The Appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. ;) 1889-19??, 1899-04-15

opinions ana statements.
| During half hours chat with Capt
Fraser on the deck of the Empress of
| 1ndia-a chat arranged by military
friend of hds now residing here-he re-
| viewed for the Sunday World the stu
alton at Manila and the work of the man
| on whom the eyes of half the world are
fixed. o..
During the first week of his arrival at
Manila Capt. Fraser was introduced to
+ Admiral Dewey by the British consul, and
dined~ with him on the Olympia at the
customary Saturday evening gathering.
| Speaking of this banquet Capt. Fraser
said: -. e..
| 1T was a unique affair. Admiral Dew
! sy occupied the seat of honor, but,
despite his effort at cheerfulness. appear
| ed to me like a man on whom a deadly
|lethargy had fallen. His. face was ashen
and his skin seemed to be drawn over it
like wrinkled parchment. His hair was
white as snow and was thin and stray
Cling, particularly over the forehead. AS
ne nervously handled his wine glass, the
! contents of which, noticed, he scarcely
touched. I could not help observing that
| his hand was thin and clawlike, the skin
presenting the same unhealthy appear
ance as that upon the face. - ~ en-
| An officer sitting next to me said that
the Admiral had changed terribly in
| few brief months and had lost nearly
twenty pounds in weight. This same off,
| Ger said that Dewey was about sixty
years old:~I thought Twas looking at a
man past three score and ten. Of course,
when saw him then it was after
fatiguing days work in a broiling sun,
and this may have accounted for his al
l. nf rG,,f
Indifference to the gay scene around him.
| IAN officer on the right of the Admiral,
| whose name l forget, took the part Of
| chairman, and the. usual toasts were right
| merrily made. The banquest broke up at
| an early hour and we all including the Ad-
was while in this room that I had my
chat with the great naval officer.
He asked me few questions about
myself and I hazarded some questions in
| return as to his health. the prospects
| of the close of the war and its ultimate
none too robust, but that when at work
| he scarcely noticed his indisposition.
| Climate influences, he said, were against
| his noble boys.
| "'It makes my heart bleed he said,
when see my men dying like dogs while
waiting for some decisive action which
am sure will end this war we would
! wish This was during the period of un-
certainty at Washington.
when I intimated as delicately as
could that possibly it would not be un-
wise on his part to take a rest for
| month or two in some less dangerous eli
| mate he said almost roughly:
"'Tut tut, Captain; my work is not
finished here yet. It's at a stage when
believe no other man can handle it. If
thought otherwise should perhaps feel
prompted to take a. rest
| What Admiral Dewey told me in pri-
waite conservation in regard to the pros
poets Of a close of the war do not
feel justified in divulging. -.
For a few brief minutes he talked
| animatedly on military life in India as
had experienced it, but collapsed like
| a man of straw just before the time Of
breaking up. A respectful and, it seemed
to me, almost plying silence fell on the
| long room as he slowly rose and, bid
ding all a courteous and quiet good
| night, left accompanied by his aide.
Turning to an off1cer-I believe he was
Lieut.. Smithson. Of San Francisco-I re-
marked on the Admirars enfeebled con-
| dition. He said yes, we have all no.
ticed it, more particularly during the
past month. Some of the boys say he
| never sleeps, and verify believe it. 1
hope to God that the war will soon end
| or that it will at least get in such shape
! as to permit Admiral Dewey. to take a
rest. In his resting moments he appears
to me like man not long for this
world
| During my stay at Manila" continued
Capt Fraser, II learned much about
| this remarkable man whose never-ceas-
Ing activity is marvel even to officers
who have been with him for years. I
| was told that he rose with the sun, ana
| after cold bath waded through piles OF
correspondence with his secretary. Thi.
! strain was usually kept up till a. m.
! when he took light breakfast At {
| a. M, he usually held an hours consula
] ton with his chief officers, and then came
! the terrible strain of the day.
The .Olympta's largest steam launch
i was ordered out. and. accompanied by
| few officers. mis- tour Of the fleet and har
1 Dor was, made under the then broiling
rays Of the sun. This tour generally last
| ed till noon, when the return was made
to the flagship for lunch. A rest of two
hours followed. although the officers say
the Admiral never awaited himself. of this
I but worked over plans in his private cab.
! in. At 2:30 his first visit was made to
/ the shore. where unceasing work followed
/ until dusk.
Sometimes the Admiral was induced to
take hand at whist when his return to
/ the ship was made in the evening, but
latterly he refused to join even in this
/ recreation, and generally closeted himself
/ with his private secretary until late at
night.
Six hours hard work in tropical eli
! mate is considered good days work. ]
| was told on the best authority that Ad.
I nnral Dewey works sixteen hours a day,
during the anticipated trouble with Ger
many he never slept for two days and
]! two nights.
Everything. I was told, down to the
nfnutest detail that went on in the fleet
j was personally supervised by Admiral
ewey. In the first big battle his fore
sight was simply marvellous. His
thoroughness has resulted in wonderful
success. As naval strategfst I, as a
military man, can only class him with
! time honored heroes like Nelson and
Drake.
Cant Fraser saws that Dewey erereisas