Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1898-05-30
OUR OTHER WAR WITH SPAIN.
American Navy Emerges From It
With Honor and Respect.


Once before the officers of our navy
were brought into brief but bloodless
conflict with those of Spain, and
before the trouble ended the Castilian
king himself sent orders into all ports
to treat all officers Of the United
States with courtesy and respect"
All this happened during that de-
grading period Of American history
when the United States government
was paying annual tribute to the dey
of Algiers to secure immunity for our
merchant marine from the raids of
Algerian pirates. The millions for
defense but not one cent for tribute"
idea had apparently been forgotten
for the time. The nations Of Europe,
including England, were paying tri-
butte to the same piratical power, to
be sure, and the United States may be
forgiven, perhaps, by reason of its be-
ing the first to break away and make
it possible for the other nations to
follow
The breaking away came about in
this fashion: Jassuf Karamauli, the
bashaw of Tripoli, seeing Algiers col
lect tribute from Uncle Sam, an
nounced that he would declare war
unless the same amount OF money
was paid annually to him. He was
informed that he might make his
declaration as soon as he liked, but
h q
from the United States. His declara-
ton quickly followed, and that in
turn was followed by the appearance
of an American fleet, which in time
brought the bashaw of Tripoli and the
dey of Algiers to Americas terms.
The history of that short war is in
teresting in every detail to anybody
who has any pride in the United
States navy.
During that war the American fleet
in the Mediterranean excited the adj
miration of officers of all the European
navies except the English and some
of the Spaniards. The criticisms C
the latter were quickly and effectually
silenced. The incident that brought
it about occurred while the Essex was
standing in the roads of Barcelona.
One night while Captain William
cambridge, her commander, was re-
turning in his gig from visit to the
city he was overhauled and grossly
insulted by the commander of a small
Spanish xebec, patrolling the harbor
o1~d oh Tn R1n nSf h1rci VYn
language the Spaniard ordered the
American gig to come alongside, en-
phasizing the order with a round Of
musket shot. cambridge, believing
there was some mistake, went along
side to explain, and the Spaniard
ordered him to come aboard.
81 want you to understand, sir, that
I am the captain of an American frig-
ate," answered cambridge, when he
perceived that the Spaniard was look
ing for trouble, "and I'm ID if Til
go aboard any ship but my own"
And then he pulled away for the
Essex, in spite of the Spaiard's re-
peated threats to fire.
The next night party of American
|lieutenants, returning from shore,
were insulted in the same manner and
by the same man One Of them was
the impetuous fire-eater, Stephen De-
catur, who, as soon as it was possible
next morning, went over to the xebec
and demanded an immediate interview
with her commander. But he was dis
appointed. The commander was not
there
'Well, then, tell him when he re-
turns" said the irate young American,
that Stephen Decatur of the United
States frigate, Essex, pronounces him
cowardly scoundrel, and that when
they meet on shore he will cut his
ears off,
The message was delivered prompt
ly enough, and serious trouble threat
ened. The captain general Of the