The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1917-01-18
ADMIRAL GEORGE
DEWEY IS DEAD
Continued from Page ii

and survey and instructing him to re
port to Acting Rear Admiral McNair
in the far East, as his relief.
~ want you to CO." said Theodore
Roosevelt. "You are the man who will
be equal to the emergency if one
arises"
In the harhor OF NagaSaki, japan
on january 8, 1883, Dewey took over
the command Of the Asiatic squadron
from Acting Rear Admiral McNair,
Dewey, though commander in chief,
was compelled to hoist the pennant of
q commodore over the flagship, the
Olympia. The captain of the Olympia
was young man named Gridley.
A cahegram, delivered TO Dewey on
board the Olympia at Hong-Kong on
February II, 1898, read:
Dewey, Hong-korg:
"Maine destroyed ut Havana Fcbru-
airy 10 by accident. The president d.
reefs all colors to be half-masted until
further orders. Inform vessels under
your command by telegraph.
s'iys t&"+@i.. LONG"
Eight days later another cablegram
came. 1t read:
"order the squadron except the
Monocacy TO Hongkong. Keep full of
coal. In the event of war with Spain,
your duty will be 70 see that the Span
ish squadron does not leave the Asiatic
coast, and then offensive operations in
the Philippine islands.
ts.f "RooSEvELT."
On April % at 1915 Dewey re-
ceived this cablegram from Secretary
of the Navy Lang: pa
'''War las commenced between the
United States and Spain. Proceed at
once To the Philippine islands. Com
mence operations particularly against
the Spanish fleet. You must capture
vessels or destroy. Use the utmost
endeavor."
With a smooth sen and favoring
skies the squadron set its course for
the entrance of Manila bay, GOO miles
away. The squadron had been aug
mented and consisted of the Olympia,
Raleigh, Baltimore. Boston, Concord,
Petrol, McCulloch and the collier Nam
shan.
At ) 80 O'Clock on May l, 1898, in
the misty haze of tropical dawn
Dewey said:
You may fire when you are ready
Gridley."
Wipes Out Spanish Fleet.
Seven hours Inter, at Y 80 noon,
a white flag was hoisted on the gov
erLment buildings of Manila. The
Spanish squadron had been wiped out
and the land batteries silenced. Dewey
had not lost a man. He cabled home
the news Of the surrender and then
cut the cable.
The number of Dewey's ships in
the action was six and OF the Spanish
seven, under command OF Rear Adj
lniral Don Patriotic MontoiO Y Pas
seron. The displacement of Dewey's
squadron was 1905 tons. that of
Montoio 11G9S tons. Neither side had
any aTnCred ships and both fought
with brown powder.
On May Is, American troops occu-
pied Manila and the Stars and Stripes
were flung 10 the breeze over the para
pets Of :he citadel.
Admiral Dewey-the promotion was
made Oh May 4-reinained at Manila
ten months and then returned to the
United Suites by way of New York. He
received Il welcohe home never accord
cd another Han.
Dewey made Admiral.
On March 3, 1890, congress author
izod the president to appoint by Sc
lection ana promotion an admiral Of
the navy, WHO snail not be placed upon
the retired list except by his own APP
plication; and whenever such office
shall be vacated by death or otherwise,
the office shall cease to exist"
Dcwcy Y'"s named.
The titl., Admiral of the Navy"
was especially created for Dewey,
who is the only American on whom il
ever was conferred, though Porter aud
FarragIt lad been made full admirals.
Shortly after his return from Ma
Mia bay Admiral Dewey found him
self in the fire of popular criticism
over the gift house incident"
American citizens had raised $50. 900
by public subscription as testimonial
to the hero of Manila, and they pre-
sented him with Il house in Washing.
ton. Dewey, who had been wldOwer
Since 1872, had just married Mrs. Mil
dred Mclean Hdzen Of Washington
and he turned over the gift house To
her. shortly afterward the admiral
and Mrs, Dewey left the gift house and
lived in the wife's former home.
In 1900 ADMIRAL Dewey was serious
~ talked Of as candidate for the Re
publican nomination as president, hui
The admiral preferred to remain in the
navy. His admirers have since often
spoken of him as the man who could
have been ii president n he wished.
Rural Carriers.