Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1925-09-24

with favoring wind 'til he got sight of the Is
land of Guam, on which fires were kept burning
every night during June by the small Spanish gar
rison. Having taken on water the galleon then
stood away directly for the Island Of Samar in the
philippines. If there were no danger signals on
Cape Espiritu Santo, he then headed for "Cabite"
1t was in January of 1742 that Arson approached
the west coast of Mexico. He had sailed from Eng
land in September of 1740 for the purpose of at
lacking Spain lin her distant settlements: the two
nations being at war; His fleet consisted of two
British men of war-the Centurion 60 guns and
the Gloucester, so guns There were also three
captured Spanish vessels, which had been armed
Anson's expedition had been fairly successful He
had plundered and burned Paita on the Chilean
coast, had looted several thousand pounds sterling
in silver and had destroyed several vessels Now
he was bent on intercepting "the Manila Galleon"
To make this part of the story Short the galleon
got into Acapulco before Arson arrived He did
not know of her arrival and in scouting for in
formation of his boats was SEEM So the galleon
did not sail usual for Manila and Arson had
many a weary week of vain waiting Then he
planned to intercept the 1743 galleon on its way
home So April of that year found him at Macao
He sailed April 10 from that port giving out that
he was bound-for Java and thence home. Instead
he shaped his course for Cape Espirtu Santo
where he lay in wait. He thought it likely that
there would be two galleons in company. But that
did not scare him. He harangued his .aen who
replied with cheers and expressed their determina-
ton ito succeed or perish whenever the oppor-
tunity presented itself" This showed grit all
around, inasmuch- as Anson's fleet had now been
reduced to the Centurion, which was only half
manned
For month the Centurion lay in wait off Cape
Espritu Santo. Finally, after the crew had about
given up hope one galleon appeared-Nostra Sig
nora de Cabadonga. When the Centurion was
within league the Spaniard hosted her coIors
the Centurion and ready to fight it out
Arson sent thirty of his best marksmen into
his tops. He had not crew enough to man his guns
in the regulation manner So he placed only two
men to each gun on the lower tier; it was their
business to load the guns The rest of his gunners
he divided into gangs of ten men each These
gangs moved about the decks and ran out and fred
the guns as fast they were loaded This re-
suited in more or less constant fire instead of
broadsides, which proved distinct advantage in
asmuch as the Spaniards were accustomed to lie
down when they saw a broadsde being prepared
and stay prone untilit was fired
Early in the action Arson "over-reached the gal
leon and lay on her bow" In more modern parlance
he got where he could rake the Spaniard Shots
from the Centurion set on fire the mats with which
Spaniards had stuffed the netting Of the galIeon
The flames blazed up "half as high as the miz-
zen-top," and for time it looked as If the gaeon
with all her treasure would be burned But the
sailors at last succeeded In cutting the burning
mass loose, when 1t fell into the sea-
The Centurion's topmen acquitted themselves
gloriously, driving the Spaniards from the gal
Icons tops and making "prodigous havock with
their small arms, killing or wounding every officer
but one that ever appeared on the quarterback I"
Gen. Don Heronmo de Montero was wounded
early, but fought his ship for an hour. Finally he
was no longer capable of exerting himself" There
upon he had the royal standard of Spain lowered
and surrendered "the Manila Galleon."
Commodore Arson found board 1,313, S43
pieces of eight and 1862 ounces of virgin silver