The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-06-03
TWO GREAT VICTORIES.

Almost exactly century ago-for it occurred on Oct. 21, 1so5--the great naval battle of Trafalgar was fought, which has been retarded as the great est sea fight of modern times. Then Nelson and Collingwood, with thirty one vessels in all. met the combined French and Spanish fleets with thirty eight vessels. The victory of the Eng fish was complete and the naval power of France and Spain was at an end. but the victory was dearly won. for it cost the life of Lord Nelson. probably the greatest naval commander England ever produced.
 The recent victory won by Togo has been likened to that of Nelson, but it is difficult to make a comparison. be- cause of the different conditions exist ing. Trafalgar was fought entirely be- tween wooden sailing vessels. There were no iron -clads. no steamships. no torpedo boats, and no mines on the Spanish coast to endanger the vessels. It was battle of wooden ships. pro- pelled by sails. and was fought with | ago. It was won by superior skill and by the bulldog persistency of the Eng fish sailors and commanders. Nelson's signal. sent to all his officers when the battle began, England expects every man to do his duty" was at once a command and an inspiration, and the great commander was not disappointed. Both officers and men did their duty and the result is history.
 But 1t does not in any manner de- tract from the splendor of Togo's achievement that he had the advan- tage of everything that modern science and skill can supply. He had some of the finest and most powerful war ves- sells now afioat. and he was provided with such guns and munitions. not for getting torpedoes and other explosives. as could hardly be equalled anywhere. All. this is true. but the same Is true of the Russian fleet It also had first class battieships, and 1t was provided with every modern requirement for na- val warfare. The only explanation of the result is that the Japanese fleet had
 
 The Japs -maneuvered and out- fought the Russians. and that accounts for the result. What the ultimate re- suit will be can hardly be uncertain. The Russians are no longer a naval power to be dreaded, at least for years to come, and the Japanese are masters of the seas of all that region. The fu- ture must determine what effect her su- prcmacy will have on the other nations of the Eastern world, but. in the words of The Chicago Tribune:
 If Togo had been beaten by Rojest- vansky Russia would now be master of the Eastern seas. Marshal Oyama's great army would be irretrievably cut off, the Russian fleet would be harrass- ing the Japanese coast at will, rand the issue of the war would be doubtful The Jatanese victory settles both the result of the war and the future of the East. The East is to be Mogol, not Slav; yellow, not white. It IS to be Rfree, not bond. It Is to work out it's salvation under the sympathetic leader ship of the intelligent and progressive Japanese. not under the dictation of the despottc and reacticnary Russian bu. realcracy. The Japanese victory will have important effects in Russia as well as in the east. It cannot fall to hasten the downfall of the bureaucracy and the rise of free institutions