The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1898-10-07
WHAT DENEYS PLAN WAS
HOW THE BATTLESHIP PELAYO
WAS TO BE TAKEN.
Why the Fleet of Transports was De-
layed in Manila Harbor When Ad-
miral Camara was Expected.

Chief Officer Lawless of the Austria
liza was telling group of friends
some yarns about Manila the other
night. One of his stories related to
Admiral Dewey's plans concerning the
reception to be accorded to the Span
ish feet under Admiral Camara when
it reached Manila, an interesting sub
ject, which has not yet appeared in
any print.
According to Mr.. Lawless the news
of the departure of the Spanish fleet
and its passage through the Suez ca
nal, was received in Manila at the
same time. The dispatches contained
nothing to show that the fleet would
turn back, as it afterwards did. Be-
ing thrown on his own resources and
not knowing when the Monterey or
Monadnock would reinforce him, Ad-
miral Dewey resolved on the follow
ing program.
All the transports were to be kept
in readiness for instant departure. A
few days before the expected arrival
of the Spanish fleet, all the troops at
Cavite arsenal were to be put on
board the transports, and the place
garrisoned temporarily by insurgents
under Aguinaldo. As the Spanish fleet
saeamed into the harbor through one
passage, where they would be at once
engaged by the American feet, the
transports were to leave by the other
and go to Subig Bay, forty miles dis
tant. If the Spanish fleet was capt
ured the, transports were to return to
Manila, but if the fortunes of war
went against the Americans they were
to return to Honolulu with all speed,
The American admiral was to risk
everything in an attempt to capture
the battleship Pelayo. Failing in this
he had determined that it would be
useless to endeavor to hold Cavite
against the guns of the Pelayo with
the small force of troops he had at
that time, and hence made every prep
Grafton for its evacuation in advance,
so that no lives should be sacrificed
in attempting to hold place that was
valueless without fleet to support
it.
The Spanish battleship Pelayo was
the unknown quantity in Admiral
Dewey's calculations. and its solution
was to be undertaken by himself He
did not care for any of the cruisers,
as he knew his own vessels could hold
their own against any of them. But
the battleship was a different affair.
According to Mr. Lawless, the admi-
rails plan was to watch for the Span
iards night and day and the very mo-
ment they We're sighted the Ameri-
cans were to precipitate the conflict
by preconcerted arrangements. The
Pelayo was to be left entirely to Ad-
miral Dewey in the Olympia and Cap
tain Dyer of the Baltimore, the plan
being to make a concerted rush for
her on either side. Both cruisers were
to rush right in at full speed and en-
gage her at close quarters. She was
to be rammed, if opportunity offered,
but she was to be boarded above all
things. Both vessels were to get
alongside the battleship if possible and
the rest was to be left to American
pluck and American steel.
Admiral Dewey figured that while
either the Olympia or Baltimore
might be crippled in the attempt, one
OF them would succeed in getting
alongside, and the real battle could
then be fought out on the Pelayo's
deck, where every advantage would be
with the Americans.
While this was going on, the Bos-
ton, Raleigh and Concord were to do
the best they could with the remain
der of Camara's fleet, each singing ont
vessel and either sinking her or be-
ing sunk
1t would have been a glorious fight
had the program been carried out.