every navy in the world. Equal
" pertinent especially to our own country, is
his reminder of the need of adequate coast and
harbor fortifcations, and the need. moreover OF
keeping them as fully up to date in equipment
and discipline as the ships of the navy There
will be few who will challenge his opinion that
at Santiago there were no higher honors than
those won by the engineers in the throbblng'
tumultuous inferno below decks. Upon them
depended both the getting and the keeping the
ships in the fight, and the maintenance OF their
efficiency at every moment of the fight. the
result, he justly thinks, should be more ap-
rreciative recognition of the engineers services
and a corresponding improvement of his tech
nical status in the service. The prime object
the ultima ratio, OF naval tactics is to hit the
enemy with your projectiles. To do that re-
quires equally the services of the engineers
in the hold and of the men behind the guns"
in the turrets. 1t the superior skill OF
Americans in both those places that made so
certain and so overwhelming the downfall of
Spain.