The San Francisco call., 1898-08-01
DEWEY AS A DIPLoMATIST.

}HILE information concerning the situation at | \NI the Philippines is not sufficiently 1ul 10 all
 ford basis for final judgment of the extent of the difficulties. Admiral Dewey has surmounted ln maintaining order there, enough IS known 10 Justlly the conclusion that he deserves as much credit tor h diplomacy for his naval strategy ana courage Ill battle
 This much of the situation Is known: The destruc- ton of the Spanish fleet placed Dewey Tn command of the bay at Manila and i'll position from which he could lombard and reduce the city at his pleasure but without sufficient force to take possession of It and overawe the surrounding country In the city was Spanish garrison half mad with rage and hatred Beyond the city were numerous bands of insurgent natives eager for plunder and massacre A consider able European colony with homes in the city or It's suburbs constituted element more less hostile to invasion, several European merchant vessels lay in the bay and there also warships of various powers some of them ready to intervene at the slight est provocation
 Running through all of these diverse clements many sided antagonism exciting all and necessarily menacing an outbreak There danger that the insurgents might ravage the homes and property ot the European residents outside the city and thus a ford an for the interference of the foreign fleets. Some of the captains of merchant vessels claimed the right to and go in the harbor, land ing receiving cargoes at their pleasure. Some ot the commanders of the warshps inclined to sup port the merchantmen in their claims All of these conflicting elements Dewey had to manage and con trol with the comparatively small force at his com mand
 The incident of the German gunboat Irene at Subic Bay shows the critical of the situation AS is now we'll known, a number of German and other foreign residents of the district around the bay had taken refuge Isla Grandc, and there the insurgents prepared attack them and the Spanish force that protected them The Irene interfered to prevent the assault as her commander sad fin the interests of humanity" It was an incident that might have hap pened almost anywhere in the neighborhood of Manila at almost any time since Dewey destroyed the Spanish fleet It was an inevitable outcome of the
 situation and consideration of shows how critical that situation was
 A brave commander without tact, a commander of but without moral well physical courage, would have failed to keep order under such adverse conditions. The admiral had to hold the Span iards in check, compel the wild and half savage in surgents to obey the rules of civilized war; force European merchants and captains to respect the blockade protect the property of foreigners and at the same time firmly refuse to permit any foreign warship to interfere in any way whatever.
 All of these things Dewey managed to do with dis tinguished success Now that the army has arrived the danger is about over. Our force there will be strong enough to take possession of the islands and establish the order of military law. There will then be little probability of foreign interference The military commander will have a difficult task, doubtless but it will not be so critical and SO delicate as that which confronted Dewey. To the admiral, therefore is due as much credit for the fighting and conflicts he has managed to avoid for the he fought in the accomplishments of his glorious vic