The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-11-13
Benoit, BOLIVIA: Co.. Miss,
Aug. 10, 1893.

fectly perpendicular but powerless, had
the enormous pies tilted to one side. Each
was, however. guided by strong and
steady arms and down they came with
the yards still hanging alongside.
A single misstep, a tilt of the ship. a
parting of a strand, and the ponderous
mass might have plunged through the
ships bottom
In less time than l have taken to tell
of the feat the old ship was stripped, her
stumpy-looSing lower masts standing
alone and making her look like a shapely
wreck
We now looked for the first time over
TO the Englishman We We're amazed.
His yards were not yet on deck, although
his seamen were working for dear life.
We could not help setting up a cheer.
What's your hurry, Dewey" called
Goldsborough, quizzically. The ponder
Gus old admiral had been as eager as
the rest of us to give the "lime- juicer"
a lesson i'm ship maneuverng, but ne
couldn't help playfully twitting our execu-
tive on this wnful waste of good powder,
No hurry sir; no hurry at all" an
swered Dewey, with a toss of the head:
Just our usual practice drill"
We staid in the Straits of Gibraltar a
week or two after this, but we never heard
another word from the Billy Ruffiaus'
about their famed seamanship.
Admiral Dewey as He Was.
1 remember how strongly Dewey used
to impress every man of us aboard ship
He was brim full of life, energy and APP
preciative wisdom. In person, he was
hardly of average size, he had coal black
hair and eyes; a long. thick mustache, an
olive complexion, with an aquiline nose
that gave him something of an Hebraic
cast OF countenance. He was then in the
prime of life being about 30 years of age,
wei formed, with a courtly, insnuating
air; soft and almost carossing in speech,
except when aroused to anger, when his
sharp quick tones would go through the
person addressed like a shiver through an
ague stricken victim.
Asa 0iseipIinarian.
Dewey was popular with the men, much
more so than with his associate officers.
When things went wrong; when some mis-
hap occurred arising from neglect or in
attention, the offender would be treated
to a cresceudo, starting with calm sar-
casm, and rising into storm of reproach.
graded according 70 the enormity of the
offense. F
The men all took this in good part
Dewey had peculiarly happy knack Of
making il appear that it was the ser
vice. that was doing the growing. he be-
Isn't that dreadfulr' he would cry. loud
enough for half of the main watch on deck
10 hear, as a soiled inebriate tumbled over
the side from shore leave. there we are
agents OF a great nation, sent by the gov
eminent to represent the intelligence Of a
free people, and YET look at this specimen
OF American humanity. Go below. you
wreck, and hide your head on the berth
ceck'-and the stupoiied fellow would
stink away, followed by the gathering looks
OF the crew, who suddenly remembered
that they, too, were free-born citizens, and
dignihed representatives Of the great
American republic.
Training the Gunners.
I remember that rs soon as Dewey took
charge Of the old Colorado he commenced
a series OF practice drills that would nave
driven the men to desperation under a less
appreciative executive.
Every day in port the ship was stripped
to the tops masts and yards coming down
on the run.
Al sea, on calm days, raft hastily con-
structed, would be turned adrift. and
when for enough a-lea, the boatswains
pipe would summon the men 10 quar-