The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-06-07

After several days of rest at Hong Kong
and entire seclusion from society Admiral
Dewey has started on the second stage of
his homeward voyage. If the exact course
of the Olympia and her stopping places
have been decided upon they have not been
announced. Perhaps the admiral thought
it would be more restful not to have a def
mite itinerary before starting, or perhaps he
wishes to avoid social attentions and popu-
lar demonstrations. The latter would be
quite in harmony with all that is known Of
his character, in which modesty is con-
spicuous trait His i'll health, or at least
his extreme fatigue was sufficient reason
for his declining all social invitations at
Hong-Kong, but iI is pretty evident he was
glad OF an excuse for doing so. The fact
that he decided not to come home by way of
San Francisco, involving a triumphal tour
across the continent, and the further fact
that he has discouraged public demonstra-
tons planned for him in the United States
shows that he is not seeker after popular
applause. A recent dispatch stated that it
was not likely the Olympia would stop at
any port in the British islands. A later one
says it is probable that stops will be made
at Singapore and Colombo in Ceylon, ad-
ding, The admiral seems anxious to avoid
all display and merely to seek rest All
this goes to prove his modesty. He cannot
be oblivious to the fact that his services
during the last year have placed him in
the front rank of naval heroes and that the
people Of every civilized country, and es-
pecially of every country that has navy,
stand ready to do him honor, but he shows
no disposition to seek it In no other coun-
try outside of the United States would Ad-
miral Dewey receive so much attention as
he would in England, and if he wanted to
come home with the prestige of a great
'send-off' he would have announced his
intention to stop at some English port
where the British navy would have given
him great reception. How he is regarded
by British naval authorities may be in
ferred from an article in the new number
of ''Brassey's Naval Review" by Col Sir
George Clarke. In summing up the results
of our war with Spain in readjusting naval
relations and bringing the United States
TO the front as sea power Sir George says:
While the action in Manila bay was thus
a foregone conclusion, conveying only les
sons or an obvious character, Commodore
Dewey's proceedings on May i merit the
highest commentator. In ignoring all
risks, and like Farragut at Mobile, making
straight for his objective-the enemy 5
squadron-Commodore Dewey followed the
best naval tradition, and fully deserved his
success. The futility of maintaining on a
FAR distant station a naval force absolutely
unht to meet that of a possible enemy was
at the same time strikingly demonstrate
The naval weapon of the United States in
the far East, ready for war as that weapon
can and should always be, was able to
strike hard within a week of the receipt of
orders. although the nearest national port
lay 100 miles across the Pacific BY the
action or May Commodore Dewey obtained
absolute command of the sea, full control
over the large inland waters of Manila bay
and firm footing on shore at Cavite. The
naval war in the East practically ended
with the destruction of the Spanish squad
ron. but in the difficult situation which pre-
coded the surrender of Manila on Aug IL
and subsequently Rear Admiral Dewey
showed the greatest tact and discretion
This carefully expressed professional opin-
ion of high British authority indicates ap-
proximately the place that Admiral Dewey
will occupy among the makers of national
history. His modesty leads him rather to
avoid the honors which people would pay
him now, but history will insist on bestow-
ing them whether he desires 1t or not.