Show II S BASH NAVAL OFFICERS I The Vicksburg and the Morrill had a narrow escape from annihilation near Havana harbor and It was only good luck that saved them Spanish gunnery gun-nery is not firstclass but it isnt safe to ignore it altogether and some of the shots just missed these boats Avery A-very clever trap was laid for them and they came near running into It The course pursued by the commanders of the Vicksburg and the Morrill was simply sim-ply fool hardiness and it came dangerously danger-ously near ending in disaster It was the precipitancy of the Spaniards in openingfire that saved these two boats and nothing else r j There is a vast difference between bravery and rashness No one doubts for a single minute that the commanders command-ers Of the Vicksburs and the MorrllI are brave courageous men men who I would cheerfully sacrifice their Jives 01 4 S K at the call of duty but they manifested i i ed a great lack of discretion No doubt that which led them to do so was their I i great contempt for the ability of the i i 1 i Spaniards but it is never safe to haveS 1 have-S too much contempt for an enemy no S matter how inferior he may be in any I respect to have too much contempt is i I i j simply to court danger In this case i I danger was needlessly and wantonly j j courted the officers and nen of the 1 i navy will have plenty of danger to I meet if anyone has in the present war I i j I It is safe to say that Captain Smith i i and Commodore Tilly will not be sot i so-t rash again and that the whole navy I will profit by their experience which I came so near being terribly expensive I I |