The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-04-01
War History
Mr.. Tetherinston's Book
on Spanish Conflict.


trace what history will elect to preserve
OF what we knew or thought we knew
O. that conflict. Our knowledge of the
eibowing events of that war was gained
Through newspaper accounts, coming
mostly in a disjointed manner and rumor-
lncrusted. The knowledge the historian
eias of the same events is the same as
Ours, but modified, and reetified by Off
cial accounts and official records, as we'll
as comparative analysis of all recitals.
ofncial and otherwise. This new history
Is complete in this regard, touching on
all those points we have all thought
Dver. Take, for Illustration, the matter
Of the presence or absence of mines in
the Bay of Manila. The crown of Dew
ey's heroism was the invasion of a
Strange harbor probably mined. His in
uinerence to the danger has more TO do
with his fame than the destruction of
the Spanish fleet But were there or
were there not mines in Manila Bay. Mr.
1itherington says: 1.-THE most serious de-
Iect in the Spanish defences was the
lack Of mines. 1t was believed on the
Olympia that as she approached Mon
eejos squadron two mines were exploded
IN the bay ahead of her Captain Grid
ley reported So and in Dewey's first de-
FAILED account of the action he also said
that while drawing to the attack, two
Hines were exploded ahead of the flag
ship, too far to be effective In a
statement given by one of the Olympia's
Engineers 1t is asserted that a mine went
OF twelve hundred yards in front of the
ship. At such a distance in the dim
light Of dawn, it would be easy to mis-
take the splash of a shell, which scme-
lines throws the water masthead high
Cor the explosion of a torpedo. Spanish
Erojectiles frequently fell as much as
twelve hundred yards short Of their
mark out it would be an extraordinary
fliscalculation to discharge an electric
mine nearly three-quarters of mile
away from its intended victim. On the
other hand. the reports of Deweys other
captains, and the variations of Ldeuten-
ant Fiske, of Engineer Forde of the Bal
timore, and Of several other eye-vit-
hesses, do not record any explosion of
mines. The official report of Admiral
Montejo, in which he details his prepara-
tons for defence mention no mines;
nor does the account published in the
Diaris de Manila of May T. Lieutenant,
Fiske especially states that the Span
iards had none in place, though some
mine cases lay in the arsenal unfinished.
This is confirmed by Montejo's statement
that he had repeatedly asked for torpe-
COS from Madrid, but had received none,
and his attempts to make them had been
failures"
Speaking Of mines, Mr.. Tetherington
goes into the destruction of the Maine.
the immediate cause of the war and
having examined both Spanish and
American reports, says: There is much
about the destruction, of the Maine that
etill remains unexplained. The Spanish
have only themselves to blame If their
official reports are disbelieved and dis
regarded. The investigation by the
American naval officers was to certain
extent an exparte inquiry. Those who
Virtually stood before 1t as men accused
of a frightful crime-the official authori-
ties of Havana-were not and could not
be represented by counsel. Had they
been so represented, it is at least con-
eelvable that the evidence on which the
modified at material points. Those find
lngs suggest interesting and important
questions. A submarine mine powerful
enough to destroy a warship is no or
ninary article of commerce. It costs
hundreds, or even thousands Aof dollars;
1t weighs eleven hundred pounds; it is
not likely to be possessed or operated
Except with official authority and by ex-
pert hands Who set so mighty an en-
zine Of destruction under the keel of the
Gaine? Was it exploded there-ex-
ploded with such fatal precision, such a
naymum of destructiveness-by some
Pccident Of criminal carelessness, or by
the foulest act of deliberate treachery
How was it all accomplished without
leaving behind any apparent trace of tell
tale evidence? If no later revelations
answers these questions. the loss of the
Maine will go down in history as one
of the most extraordinary and myster-
ious events ever recorded
In the Santiago sea fight. Sampson is
given due credit and Schley is treated
fairly. A humorous point in that battle
is given. 1t is not generally known. The /
author says: when Cervera's ships /
came out of the harbor. the Resolute, as /
has been said, lay east of the MORO, near |
the Indiana She had on her decks sew |
e-aI tons of guncotton, which Sampson |
Extended to use in an attempt to ex- /
plode the channel mines, IN order to re- /
move the obstruction most to be dread |
ea in forcing an entrance to the harbor. |
when the shells began to fly. Captain |
Eaton regarded his position as too per- 1
ilous and made fun speed for Siboney. /
Meeting the New York. he Informed l
Sampson of Cervera's sortie-a service |
which the admiral neglected to ac-
in his report, probably be- /
cause he could see for himself what had /
was ordered to proceed !
to Guantanamo and notify the ships /
there 20 Join the fleet Passing Sfboney |
on the mission, vigorously sounding his
whistle and flying a signal which an
nounced that the Spaniards had fled he
caused much natural alarm to the
lying there"
The Suanee was notified among Others
THAI the Spanish vessels had ESCAPED. |
Lieutenant Commander Delehanty of the 1
Suanee. knowing that the navy had thus
been disgraced. called his line officers
about him and they decided to redeem /
the navy's reputation. In his report
Delehanty says: Il thereupon directed /
the officers to draw the cannon charges
from the guns. to load with armor-
piercing shell. and TO which parts of the
enemy's ships they should direct their
hre. We were in a small gunboat with
maximum speed of ten knots; stand
Ing out to meet fleet OF heavily armor-
- ,,.,,;.,- ,,-;+n, ranutaS sDaed Of double