Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1900-01-08
DIDN'T MIND TORPED0ES
Story OF Dewey's Decision to
Enter Manila Bay.
PILOT PRoPHEsIED DISASTER.

| Men md ships, but He Did Not Fall
ter-"Order the Olympia to the Head
| of the Line and Let the Squadron
| Proceed" Was His Command.
The story of Admiral Deweys deci-
sion TO enter Manila bay the night be-
| fore the famous battle, when every
| channel was believed TO be thoroughly
mined, was recently published for the
| first time.
| The facts as given were related on
| board Dr. W. Seward Webb's private
| car Victory while the admiral and his
| party were making the run from New
| York 10 Montpelier, VT, to attend the
| celebration given the fighter by his
own townspeople. The story was Civ
en- to the New York World by Admiral
| Dewey through a member of the party
| TO whom ii was told.
1t will be remembered that when
war was declared. and even before,
| for that matter, the navy department
believed the entrance TO Manila bay to
be filed with Spanish torpedoes. A
| few days before the declaration of war
| word was received at Washington from
| an authoritative source to the effect
that the Spanish had secretly added to
the torpedo field until they believed it
would be impossible for the American
fleet. then at HongkOng. TO pass up the
bay.
The torpedoes were said to be of
great power and were supposed to he
operated from firing stations on either
II 81.
were known to the Americans. but the
points at which the tOrpedoes We're
moored were not. What little informa-
ton was in the possession of the navy
department was forwarded TO Admiral
Dewey by cable. and he was left to
make any further investigation he
deemed necessary.
The admiral had already been told
that the approach to the harbOr had
been thoroughly mined and that it
would be unsafe for him to attempt
to enter il without first cutting the
wires or exploding the torpedOes. So
wien the order came 10 smash Month
jos fleet Dewey was fully aware of
the great danger he would run in at
tempting to force the harbor without
first destroying the mines. If this sub
Itti, WHICH WAS lIOllblluS every cap
tain and petty officer in the feet. was
considered at any length by. the adj
miral. lie kept his own counsel. and not
once during the voyage from Hong
kong did lie bring the matter up for
any extended discussion. 1t is true
that once or twice the matter was
spoken of at the consultations held
daily aboard the Olympia. and it was
not long before the officers realized
that the admiral had resolved to steam
into the bay with little reference 20
the mines.
1t was about / o'clock on the morn
ing on May when the Spanish pilot,
peering through the gloom from the
bridge of the flagship. leveled his BIZ
noculars over the Starboard bow and
announced that the Olympia was dead
off the entrance TO the harbor. Below
on the deck. silhouetted against the
heavy swell of the sea, stood Admiral
Dewey and Lieutenant Thomas Brum-
by, his flag officer.
All about was utter darkness. The
lights had long ago been doused, and
the hulls of the lighting ships could
hardly be made out Il stones throw
off. Brumby had just come down from
the bridge and was giving his chief
the Spanish pilots idea of the location
of the mines. He says that every
channel is filed with them" said Lieu
tenant Brumby. He says that they
are connected with firing stations on
both shores and that TO attempt to pass
over them would mean certain destruc
ton, as a constant watch is being kept
for American warships." Send the
pilot here: want to talk to him." said
the admiral.
1t was painfully evident that the
pilot believed every word he had spO
ken relative TO the mines. He was eX
tremely nervous and repeated TO the
admiral what lie had already told to
Brumby. When he had finished and
returned to his post, Admiral Dewey
paced the deck. He was thinking. Sew
eral facts confronted him. To get at
the Spanish feet and take it off its
guard he must enter the harbor and |
steam up the bay to Manila. so miles |
distant. before daylight. To do this |
he must either destroy or pass over the |
Spanish mines. Should he attempt to |
destroy them he would lose valuable |
time AMI m'<ht apprise the enemy of |
his arrival.
On the ether hand, to attempt to pass
over the mines meant the running of |
a great risk. II the mines were in the |
channel and the ships were sighted by |
the Spanish operators at the firing sta |
tons. the first battleship in the line of |
advance would almost TO a certainty be |
destroyed.
For fully a minute the admiral paced |
the deck. Then he turned toward |
Brumby.
"Well:" he asked interrogativcly as
he paused.
Brumby came closer.
More than Il fathoms. isn't II, /
Brumby?'
Yes. sir replied the lieutenant
We'll. what do you Think" They /