New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1908-10-03
THE FLEET AT MANILA.

Each sto1nfnr place of our feet on Its NoA-
age around the world has its own Spec'ai SIX
nificance and interest. hut none mas heel "a
will be thus invested in higher degree 'iiah
that at which the ships arrived YESTERDAY
There are indeed. few places III the VIII"
which are more intimately ana susgeSlNei'
associated with the American navy anu us
best type of achievements than Is Mahila Day
II is now nearly ten and hall years since q"
small American squadron entered thoSe ""'ete
ON an GRAND rhe successful fulfilment of when
radically changed the history OF Il collSiuel"'ie
norton of the world. That squadron WIS
probably not equal in strength to single
memher of the present fleet. but. OF course
t,.t i no reflection upon it. since the same
MIGHT he said of the fleets OF Trafalgar anu
SaIamis The essential features OF the lhc'-
dent were the fine blending of prudence anu
in1renidrv with which the action was uhueI-
taken the systematic tEoroughneSS Win WHICH
II WAS completed. and the tact, hrmnesS anu
1satience beyond all praise with which loI
months afterward in circumstances OF peculiar
difficulty and embarrassment. the Meet ADMIN
isterad +ba tr1lst which its own victory had
imposed upon it 1t was in those things that
the sI1nreme honor of DeWey's exploit resided,
and if is those things which may most profit
ably be recalled to the mind of every sailor
on the visiting feet to-day.
The arrival of the fleet at Manila has pro
voked the observation that popular interest
in this country. at least-in its progress seems
NOW far less keen than it seemed during the
earlier stages of the voyage. mat Is qulle
true and it is quite natural and inevitable thll
If should he so Interest in an enterprise can
not be maintained at fever heat for whole
wear It's novelty has Worn off. Some OF the
crucial questions which at first arose concern
1ac ltApN q
achievement Yet interest in the voyage,
though less demonstTative. is probably no WHIT
less earnest or less strong than if was when
the ..farfung battle line" streamed past the
Canes of Virginia or wound its perilous way
through the tortuouS Strait of Magellan. In
deed every knot trayersed in safety and
every friendly greeting in a distant port mas
increased the quiet pride of Americans III their
feet and has deepened the undemonstratiye III
terest in its unprecedented performance
I'm one important particular it is cause for
sincere qualification. though not, in our mind,
for surprise that there has been such subSl-
dpnce or rather that there has been opportn-
nifty and justification for such subsistence. or
the more conspicuous and clamorous manfeS-
IA tons of popular concern. There never was,
as we have all along believed and have fire.
quentIy declared. any adequate ground for the
forebodings of mischief which were uttered
wear ago when the voyage Of the feet was
undertaken. 1t was predicted at that time
that the massing of our ships in the Faclhc
would he resented by at least one great Pa
Cific power as n menace or an aIront, ana
that the withdrawal of so large a part of the
nayy from the Atlantic, leaving this coast COM
parativey unprotected, would probably lead
TO some-embaTassing if not disastrous COM
nlications We are not in the least surprised
that all those i'll advised crOakings have come
20 naught but that they have is none the less
pleasant to record. 1t is being demonstrated
that we are able to send around the world in
comparahly the most powerful feet that has
ever undertaken such voyage. with a pre-
ciSi0n Of movement and freedom from delays
and mishaps which testify convncingly TO the
superb construction, equipment and manage
ment of the navy, and without Il perceptible
trace Of peril to ourselves or Of offence or
annoyance 10 any other power. Such a demon
stration. carried successfully TO the end, adds
new honors to the nobest traditions of the
service.