New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-03-08
HOW DEWEY NET THE SPANISH.
LIEUTENANT-COMM REEFS OF THE.
OLYMPIA. TELLS OF THE NAVAL BAT
TIE OF MANILA, AS HE
WITNESSED IT

Lieutenant Commander c. P. Rees, United States
Navy. who was the executive officer Of the flag.
ship Olympia in the naval battle OF Manila, enter
tanned about 80 members Of the Union League
Club of Brooklyn dinner last night with an
interesting account Of the movements Of the VIC
torlous feet from the time it left Hong Kong until
Admiral Dewey moved his ships in front Of the
city and demanded the right TO use the cable by
which to send home news Of his victory.
Tho officer began his narrative with written
panegyrc, in which ne characterized the achieve
mcnts Of Admiral Dewey as a latter-day miracle,
beyond comprehension. He said. after the Spanish
feet had been annihilated. that with a handful Of
troops had they been available. we could have
taken possession Of the Philippine Islands fore
stalled the present trouble which we are having
with the Fnlpnos under Aguinaldo, and so estab-
lished the prestige Of American arms that, to his
mind. It would have shortened the course or the
war
In a eulogy Of Admiral Dewey, which was
cheerod he said: During the conflict with the
Spanish feet he was the incarnation OF battle and
then became a sphinx and the embodiment OF
thought"
After speaking Of the disastrous consequences
which would have followed had the American fleet
been defeated he gave the reasons for Admiral
DoU,e,'s bold entrance to the harbor. and the re-
sult he said was due 10 skill determination, ana
the Lord God os Hosts In whom We trusted
Lieutenant Rees then continued with an informal
account OF the movements Of the fleet on us way
TO Manila. and Of the battle He gave special
praise to Flag Lieutenant Brumley, and to Lieu
tenant Caldns navigating officer. who had mas
tered all the charts Of the harbor until he knew
every inch Of the channel
He said that he never would forget the enthusl-
asrn which the English showed in bidding the ieet
godspeed when It left Hong Kong lie also de-
scr.5ed the establishment OF the residents OF that
city when they had awakened few mornings be-
fore and discovered that the fleet had changed Its
color from the peaceful white to the omnous gray.
BY way of a humorous parallel, which the diners
did not fail TO appreciate, Lieutenant Rees READ
the proclamation which tho GOVernor-GeheraI OIL
Luzon put forth. reyiling the approaching heet OF
the "cowardly Americans" and the report Of Ad-
mjral Montojo in which ne endeavored to explain
how, q all happened. The somewhat different
language Of the documents raised roar of laugh
ter. ,-..
In narrative style. pithy and pointed, Lieutenant
Rees narrated the story Of the historic battle lie
asserted that I'm the engagement the decks OF the
Spanish ships were swept by such storm Of she'll
that the men never had time TO point their guns
properly An interesting part Of the story was
his account Of how the officers quietly ate tleir
brea kfast while between mouthfuls me WQlu vs.
nossed down below decks of how the spanish yes
sells we're succumbing to the terrific raking they
John S McKeon WAS the POSTMASTER ana after
the diners had ceased 70 cheer Tor itIs lleu b
for Admiral Dewey and for All MS praVe men ne
introduced tho following SPEAKERS III prfsseor
Henry 4 Powell. Professor clark. ana frolSssor
y C;rosyenor Of Amherst College Some Of the
guests were captain George W. sumner; Cnet
2nelncer " W Windsor Commander Nllham I.
Gibson Medical Director George "; Woods cap
tain " r. WEIGH. Commander JQhn A. , NleI ~.
St,n T-r0ineer y G. Asserson and Medical Director
r g Weston. all Of the Navy Yard. and General
DTring tho dinner Mrs. Rees, the wife of the
utenant-Commander. was beng entertained II, ln
a nTivafe dning-room at little dinner given by
%rrPg William r. Pulsifer and number OF otnel
women wives OF Union League Cluo mein toa >
Ivben tho sDeechma king began the women entered
tbe dning-room and listened to the addresses