The evening times., 1899-02-06
MRS. ARTHUR LEE
TELLS HER STORY
First American Woman to
Greet Admiral Dewey.
Hospitality Aboard the Flagship
Olympia in Manila Bay.
"I Hope to He Allowed to Stay Here
TO See the Situation TO Its Fin
ish.v Said the Hero of Manila.

that immediate action was to be urged in
regard TO having Dewey made full ad-
miral In view of the developments of the
last few days at Manila. the timeliness OF
Mrs. Lees communication is only too ap-
parent The reasons for raising Dewey's
rank were succinctly given in home letters
from Mrs Lee TO her family in Washing
ton. and were to the effect that Admiral
Dewey was subjected to untold annoyance
from having to make first calls upon
naval vessels entering the harbor, to take
second place at table on state occasions,
and 10 move his vessels about the harbor
at the command of the foreign officers who
outranked him. This was particularly OBJ
noXious in the case of the Germans, on
account of the attitude taken by them dur
ing the war.
Mrs. Lee Tells Her story.
That was a week ago. Today Mr.. and
Mrs Lee arrived in Washington, having
come direct from San Francisco, with only
a days stop in Chicago. Mrs. Lee, in an
| interview gives the whole story.
Mrs. Lee is the daughter of ex-senator
| Henry G. Davis, of West Virginia; sister
in-law of Senator Elkins. and cousin of
| Senator German. So it can be readily seen
| that back of tine bill introduced in Con-
! Of Admiral Dewey there lies a pretty little
| story in which this charming young wife
| figures.
is it true that / am Admiral Dewey's
| ambassador to the President and CongI ess
and that | bear important dispatches from
| him to Congress? Well unless you can
call me a f-constituted one. | can hard
| ly lay claim to that great honor. The way
| the matter stands is this:
| Mr. zee and / arrived in Manila on the
| 10th of December and were there for six
days. during which time. thanks to our
! old friend Rear Admiral Dewey. we had
an altogether delightful time. The flag
| ship Olympia is anchored out in the har-
Dor ten miles by water from Manila and
! seventeen miles by land, so that it was
impossible for us TO steal d march and
surprise Admiral Dewey. That being the
case ] wrote a note something after this
fashion: We have come thus far, dear
admiral-now you must come TO remainder
of the way TO meet us
Dewey's Quick Hospitality.
Il did not realize it was possible for the
note TO have reached the flagship before
the answer came back by one of the sailors,
who was instructed 10 await our pleasure.
In accordance with the request We named
the time, the next morning when We
would accept Admiral Dewey's invitation
and were rowed down by the sailors de-
| tailed for that purpose. 1t was quite a
charming little affairs that breakfast and
the admiralS reception of US was cordial
. ity itself. His manner was quiet as usu-
al, and full of the quaint humor that al
ways characterizes him when among
friends. He said mine was the first fem
inine face from home he had seen since he
arrived in Manila, and We had of course
no end of things and people TO talk about
During the evening there was a dance
} in our honor aboard the Olympia. wher,
the accessories of flowers, lights and flag.
made a scene truly ideal
Admiral Dewey is looking we'll; has.
think, gained considerably in avoirdupois
and-yes. now that | think of it-he die
send message that may truly be consid
cred in the light of one to the President
10 Congress and the entire country. 1t wa!
this:
. 4 am deeply interested in the situa
ton. and | hope 10 be allowed TO remaiI
here and see it through to the finish.
Did he have anything to say in regard
10 the Philippines-as 10 whether or no
we should hold them? All" with al
amused laugh, at the recollection, doubt
, less of her own efforts to draw him out OF
this question:, You know Admiral Dewe,
is discretion itself. He simply would sa-
nothing on the subject.
Admiral Dewey did not ask me to Sc
that he was raised TO the rank of full
admiral. That was my own idea base
upon what | saw and heard from the off
GERS while in Manila. He is far too sh
and retiring man TO make any reques
| whatever of the Government The subjec
came up at the breakfast on the Olym
= | pia, when several of the officers spok
, OF the embarrassments to which Admira
Dewey has been from time to time sub
! L L.
he must be as long as his advancement
s deferred.
i 1t was after this talk with the officer
, | and from personal observations of som
| things that | wrote home to my father
- | stating the facts and asking him to use hi
: own influence together with that of Sena
9 tor Elkins and Senator German, to hav
o Admiral Dewey made a full admiral a
4 once. That. l presume. is how the rumo
got about that / am the bearer of impor
tant dispatches TO the President.
"Just here in this connection it will b
of interest to mention what Admiral Vo
: Diederich in command of the Germa
: fleet. said:
e 1T was at a dinner party at Hongkon
s and l was told the story by a friend t
1t whom he made the remark and who at tn
time heard it was my hostess.
= After expatiating in unstinted terms O
his admiration of Admiral Dewey as a ma
| and an officer Admiral Won Diederic
said: The German government has mad
diplomatic error in sending to Manila
man who outranks the commander Of tt
blockading squadron.
That was an admission well worthy
note. One to be taken hold of and
gested by the American people.
Dewey Sort of God.
Admiral Dewey told me that he b;
been but twice, l think, 10 Manila. H
duties keep him very closely confined
his ship and to Cavite. off which she
anchored. You can have no idea of Il
incessant demands upon his time. Just bi
fore / left he was being worried about tt
subject of the Chinese immigration. tt
tt0 Chinese are pouring into Manila in hord
- under the impression or hope that thu
= can thus be recognized as American cit
n zens. 1t was upon this subject that Il
IA United States consul came from Annoy
discuss the question at the time of my st;
nj | in Manila.
st Admiral Dewey is worshiped by bo
l., | the army and the navy at the Philippine
The natives speak of him with bat,
breath, as of parsonage almost omnip
tent. He is in fact the one person OF who
they really stand in awe.
ssThat nuocfinn of tho &c n,