Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-08-19
AUST RAN STANDPOINT
What Vienna Newspaper Says Of Admiral
Dewey.
Graceful Tribute by n Foreigner to
the Hero of Manila Bay
Stirring RecOllecti0ns.

raj George Dewey, the hero of Cavfte. He
is coming from the Philippines, where he
annihilated the Spanish fleet, and is on his
way home. where the greatest honors are
awaiting him. He will first go to the noun
tains of cur country or to the waters of
Carlsbad, in search of a cure for tropical
disturbances of his system, for which rea-
son the Olympia, the flagship crowned with
glory, will cast anchor in the port of our
Adria. 1t is the first European port which
the Olympia enters, and 1t is the honorable
duty of country to proffer to the hero
our most hospitable welcome.
1t is with pleasure that we fulfill that
duty, for the inhabitants of Tegetthoff's
country know how to esteem the victor of
a maritime contest and country proud of
its brave soldiers knows how to honor the
type of holiness and equanimity. The ques-
ton OF the further development of matters
in the Philippines, where the Americans
for the first time stepping beyond their ira
ditional sphere and entering directly into
the sphere of European interests. does in
way detract from our personal sympathy
Tor the man who conquered for his country
the key to the east Asiatc imperial posi-
ton. On the contrary, it serves to heighten
the interest We feel for him. Tomorrow,
when the star-spangled banner on the mast
of the Olympia will loom up at the entrance
to the port of Triest none other than words
of welcome the morning breeze will watt
from the shore to the victorious hero.
The American mind blends proud recol-
lection with the name of Dewey, which is
| reminder of the news reporting the first
victory Of American arms over the Span
lards. 1t was the extreme east whence it
came. George Dewey was in command of
the east Asiatic squadron, lying at Hong
Kong and was not expecting warike call.
1t was rather representative squadron
than warlfke armament composed of only
four armored cruisers and five common
gunboats. Dewey was compelled to leave
the neutral port of Hong Kong in con-
sequence of the declaration of war on
April %. On April u, when anchored in
Mrs bay, then Chinese port, he received
the orders to destroy the Spanish fleet in
the Philip ines. He left the port in the af-
ternoon of the same day, steering his course
straight for Manila bay. which he entered
IN the moonlit night of April 30 to May 1.
He exchanged a few passing shots with the
coast batteries of the Island of Corregidor
lying in the wide strait at the entrance to
the bay, and fastened forward to find the
Spanish fleet, commanded by Admiral Mon
toJo. informed OF the approach of the
envy, the Spanish admiral assailed him in
front of Cavite, the arsenal located north
west OF Manila, the cannon Of which were
to protect his vessels, which were not easy
OF management, and where he further
protected by submarine mines. But Dewey
did not for either the mines or the
coast batteries Exposed to the calling fire
OF the heavy batteries of Cavite bay and the
whole Spanish fleet he mustered his squad
ron in battle array, the Olympia with her
commander on the bridge, in the lead. Cool
and gentle, he called the attention of his
comrades to the natural beauties of the
scenery of the bay, the hills of which re-
minded him of his Vermont native city, and
then In voice not above the pitch of
friendly conversation, he gave the order to
return the Spanish fire by saying: When
you are ready, Grdley you may fire.
Two submarine mines exploded in
front of the Olympia; she steams quietly
onward He was ordered to annihilate the
spanish fleet and has to carry out his
order. Should an exploding mine put an
end to the life of the commodore or destroy
u hv no oh;
and her captain will replace both of them
The GOODNESS of their leader fascinates the
seamen. They aim and shoot with as much
precision as during practice shooting From
8 at night till 10 at morning the whole
crews were at their posts. The heat forced
them TO take off their clothes, except
trousers, but when breakfast was an
nounced, while the Spanish vessels We're
either burning had been sunk they
would not leave their posts, because the
enemy was not yet completely annihilated.
The history of maritime warfare will as
sign to the battle of Cavite honorable
p ace in the record of its bold achievements.
1t is true the history of the British, the
German, the Austrian navies, is not lacking
in accounts of heroic deeds of prowess;
names like Ruyter, Nelson, Tegetthoff owe
their tmbre to deeds of extreme boldness
and GOODNESS But fully equal to them is
the name of the American fighter who
tempt and aware that his destruction is
certain If his attack should fail and he
should be compelled to look for escape from
that bay, boldly leads his armament against
the enemy and goes it to a finish.
And, similar to all the true heroes of his
tory, Dewey is a prototype of soldierly
modesty., His report Of the battle, dated
aboard the Flagship Olympia. in front of
CaVite, May H. 1888, reads like report
made of a sham fight intended to merely
register the fact according to truth, and it
looks like a slip of the pen of the victor
when he says in praise of his officers and
men in the same report:
Il beg leave to inform the Navy De-
partment that in my humble opinion there
never was commander who has met with
better and more valiant support by his
subordinates than L had the good fortune
TO have"
No wonder such a man was ardently
loved by his men and that the smallest
traits In his life at should be preserved
for posterity. The following occurrence
told by the crew is characteristic: He was
commander of the man-of-war Colorado
when three seamen returned from leave
drunk and boisterous. They were of
gigantic physique, able to cope with any
athlete. They were ordered to be placed
in irons, but it was easier to say than to
do so. Dewey was sitting in his cabin
when report reached him that the boys re-
sisted and had assumed threatening atti-
tude. Without saying word Dewey arose
and went to the mems berth, calling on
them to step out and be fettered. They re-
fused, and Dewey said quietly to his order
ly: go for my pistols, please When
the pistols were handed to him he spoke
just coolly to the mutineers; he would
count to three, by that time they would
come out with their hands held up, else not
of them would come out alive. He
had no need to count till three" obedient
like lambs the drunken men came out and
We're fettered, and Dewey returned to his
cabin and coolly continued writing letters.
Such is the man that will set foot on our
shores tomorrow-quiet, amiable, collected
and bold, a prototype of a soldier and gem
tleman. He will meet a reception worthy
of him, such as valiant people used to
war will prepare for a brave, plain war
rior.
In Triest and Pola, as in the whole mon
archy, the remembrance of the deeds of
Tegetthoff is living, and there they know
how to appreciate the. deeds of George
Dewey, and to honor the hero. in him. And
the reception accorded to the seafarer will
remind everybody that "our future is on
the waters also, that the AuStro-Hungar-
ian navy must grow to meet the demands
of the future. The economic welfare of ma
tionS is closely connected with their power
of expansion. The armor of vessels going
to distant parts protects the advanced
members of the body of a state as the nails
protect the tips of the fingers. Without a
navy there is no prosperity in the age of
universal commerce. The visit of the hero
of the sea affords a welcome opportunity
to remember this.
But it is not only the hero whom we bid