The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-01-20
CURRENT COMMENT
Admiral George Dewey.

The country is no longer in the MOOD
that led the enthusiastic to say that tho
battle of Manila bay was the greatest
naval engagement since Trafalgar. The
forces that met were small. ID marked
no turning point of history. IL brought
no advantage TO this country, for on bal
ance, even on the military side, the pos
session of the Philippines is liability,
not an asset. We are there as trustees
for the lipinos-because it is honestly
believed that the islands would become a
prey to civilization destroying anarchy
should we evacuate. When the evidence
supports the contention that the peoples
of the islands are able to sustain an or
derby government America will gladly re-
| tire.
Yet small things may be done greatly,
and it is not open to question that Ad-
miral Dewey and the officers and men
under his command won their victory in
the grand manner When the squadron
put out from Hongkong to attack, with
no base for reftting should it come to
grief, it did not know how easy would be
its triumph. When it steamed by Cor
regidor and sought the Spanish fleet,
which lay under the protection of land
batteries within inclosed waters, it acted
in the spirit of Nelson and Farragut To
Admiral Dewey is due the credit of hav-
ing made the intre pid decision. He
judged quickly, and the event showed
that he judged accurately. Here was the
stuff OF great communicative Grant
like quality of looking at problem sim
ply. May our navy be fortunate enough
always to have Deweys in places of re-
sponsibility in times of crisis.
Prior to May /, 1898, vessels of mod
ern type had not been in action. There
was much theory but no practice. No
one knew how the new guns would work
or had verified by experiment the valid
ity of the new naval tactics. Thus Adj
miral Dewey was pioneer, and his hand
ling of his vessels furnished instruction
for the world
Doubts were strong 10 years ago, as
they are now, as TO whether the Amer
lean naval establishment was efficient. |
Magazine writers, according to the habit (!
of the class, were persuaded that our |
ships had only decorative value. But 10 |
minutes after Admiral Dewey had calmly |
uttered the famous words, "You may fire |
when you are ready, Gridley," it was
manifest that the muck rakers were |
wrong and that our pretended experts
had no basis for their pessimism. At i
Manila bay the Olympia and her sister
ships were what would now be regarded
as toys Judged by present day stand
ards, their sides were of paper and their
guns merely popping weapons, but they
sufficed for the work they were called on
to do. Montoio's vessels were of 1888,
while ours were of 1898, and the result
was never in doubt The lesson was that
nothing becomes more quickly archaic
than warships-a lesson that is only be-
thinning once more to be impressed on
congress.
Besides being man of professional
Admiral Dewey was of the
,est type OF American gentleman. Sim
Die, kindly, courteous. and democratic,
lie was greatly beloved both within and /
Without the service. Until his final days, ,
IS head of the general board of the navy. :
lie exemplified the American ideal that
work is honorable and satisfying. Nov
NC about Washington without fuss or
Gathers, he dignified American life and
ct an example of merit and aggressive
ride that it is to be hoped viii always
e associated with the American charac
er-New York Globe.