The Washington times., 1905-06-11

1t is now known that Admiral Worth
ington could have won his great victory
If he had not had battleship. A dozen
fast cruisers. with the proper compile
ment of aerials and submarines, would
have been ample. But this was known
only to the Washington, Government, and
the outside world esteemed the opposing
naval forces very closely matched They
were universally recognized as the two
most efficient fleets on the seas. II the
Americans hao any rivals in gunnery,
they were the Japanese: and If the Jap
anese could anywhere be matched in
bravery. devotion. and seamanship, it
was by the Americans.
Admiral Worthington sailed from Hon
olulu with his consolidated feet early in
July. No time was lost, for he was con-
stantly in communication by wireless
with Manila and knew the pressing ma
ture OK the situation there. The small
fleet Imprisoned in the harbor could not
even with the telephotographic e1uip-
ment which one of its cruisers possessed
force its way out through the fields of
mines that had been strewn about the
harbor entrance
Arrived within 300 miles to the north
east OF Luzon, the American admiral
sent his aerials TO make observations
They reported that the Bashee channel
was clear of vessels, but probably was
mined. Sending some of his huge supply
vessels ahead to feel the way and clear
the mines, the admiral succeeded In one
night in passing the channel and enter
ing the north China sea with more than
half his feet. including most Of the YES
sells which carried submarines and tele-
Photographic equipment. Each of the
battleshiDs Of this class also carried a
single 1e-inch gun, capable of throwing
4,ooO-pound projectile thirty-four
miles. The new explosive. .vimoreuse.
with which these explosives were loaded.
had not up to this time been used In
wer, and was another --cret possessed
alone by the American navy
The story of the battle is strikipgIy
simple. 1t lacked most of tho spectacu-
lar features of earlier naval engage
rnents The American aerials, work
Ing their wireless equipments in
connecting with the feet, estab-
lished telephotographfc communica-
lion while the fleets were yet 400 miles
apart. Every movement of q japanese
scoutship was known instantly The 10
cation OF each cruiser and battleship
| was photographed and mapped. The
searchlights which they used at night
were In fact the undoing OF the Japan
csc. for the lights were shown on the
immense reflector of platinum which,
mounted ON the deck of a vessel, re-
hected TO the sensitiZed plate the cleo
tro-radium rays that there produced the
negative OF the great area under obser-
walton. From this negative il was only
necessary TO magnify the impression
| mus made. by use of a great series of
adjusted lenses, in order TO produce an
absolutely accurate picture
Thus was the second battle Of Manila
bay fought at range of over 200 miles
| Admiral Worthington launched his i'm
mense submarines and intrusted them
with the cavalry work. They were able
4, 10 move fairly into the lines OF the jap
anese fleet before entire subrnorsion be-
came necessary. and were In commune
cation with the admiral at ali times
through Wirelss, which Sylvester had
recently adapted to comrnunica ton
through water as well as air 1t seems
difficult now to realize that wireless
telegraphy should have been adapted
first TO atmospheric currents, when IL
has since been shown that water is a
| much easier medium
Receiving every moment wireless mes
sages from the fleet. the submarines
| were able to map the exact location Of
the enemy's vessels on the charts which
they carried. They knew precisely their
detectives, and sailed straight for them
Each submarine sent cut on that night
| Of August had been assigned to the de-
struction OF two particular japanese
vessels. Five of them accomplished
| the exact task assigned; ono failed en-
tireiy because Of breakdown of its
Z wireless apparatus, and five succeeded