Omaha daily bee., 1899-05-25
ADMIRAL DEWEY WANTS REST
Worn Out by 0nerous Duties and RESPONSE
bilities in Tropical Climate
PREDICTS GREAT FUTURE FOR ISLANDS
Expresses Opinion that for United
states to Part with Them would
Bring on n Great wnr-Rc-
bcllion About Ended.

NEW YORK, May PA dispatch to the
Journal and Advertiser from Hong Kong
quotes Admiral Dewey as saying on board
| the Olympia: THE courtesy of these visit
ors warmly appreciate but l am too much
worn out and sick to receive them | am
sorry to leave Manila at this time. | could
not stand the care and responsibility much
longer. 1t is vastly easier sometimes to be
under orders than to issue them.
1T Is the responsibility that kills. During
the year that has elapsed since we came to
Manila have not had one sick day until
now. year is long enough in this climate
for an old man and ! am glad to be per-
mitted rest. On this account l expect to
remain in Hong Kong two weeks. That
ought to recuperate me. My intention is to
spend the time at Victoria Peak where l
hope to be absolutely free from worry. No
body is more sensible of the kindness of the
people who have extended me invitations,
but l do not wish for entertainment. My
health would not stand 1t at present. Two
weeks of perfect quiet at the peak ought to
make new man of me.
II have the greatest enthusiasm in the
future of the Philippines. / hope to see
Americas possessions the key to Oriental
commerce and civilization The brains of
our great country will develop the untold
agricultural and mineral richness of the
islands.
I'VE must never sell them. Such an act
would bring another great war. We will
never part with the Philippines, / am sure,
and in future years the idea that anybody
should have seriously suggested 1t will be
one of the curiosities of history.
"The insurrection is broken. There will be
no more hard battles and the new era for the
| islands that was temporarily delayed by the
| rising will soon begin. Aguinaldo and his
generals must be captured and then the very
semblance of an insurrection will cease.
The Olympia will go home leisurely. 1
want all my officers and men to get the
greatest benefit of all the stops we make.
We will pick our places with this in mind.
| They have earned a rest by a year of steady
duty without respite
while l am glad to be going home.
cannot leave Manila without regrets. There
have been many pleasant occurrences among
| the months of harassing responsibility, and
we will not forget them"
Surgeon on Dewey's Health.
WASHINGTON, May 24.-Surgeon ]. e.
Page of Admiral Deweys flagship, the
! Olympia, has arrived here on leave. He
came ahead of the Olympia to avoid the
| long delays of the sail via the Suez canal
Surgeon Page has been on the flagship ever
since Dewey took command, seeing him daily
| and having general charge of medical af-
fairs, so that he is in a position to give
an intelligent view of the admiral's health
and general condition. He said today:
| admiral Dewey Is in no sense sick man.
but is as wen any man could be after
spending a year in the tropics. / was on
the Olympia at the time he came aboard
and from that time to the present do not
| holt hae haan nah hln
change in his appearance, weight or general
condition. Anyone who thinks he is ply
scal wreck should hear the admiral on the
| quarter deck when he gets aroused. He is
| the gentlest man living, and yet he expects
every man to do his exact duty, and when
| there is any shortcoming the admiral will
| be heard from in no feeble or sckly man
ner. OF course, everyone in the fleet has
suffered in health more or less in the last
year, owing to the terrific and long sus-
! tanned heat and the enervating climate. 1t
takes all the rife out of a strong man, kills
| his energy and ambition. In that way
| Dewey suffered with all the rest of us. 1t
was particularly arduous doing blockade
duty, when for long stretches no man could
| get ashore"
Surgeon Page was asked If Admiral
Dewey's responsibility had not weighed
heavily on him.
II think not" he answered, land I be-
lieve it will be found that he has just as
much narve as the morning he fought the
| battle of Manila bay He is a man who
carries responsibility lightly and does not
| let II break him down. On the morning OF
! the battle he was perfectly cool and only
once throughout the action did he show
signs of excitement. That was when the
! head gunner reported that our ammunition
was running short. This was about the time
we pulled off for breakfast and it had a
| rather depressing effect. But 1t was quickly
Offset when the officer of the deck reported
that the Reina Christina and Castala were
afre. That was the turning point and the
admiral had no anxiety after that"
Asked IL he had prescribed for Dewey Of
late, Surgeon Page said:
mo, he has no need for prescriptions.
During the last year he has not once asked
/ for a prescription or taken medical advice,
except in a casual way. II he wants any
! thing he sends down to the ships apothe-
cary and gets II. His habits are so regular
| that he needs little or no medicine His
smoking and drinking are in perfect modera-
tion He eats we'll and sleeps we'll, and it
is one of the recognized offences on board
ship to tramp heavily over the admiral's
cabin after he has retired"
| "It has needed pretty calm man at the
head of affairs" said Surgeon Page when
asked as to the reports of friction with the
German naval officers 81 know nothing of
any differences, but We all felt that much
reliance was to be placed on the admiral's
tact and conservatism as d means of avoid
ing any possible difference. Throughout the
fleet he was universally admired, not only
as naval commander, but for his states
| manship and discretion"
! Welcome to Washington.
| WASHINGTON, May 24.-Preliminary
steps have been taken by the Washington
| Board OF Trade for a welcome to Admiral
J Dewey on his return to this city The
! District commissioners have been requested
Y TO appoint a committee of citizens TO take
! charge OF the matter and also to represent