New-York tribune., 1911-11-29

ment for war was crystalllzed, and ere
four months went by after its declaration
by Congress the American navy had won
a coupIete victory over the Spanish navy,
resulting I'm Spain's loss of cuba and Porto
Rico. her only remaining possessions III
the New World, and also of the fhlIippihe
Islands.
FIRST Dewey fought the battle OF Mai'ia
in the Bay of Manila, braving submarine
mines In the harbor and the guns OF many
surrounding forts 10 reach the Spahlsh
ships at anchor there. and escaping prac-
ticaly unscathed after either sinking OF
capturing every unit of the enemy's squad
rcn. Then Sampson and Schley. operating
in the Atlantic, repeated Dewey's hitherto
unparalleled feat In the Pacific. Sainp-
sons squadron had bottled up big span
sh fleet under Admiral Cervera In the har-
Dor of Santiago on the southern coast OF
the eastern part OF Cuba. and, pouncing
upon It when II made dash for the OPEN
II succeeded in sinking every one Of the
ships.
Dewey had only six ships in the Asiatic
fleet with which hc conquered the Philip
pines The largest was tho Olympia, $50
tons and she was also the newest, having
been launched in 1892. -Four were pro-
tected cruisers and the other two were gun
boats-thc Concord, 1.710 tons and the
Petrel S2 His guns numbered l31 and
his personnel 1851 men. The Spanish op-
posed him with nine ships and their casual
ties were 6ls, while Dewey's were only six
In the corresponding affair i'm the At
lantic $50 Spanlards or more were killed
and t59 were taken prisoners. and, as said
before every one of their ships was utterly
destroyed Cerveras squadron hal been
the flower Of the Spanish navy. Not one
Of SIMPSONS boats was even seriously in
jured and only one of the three thousand
or more of his men was killed.
40 naval war ever before or since has
furnished the parallel Of the sea power OF
one Of its combatants being wiped out ell
tirely. as was the effect OF these two signal
exploits OF the American navy. and that
too, at practically no loss whatever in men
or ships to the victors
Army's Part in Spanish War.
The army also had an important part
TO play in the war with Spain, and IT ac-
compished its numerous tasks. both in the
West Indies and in the Philippines, ade-
ouatcly and with brilhance but the navy
achieved particular distinction. estab-
fishing for itself a reputation for effective
ness which sstonshed Europe. where 1t
had not been believed it would he able TO
cope with the Spanish ships.
The army saw little fighting in the
eastern part Of cuba and in Porto Rico,
which it conquered after march across
the island under General Miles. It's great
est tasks. however, were I'm the Philippines,
where it had first TO complete on land the
work of conquest which Dewey had so
brilliantly begun on the water; but even
after the Spaniards had been subdued and
plenty OF work, as the natives refused TO
accept American sovereignty and took the
field against the conquerors Of the Span
ards. They also were subdued but there
were years Of fighting before pacfcation
became a fact The point is however that
American arms were not TO be denied. and
i'm the subjuGation ct those tribes con-
summation which was never vouchsafed 10
the Spaniard i'm his four hundred years Of
occupation. the American soldier added still
another tribute to his distinguished list
The United states was popularly sup
posed 10 become what the phrase makers
of the period were pleased to call a world
power following the impressive demonstra-
tions Of its potentiality in the Spanish war.
but as a matter of fact, while Europe
came to feel, and TO acknowledge it felt,