The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-09-13

"AasSe shO1 houbht ~ hA8u, Wout W hkype o4Au
enlisted in the service Of the Khedive. Said he
the other day:
It's odd that people didn't know that hero
before. We Of tho old Confoderacy knew II long
ago Don't you remember how tho U. g. S.
mississippi was run down by one Of our ships
and sunkI Well Dewey q Lieutenant ON
board her, and he and his gun-orew stood by the
gun no had In charge until the vessel was almost
under water. In fact tho wator was UP 10 tho
muZzle OF the gun whom the last shot was fred.
Then. because IL was too late TO escape In any
other way, the future victor Of Manila got out
through q portfolio and swan for H. Why, Dewey
was always a hero. In his class at the Naval
Academy he was always at the top Of everything,
except in his studies He was splendid athlete,
boxer and a fenoer. Ono thing he hated like
holy water bully. Though far from being
quarrclsome himself. he would hunt a fight with
any follow who attempted 10 impose upon his
interiors In physical strength. Any town boy
who developed reputation as bully was sure
TO fall foul Of George Dewey. and TO got licking
too. don't think he was ever beaten IN q fight"
twas at Manila, a day or two before the famous
colloquy between Admiral Won Dederichs and
tho British captain Of the cruiser Immortate In
which tho former asked what attitude the latter
would assume in trouble arose between tho
Germans and the Americans Chichester replying
shos Ou tnht pOnt COulu DoSt DC CD
tanned from Dewey. On this occasion Dewey
was dining with Chichester and over the nuts
and vino they got swappins stores The host
expressed his admiration OF the confdenoe OF vic
tory exhibited by tho Yankee sailors and his
guest replied that there might be too much con-
fdence in ones ability to win hght The Eng
lishman did not $50 how that could be, and Dewey
proceeded to illustrate his remark with a little
anecdote Said he:
An old friend Of my grandfather's up in Yer
mont lent some help to his country's cause in
the war OF 1912 by fitting out . fine privateer.
He took command OF her himself, having had
some experience in sailorins, and called her tho
New Jerusalem. She a smart little barken-
tine, and mounted six 12.pounders and q 16 po und
pivot gun forward. In tho course OF the frst
voyage she took two or three prizes Of great
value and two months or so elapsed before she
got whack at something really worth capturing.
1T was on q foggy morning. in tho region OF
the tropics the wind having died down TO moro
catspaw. that she sighted the royals and gallant
stunsls OF a huge merchantmen carrying the
British flag. 1t was spectacle to mako any
piratcal PERSONS mouth water. The privateer
being to windward. orept up 70 the prey, herself
unobserved in tho mist and presently hove 10
within half a cables length Of her
"'Heave TO- or I'll sink you yelled my Grand
and laces. with who knows what other SPOIL he
was going to tako back TO Vermont
There was no reply and lust then a puY Of
wind blew away some Of the fog revealing in
stead Of a merchantma an a full -fedRed line Of
battle ship with rows OF froyninR porta
Il was about TO say, shouted the comma nder
OF the privateer that while inviting you 70 sur
render. in case you don't want to do So will
And he did" said Dewey. which will sorvo
to illustrate my meaning when l say that too
much confidence in warfare 10 not always good
thing Your very good health Chichester
There has boon great deal OF discussion about
tho things Dewey said at Manila, during tho
naval battle; but whatever his remarks may
forcible ones Though a quiet man under or
binary circumstances, he speaks out when there
Is OCCASION and his flow Of language at su Oh times
10 described as lovely Sailors do not mind such
things as rough talk so much as they do having
language addressed TO them that tsey do not I'M
derstand when they know that II has an uncom.
plimentary Significance Most of all they dis
like to be called farmers In irony Well IL is TO
lated that on a day In 1885, when the Pensacola
Capt Dewey in command was In the Mediter-
ranean-she was then the flag ship Of the Euro
pean squadron-a shift Of wind accompanied
by a rapid fall OF the barometer gave warning
VI ShohBihB "oothci Fioocudy q Wuitc bqudu
came up and there was busy work for all hands.
the executive officer In the waist. tho officer OF the
deck on the quarter deck, and tho midshipmen
in the fo'casle believing and repeating orders
while the sailors jumped through the tops like
monkeys just then something fouled the clews
Of the maintopsa at the very moment the squall
struck. and bungling for moment or two nearly
cost the vessel spar Dewey from the bridge.
was looking on. and rybody was In Eemulous
anticipation Of severe rebuke But he only
turned TO tho officer Of the deck and said mildly:
will you kindly tell me what was the matter
| just now with the agricultural population on
the main topsail yard
This remark percolated through the midship-
men to the crew, and being duly translated. 1t
produced an effect from which the men did not
| recover for days
| This story seems too good not 70 be true. but
| the writer refuses 10 be responsible for It. At
Mobile Bay after the fall Of New Orleans,
| Dewey was a Junior watch officer on the steam
1 Ill. MAJ l..