The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1899-05-03
ARTHUR ROPES. General Editor.
A Year From Manila's Victory,

A twelvemonth ag) the air of this
continent of America was pulsating
with the first notes of mighty naval
encounter between the squadron of
United States warships in Asiatic
waters and the fleet of Spain in Manila
bay. One single word, Victory, the
cable had reported to these shores, and
lapsed into silence. Dewey had fished
up the cable, and victor and vanquisbed
were involved in one common isolation.
Hope, mistaken by the tidings OF dis
aster to the American commander that |
were sent out from Madrid was ever
buoyant, and conjecture filled in with
assurance that all was we'll the gaps in
disjointed fragments Of intelligence
from the scene of the battle. In due
time glad verifcation, exceeding every
hope and every conjecture, arrived
from Manila at Hong Kong and leaped
thence to Washington. Like wildfire
the marvellous story, SURPRISING human
belief, of 80 great triumph won with
out the loss of an American life or ma
terial injury to an American ship,
spread over the land. 1t set the bells
in every steeple ajiDgling, the cannon
on every hill ADJOINING, filed the
streets of every city and village with
cheering crowds and lighted all the
land from sea to sea with blazing bon
fires and sky.piercing rockets. To-day
the Nation recalls the glory of that
achievement, pays fitting homage to the
hero and his comrades of every rank,
and contemplates the mighty results
that have followed and solemn RESPONSE
bilities incurred. Particularly does
Vermont and its Capital, as the State
and city of Admiral Dewey's nativity
and citizenship, celebrate this new
May-day anniversary.
While great events on sea and land,
in war and diplomacy, were treading
fast on each other, solitary battleship
was blowing the waters of two oceans,
down the Pacific and up the Atlantic
coasts of the Americas. Urgency was
stamped on every movement of the
ship. Sleepless vigilance and skill and
heroic courage that never waned
brought the great armorclad. in good
time, to the place where her titanic
powers of speed and battle were need
ed. Ready for instant duty, was hel
response to official inquiry at the enc
OF her voyage of $4,000 miles unde
forced speed. Her opportunity came
on the memorable third of July. 1
found her ready with all her herculeal
strength for the plunge into the fore
front of that colossal contest o
"Mailed Knights of the Sea-"
Past one after another Of the fugitiv
Spanish cruisers, wrecked and driver
to the coast, dealing fateful blows for
and aft, the Oregon sped on, outstrip
ping her consorts. "We have settled
another; look out for the rest" was thu
captains caution as the second ship o
the enemy turned inshore. A thirteen
luCu buGll lIOLu thC OLCSOh tuLL .
struck the third midships and ende
her career. Then the fourth, some 81
miles in the lead, became the object o
the ships raging quest. Here is ho'
an appreciative chronicler, Capital
Robley d. Evans, describes a scene i
this battle:
As the Colon made her gallant dash ft
liberty, Clark of the Oregon saw his job clea
ly cut out for him. and without an instant
hesitation put his helm to starboard, and cam
through the lee of the Iowa withthe speed of
locomotive His 10 inc
guns fairly raised the scalps of these in IL
coming tower of the Iowa. We may all Ii,
hundred years, and fight fifty naval battle
but we can never hope again to see such
sight as the Oregon was on this beautiful SUI
day morning. We could see her for m,
ment only as she sped on after the Colon con
plstely enveloped in the smoke of her ow
guns,-a great white puff-ball decorated ever
second with vicious flashes as her guns spok
out"
The Oregon's thirteen-inch shells
fred at range of FIVE miles, brough
the Colon the last OF the fugitives
bay, some thirty miles beyond tn
point where the Vizcaya gave up tn
ghost.
This hero of fact and romance, of tn
naval operations in the West, is Car
tain Charles E. Clark, commander c
the Oregon, Vermonter, an adopte
mander and vessel is written, they ar
inseparably associated, and there
none so glorious in all the world. HI
comrades of all ranks, with proud an
generous unanimity, agree in yieldin
to captain and ship the first honors I
Santiago de Cuba.
In the Isle OF LuzOn,