Omaha daily bee., 1899-05-18

Rear Admiral Watson has sailed IRON san
Francisco for his new post OF duty at Ma
Mia as commander Of the Asiatic fleet
There is no likelihood Of his reashing Ma
nila before Admiral Dewey departs on his
homeward voyage. but there is probability
Of meeting at Hong Kong. Rear Admiral
Watson sailed direct for that port on fast
passenger steamer, which will cover the dis
tance in about twenty days Admiral Dew
eys flagship will be delayed there ten or
fifteen days undergoing repairs necessary for
the Journey of 12.30O nautical miles to New
York City. 1t is probable therefore that the
retiring and the new commanders OF the
fleet will meet and greet each other. Both
officers are warm personal friends. They
fought together under Admiral Farragut In
the civil war and messed together as officers
of the frgate Colorado after Appomattox
But though the fortunes OF war favored
Dewey and merely Coquetted with Watson,
their friendship is as strong as when both
were equals as lieutenant commanders on
board the Colorado.
~ w. Stone, who was ships writer on
the Colorado, tells an amusing experience
both officers had with the irrepressible Irish
man cook and general utility man. Watson
called to John, the factotum, to bring him
his glass. John, as usual, misunderstood
and came on deck with loaded goblet.
John, you're the devils own valet.
growled the officer when he saw him COM
ing.
Faith, sor, / didn't think I'd come to
that same when / TUX service with you, sor."
Throw that blamed goblet overheard and
go and get me my spyglass as l told you,
you Internal idiot"
"Yes, sor," said John, calmly tossing the
glass over the side and in doing so barely
escaped dashlng it upon the upturned face
of the executive officer Lieutenant Com
mander George Dewey. Mr.. Dewey was on
a tour of inspection, circling the frgate in
one of the cutters. The Colorado had just
arrived from Trieste. The passage down the
Adriatic sea had been a stormy one and
the panstaking executive wanted to see for
himself how the old ship looked after her
battle with the waves.
Rear Admiral Jewett, retired, speaking of
Rear Admiral Watson and his duties at Ma
Mia, says in an interview: "A thousand
questions are likely to arise to perplex and
bedevil the man who goes out to Manila as
Deweys relief. I've known Watson all his
life. He is the son of DR.. Watson of Frank
fort, KY, and his mother was the daughter
of John j. Crittenden Of Kentucky, ex-
attorney general of the United States and
ex-senator, union man when 1t cost some
thing to be union man in Kentucky. Wat
son is an admiral compound in character of
cool courage in the hour of danger and au-
dacity. He will meet every trick and STRAIT
agem of the Filipinos with one little bet
ter, and there is not a filter man in the
service for that most difficult Manila detail
than John Crttenden Watson"
Watson was appointed to Annapolis in
1857 in his fifteenth year In 1861, passed
midshipman, he was on the Hartford with
Farragut, and there won the friendship of
the great admiral by feat of courage that
was as necessary as it was daring 1t was
fine April morning in 1862 when Farraguts
fleet ran by Forts Jackson and ST. Philip
on the Mississippi river fifty-two miles be-
low New Orleans. The ships of Farraguts
fleet were all of wood and General Duncan,
commanding the forts, and his second,
Colonel Higgins, thought that Farragut and
his fleet had been delivered into their hands,
as they beheld the ships coming in, formed
in two lines, the Hartford being easily dis
tingushed as the flagship by its
broad blue admiral's pennant. The
forts were admirably arranged for ef-
fective gunnery, having a barbette bat
terry of CAS- and quick guns that swept the
river for miles. Had not Farragut directed
his fleet to run in shore and under the guns
fire not ship might ever have gotten away.
The forts are situated on the two banks
of the river. AS the Hartford passed Fort
st. Philip a shower of grape from one of
the big guns tore the foremast into match
wood and seriously disabled the sail power
of the ship. 1t was necessary to take in
some sails and to set others, but the blocks
had jammed and the Hartford was in danger
Nnl ,,t,,rr md
The fire of grape aoft was so hot that the
command Go aloft and clear blocks and
tackle on main yard was not obeyed with
that promptness that follows an order given
by the commander of a man-of-war. But
the hesitation was momentary.
Come on, you fellows" yelled a young
voice and up the ratlines of the disabled rig
ging went a midshpman followed by the
watch.
Running out lightly to the end of the
yard and standing sixty feet from the |
deck, with the grape clipping ropes and |
tearing great slvers of wood from mast |
and spar, young Watson gave the necessary |
orders as calmly as II he were at practice |
drill When everything was taut and in |
working order and following the jackies |
down, Watson saluted the admiral and re- |
ported: "All clear sir" grim old Farragut |
simply seized the boy in his arms, and how |
the crew cheered.
Had we ever got aground there the con-
federate guns would have destroyed us in |
five minutes" said Fleet Captain Percival
Drayton of the West Gulf squadron as he
told the story to Captain, afterward Rear
Admiral, Bryson. Young Watson's ready
appreciation of the danger and prompt
action saved the Hartford in my opinion,
and Farragut thought So too"
From that hour Watson's fortune was
made. He became naval de-de-camp to
the admiral of the navy and was in all the
subsequent sea fights along the South At
lantic seaboard and at Vcksburg, Rodney
and Grand Gulf after that off Charleston.
ADVANCING WAGE RATE.