Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1899-05-04

sending up reek of smoke, not Of battle,
but Of abject helplessness and surrender
this republic of ours sprang at one bound
from a naval power Of the sixth class to
an acknowledged equality with the most
powerful on the globe. The name of
George Dewey, some time Of Vermont,
had been placed along with those OF
Drake, Nelson, De Ruyper, Collingwood
and Farragut.
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 Nelson's
famous sentence. They cheered the flag
and cut loose with a 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 men under his command.
The victory was glorious one and was
won without damage to the victor. Six
men in all that feet received injuries, the
most serious being broken leg.
When day dawned in Mrs bay, little
land-locked inlet on the eastern coast Of
China, thirty-fye miles north of Hong
Kong, on the morning of April 81, 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 a 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-1ooked
for tug. Consul General Williams went
aboard the flagship and soon the signal
was bent on the halliards calling ship COM
manders to a conference with the commo-
dore
Soon the signal was seen to up anchor
and drop in the wake of the flagship. Out
steamed the Olympia, followed in turn by
the Baltimore, Raleigh, Petrol, Concord
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 feet
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 all had assem-
bled the executive officers stepped to the
front and informed officers and men that
the commodore directed that the proclama-
ton Of war issued by Spain be read. Slow
~ and impressively the words were read.
Then hearty cheers rose on the heavy air
as the men dispersed to their several posi-
tions On speeded the vessels, now di-
vested of almost everything needless in
hot fight. Six hundred miles away was
Manila, but who could tell where Mantejo
| and his fleet might be lurking?
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 and Concord have put on
steam and are far in advance. What is
| their mission? They go to explore Subig
| bay. The don may have a vessel or 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
| lazily 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
| lesson. Big guns count in naval warfare
now; Just wait and see until the clash
when the hostile armadas meet. But what
OF the rapid-fre guns, the little fellows2
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 it that OF
| a hostile vessel? Scarcely the latter, or
we would have heard the guns. The scouts
| will not give in without hot fight, mind
| you. Here come the Boston and Concord;
| that is the Baltimore behind. What?
Stop the engines? Yes. the old man wants
| all commanders to come aboard to consult.
| So here off Subig the feet must lay until
| the final plans are adopted, All right, as
well here as anywhere else.
Six o'clock and once more under steam.
| Battle ports are taken out and all lights
aboard ordered extinguished. The line is
taken up as before, the Olympia leading
and the Boston closing the main line. Only
single light CLEANS from the sterns that
the following ships may not foul the for
ward ones; that is all. Down upon the en-
trance bears the feet in two columns as
before. Sailors in groups with here and
| there an officer move about the decks like
.,bostS In tho fading light Thew are I'M