Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1899-05-10

powerful on tue glODe. ! ne hhhiS "
George Dewey, some time of Vermont,
had been placed along with those of
Drake, Nelson, De Ruyper, Collingwood
and Farragut
When Nelson hoisted the signal SO dear
to the British heart before engaging the
enemy at Trafalgar the words were: To
day England expects every man to do his
duty Every man in that splendid feet
did his full duty, for when the fight was
over the enemy's chief passed his sword
to the British leader. But the gallant sea-
man who made the British navy VII, it
Is lay in his wardroom dead in defense of
his country. All over his ships in huddled
groups, headless, legless, mangled, shat
tered by shot and shell. his sailors lay
dead and wounded in frightful numbers.
The victory was a glorious one, but was
won at fearful cost.
When Dewey, heretofore almost un-
known, hoisted the signal to Remember
the Maine" the American jackies took it
to mean the same as the words Of Ne SON.
famous sentence. They cheered the flag
and cut loose with smothering fire which
made it impossible for the Spaniard to
serve his guns with any accuracy. When
the fight was ended the Spanish feet was
not surrendered to the victors: it had ceas-
ed to exist. The commander had little to
surrender but himself and the few remain
ing uninjured me1 under his command.
The victory was glorious one and was
won without damage to the victor. Six
men in all that fleet received injuries, the
most serious being broken leg
When day dawned in Mrs bay, a little
land-locked inlet on the eastern coast of
China, thirty-five miles north of Hong
Kong, on the morning of April 27, mist
hid the face OF the sun. Heavy banks of
clouds covered the gray hulls Of the feet
resting at anchor there for the coming of
the news Of the outbreak Of war. A cold
drizzle soon came to add to the discom-
forts, to increase the gloom Of the anxious
watchers. Every moment of delay meant
SO much grace and so much preparation
in Manila. Would the news never come?
Morning mess had hardly been sounded
when sudden call to quarters reused ev-
cry man aboard ship. A faint smudge Of
smoke had been made out at the mouth OF
the bay. Was it tug with the important
news, or had the Spaniard anticipated the
Yankee? Men sprang to their positions,
guns were scaled and everything cleared
for instant action should it be needed. Up
to the gray Olympia steamed the little
vessel, which proved to be the long looked
for tug. Consul General Williams went
aboard the flagship and soon the signal
was bent on the halliards calling ship COM
manders to conference with the commo.
dore.
Soon the signal was seen to up anchor
steamed the Olympia, followed ip turn by
i0h pofr
and Boston in one line. Abreast of the
flagship the little cutter McCulloch steam
ed on, followed by the Nanshan and Ia
fro in the second line. The formation for
the descent upon Manila had been made.
No matter if it did rain, another kind of
rain would soon envelope that little fleet
Of warships. Silently, in regular order,
with way Of but six or eight knots, the
feet put to sea.
Then strange ceremony was enacted
on the decks. Each crew was piped to-
general quarters. When ali had assem-
bled the executive officers stepped to the
front and informed officers and men that
the commodore directed that the proclama-
tion of war issued by Spain be read. Slow
ly and impressiyely the words were read
Then hearty cheers rose on the heavy air
tions. On speeded the vessels, now. di-
vested of almost everything needless in a
hot fight. Six hundred miles away was
Manila, but who could tell where Monteio
and his fleet might be lurking?
So they steamed on in foul weather for
two days and nights. -..a..lunition was
taken from magazines and sent to the
guns. Battle hatches were put in position.
and at night nothing but the lofty lights
could be seen to tell the story of the pro-
gress Slowly, at mere walk, the stately
vessels plo0ed their way through the sui
len sea- Silently the men waited and
watched, sleeping ftfully; for who can
sleep when mighty events are impending?
Thus the men and the engines marked two
days and nights.
What land is that to the south and east
That is Bolmoa cape. 1t is part of the
island of Luzon. Manila is on that island.
See it is about six miles off. 1t is bright
morning, this April 30, what will to-mor-
row be like? One thinks of The green
shores and broken headlands of the south
Atlantic looking at that dim line off there.
See the Boston aud Concord have put ON
steam and are far in advance. What is
their mission? They go to explore Subig
bay. Inc upu may nave NeSSel OF Two
there and If so he can come up behind and
smash the transports Nanshan and Ia
fro. The commodore will smash him first
Hot, hot beyond belief. The vessels roll
Iazily along, seeming to make no way. At
this rate it will be late in the afternoon be-
fore the inhospitable shores of Corregi-
dor are sighted. Now the Baltimore gets
up speed and disappears in the wake of
| the two gunboats which have gone for
ward as scouts. 1t needs her big eight
inch guns to add to their lighter ones to
give the possibly waiting enemy an object
Iesson. Big guns count in naval warfare
now; jnst wait and see until the clash
when the hostile armadas meet. But what
of the rapid-fire guns. the little fellowss
Good to keep off torpedo boats; they won't
be needed. Wait and see.
The afternoon is long and very hot Why
SO slow? Manila is but thirty miles away.
See, there is Subig bay and there the
smoke Of one of the scouts, Or is II that Of
hostile vessel? Scarcely the latter, or
we would have heard the gGns. The scouts