The times., 1899-03-20
side lights ON THE
MANILA BAY BATTLE
Admiral Dewey's First Prep
arations for War.
Stealing Past Corregidor Island in
the lnky Darkness.
The story of W. 4. Mnthewson, Jr.
an OIympin SniiOr-A Comman-
der idolized by His Men.

der fdOlized by His Men.
After having circumnavigated the globe,
travelling $1,000 miles as an American
sailor, mostly on the cruiser Olympia and
participating in the naval battle of Ma
Mia Bay. as we'll as the fall of Manila,
w. A. Mathewson, jr.. son of commits
sion merchant in this city. has returned to
his home He had served on the Olympia
since she crossed the Pacific in 1895, and
would have returned home a year ago had
not hostilities opened between America
and Spain. After the declaration of war
it was decided by the Navy Department
that all seamen whose enlistments expired
about that time should be retained in the
service until after the end of the war.
Mathewson was among the number whose
services were thus required for the de-
fence of "0ld Glory, and he was continued
in the service.
Last December it was decided that these
men should be given an opportunity TO re-
turn home and the Raleigh was ordered
to proceed to New York with them. She
left Manila December IL, after having
transferred her own crew to the Olympia.
and shipped the 1876 men who served longer
When the Raleigh was about to leave the
Olympia drew alongside and Admiral
Dewey standing on the quarterback, SAID
TO the brave sailors who were about
| 20 leave his command
"Goodby. boys. / wish you safe and
pleasant voyage, and / hope to follow
soon"
On December Is. the Raleigh steamed
out of Manila Bay, and began her long
voyage around Southern Asia and through
the Mediterranean Sea to New York.
Stops were made at Singapore, Colombo,
Bombay, Alden, Port Said, Suez. and
| Alexandria At the latter named place all
| the men were given three days leave and
permitted to go to Cairo, which was then
| in the height of the gay midwinter sea-
son. Mathewson did not take advantage OF
| his furlough, but secured permission to
| proceed home. He went TO Marseilles,
| France. by steamer, Travelled to Havre by
rail, and took passage for New York, ar
riying last week He is now at the home
of his father. s37 French Street. When
| seen by a reporter last evening he gave an
interesting and graphic description of some
| of the more exciting scenes in which he
| has participated.
A Sailors Tale.
81 was on the Olympia he said, when
she started for Honolulu from San Fran
cisco in August, 1895. We reached Homo
lulu during the cholera epidemic and after
being detained three months our ship
headed for Yokohama. Japan, relieving the
| Baltimore on November 8. 1895. The Bal
| timore was then flying the flag of Rear
| Admiral Carpenter. In December, 1899,
Rear Admiral McNair assumed command
of the Asiatic station and in January OF
last year Admiral Dewey became COM
mauder OF the fleet, taking charge at Ma
~. rsf,an esFan n
cruising in Chinese waters. The Olympia
went to Hongkong last March on what
would be called a pleasure cruise.
while at Hongkong Admiral Dewey
was notified by the Navy Department that
the Maine had been blown up in Havana
Harbor The Admiral ordered the Asiatic
fleet to assemble at Hongkong. On April
Is. much TO our delight, we were ordered
| TO put on our war paint, and when the
foreign warships saw the dull drab color
20 on there was much comment.
About this time the Admiral must have
foreseen that war was inevitable. He
needed dispatch boats and took the initia-
tive by securing the British collier Nan
shan and the passenger vessel Zafiro. which
was flying the British flag between Hong
kong and Manila. He loaded the Zafiro
with supplies and the collier Nanshan
with coal The revenue cutter McCul-
loch, which had arrived in Hongkong
was also turned over by the Navy Depart
ment, and made an auxiliary cruiser.
"The feet got under way April IS ant
went to Mrs Bay, near Hongkong. Thi,
being a Chinese port, not bound by treaty
the feet could not be ordered away. Pay
master Smith was left at Hongkong TO re-
ceive and bring down the Admiral's mes
sages On April % news came that wal
had been declared. The Admiral made
every preparation. and on April rs we go
away from Mrs Bay.
.'Oniy the officers of the fleet were awar
of our destination but the men had sur
missed that it would be Manila. After W
were two days out at sea we were sum
moned on the deck and informed that wa
had been declared and that We were bou1
for Manila. The strength of the Spanis
fleet its guns, and their calibre was mad
plain to us. but we were told that nothin
was known concerning Manila Harbor.
had been stated that mines were thickl
laid but we were not aware of that fact.
Entering Manila Bay.
"Corregidor Island. which guards the en-
trance 10 Manila Bay, was sighted by tn
Olympia about o'clock on the afternoo
of April 80 Admiral Dewey summoned th
captain of each vessel to his side and hel
a council of war. II was decided to go int
| Manila Bay that night, and at 10 o'cloc
! the vessels steamed past Corregidor Islam,