Omaha daily bee., 1911-11-04
HEROIC HOPES PULLED DOWN
Seasoned RecOlleotions Of the Gen.
tlemsnly Battle Of Guam.
NO CHANCE TO BURN POWDER
How the Captain of the Port BIus-
tered for n Fight, but Listened
TO the PIeadings Of His
Doctor.


WHITES james 4. Smith, former governor
general OF the Philippines. describing IN
the Sunset Magazine the first expedition
TO the islands following the victory Of
Manila bay. when Captain Glass OF the
convoy opened his sealed orders, and
with fine irony, enjoying secrecy. pub
lished the welcome Information that the
expedition was to stop by on the way
and capture Guam. Whether Guam was
a city, island or man-of-war was sub
ject Of much debate. Al were agreed,
however. that the intention to benevo-
lently assimiate IL was a good thing
which should be withheld from the press
and regarded as strictly confidential. A
dot upon the charts supported by the
ipse dirit OF a quartet OF master mari
ners finally convinced the doubling that
Guam was a bit Of land entirely sur
rounded by water. And so. on June 20
at dsybreak. cruiser and transports. by
virtue of q sacred compact and a lack
of wireless, steal upon II unheralded and
unannounced. With rigging and every
vantage point crowded with men whose
pulses beat time TO their excitement the
transports take their place five or six
miles off shore and await the coming
conflict. In plain view the Charleston IL
creeping along the outer line of reefs
and there. from a hidden cove, with a
bone in It's teeth. great Spanish cruiser.
Rhostiy IN the haze. comes out to meet
&c. And then just when everybody Is on
the tiptoe OF expectation, the haze lifts.
and a whopping fighting craft Of high
degree meits into poor little japanese
fishing schooner gently bobbing to its
anchor.
What a disappointment But right be
yond the cove r. the headland that marks
the entrance 20 the port OF San Juan de
Apra. The old btoken-back book. dug
out Of the captains locker by searchers
hungry for information, declares In print
that this, the safest anchorage OF Guam
(Which wasn't saying much, considering
the fate of the YoEemite) is protected by
a fort upon the bluffs and by a fortified
island in the center OF the harbor. Surely
there will be something uolng when the
Charleston seeks TO enter there. And now
the cruiser, dull as a misty morning in its
clothes OF somber gray, swings to port
and slips into the narrow channel d.
rectly under where the boid-feced type
has said the fort Is sure 10 be-and-not
n shot Is fired! The garrison must be
asleep. or maybe II is permitting the en-
trance OF the vessel TO make its destruc-
Ntoh CeIAhahlt OF Hlhgpo TINS OF mh1be
that-anytning 20 keep alive the hope that
the colosseum OF half-circied transports
may not be denied the nerve-tingiing
spectacle of battling men,. Bangl Bangi
Nine times bang 60 the guns OF the
Charleston. A hush OF expectation and
then a great stllnessl
Call of the Captain.
What has happeaed7 Why nothing. ex-
cept that dinky little rowboat has put
off from shore with the Spanish coiors
gally flying from the stern. Not a bit
Of white D. fluttering from Il anywhere.
and every gunner is eager to potshot II
as Il meanders through the coral reefs
Captain Glass won't have II that way
however. and permits the flagship OF
Guam 90 come alongside without objec-
ton. with great deliberatlon a boy In
size but a man in dignity and years. gilt
tering with the gold lace OF Spanish
major. mounts the ladder lowered for his
reception, gravely touches his cap TO the
commanding officer. and then through
nm interpreter. presents his thanks for
the salute just rendered. and expresses
regret that he couldn't return it--for lack
OF powder. Now. what do you think OF
THAR A silly grin broadens the faces OF
much for the big. kind heart OF Captain
Glass, who takes the good major TO the
seclusloh Of his quarters and there very
gently explains that Spain and the United
States have been at war for more than
sixty days. The major, who receives his
daily paper as often as twice year. IS
properly sorry that such a thing should
be and. rising. solemniy announces that
under the circumstances he must retire
and prepare him for the fray.
why. my dear man." says the captain
'you can't do that. Don't you see you
are my prisoner and that must ask you
90 surrender AZ once the island and all
your forces?"
The major argues earnestly that ne Is
victim Of deceit and that he has been
induced TO come on board by false Rre-
tenaes(CCe course the deceit and false
pretenses have not been planned, pre-
pared and perpetrated by an abandoned
and malignant heart. with malice afore-
thought. but none the less deceived and
fooled he has been and OF that fact no
caballerO. that ia no worthy cRbellero
such as was the captain might. could.
would or should advantage take. That
word "caballero" did the business. The
major was permitted 10 depart. with a
warning that surrender must be made by
o'clock p. m. OF that day OF the island
would be surrounded by one OF the tram
sports. besieged bombarded. undermined.
fEunk, carried by assault ans otherwise
wasted. demolished. and destroyed with
all that was in. around. over or under IL.
HeedinE the Doctor.
Would you think it-that little old major
said he'd think Il over and left the ship
with the full intention OF putting up a
fishtf AND from that intention not a
bulge did he bulge until the pleadings OF
his doctor that he give a chance for life
20 a very ailing woman touched his tough
old Spanish heart and persuaded him that
he might yield with honor 20 a force
which. excluding the cruiser. was more
than forty times his own. SO, at o'clock,
5ust as the boats were putting off from
the transports 10 make a landing. the
major, as governor OF the Msrianas, rep
resentative at Guam Of her majesty the
queen regent commander-in-chief OF all
the forces. captain OF the port. collector
of customs. and sundry other things. sur
rendered at discretion and reported on
board the Charleston with an army corps