"She is indeed," Seabury replied, "and twice as fast as most vessels of Camara's fleet. I believe she could whip even the cruisers in a fair fight."

"I will get you made acting commodore, and see that you are well rewarded," Dewey went on. "We will place aboard some rapid-fire guns, and you can sail into the auxiliary vessels and ram them out of sight before they know what you are about. Will you do it?"

"I should like no better fun," said Seabury.

When word came that Camara had turned back, the two commanders were deeply disgusted.

CHAPTER V

WAR WITH SPAIN

THE war between the United States and Spain began on the 21st of April, 1898, and ended on the following 12th of August, thus continuing 114 days. Many were opposed to it from policy or principle. Some saw in it money loss; some profit. Some were against it because they were against every thing not sanctioned by precedent or tradition; and it was a new thing, this fighting for the sake of humanity. Said a Harvard professor, "It is unnecessary, therefore unjust, therefore criminal." Some maintained that the Cubans were not worth fighting for, that they were a low ignoble race, a hundred of them of less value than the life of one American, and would not know what to do with liberty if they had it.

These were answered that the quality of humanity is not confined to race or color, to those of high degree or low degree. Moreover, all men are fated to be free. It is the destiny of the human race to be each one his own master. The time has passed when one people may be held against their will in servitude to another people. No humane man pauses to consider the condition of the human being, or even one of the brute creation, before coming to its rescue from unjust treatment. We have too long tolerated at our door a mediæval nuisance. We do not go to war for the love of it, nor for money or territorial aggrandizement, nor for any advantage at present apparent that will accrue to the United States. This, as regards the island of Cuba; the question that reprisal in the Philippines should ever become necessary had not yet arisen.

But however varied the American mind as to the wisdom of the measure, war once declared, all agreed that it was the duty of every one to stand by his country, and to use his best endeavor to make the issue short and energetic. A prolonged

war would be no less cruel than costly. The insurgents were suffering from starvation; the Spanish soldiers were unpaid and poorly fed and clothed, while the Americans had far more to fear from tropical malaria during the coming summer than from the bullets of the enemy. Besides the largely increased cost in lives and money of a prolonged war, there was liability of complications with Europe; and it was best that the United States should lose no prestige at the outset as a fighting nation. Therefore, such being the unanimity and decision of the American people, in ten days after diplomatic relations ceased, Spain's Asiatic fleet was destroyed; sixty-four days thereafter Spain's American fleet was destroyed, and the task practically accomplished; and in less than a year twelve Spanish gunboats were placed among the fighting ships of the United States.

It was scarcely to be anticipated, as before remarked, that the first great battle for the liberation of Cuba should be fought on the other side of the world. Spain's dominions were not so extensive as they were in the time of Philip II, and the United States had surely no thought of the conquest. of Asia. But so it came about, greatness and the Philippine archipelago being thus suddenly thrust upon the American people.

Moreover, this by-play of providence was not without significance. In this certain antipodal spot ruled Spain, and wherever Spain ruled appeared the slime of the serpent, barbarism, with all its attendant horrors of war cruelty and injustice. Here were similar wrongs to redress, a similar malign rule, and a similar brutal rebellion. Once abroad on his Rosinante, the valorous knight of La Mancha finds no lack of occupation. The Filipinos, they too desired deliverance from the barbarism of Spain; primarily, that they might indulge in their own barbarism.

Preparations for war were hastened, orders for all military and naval requirements were given, enlistments made, work at arsenals and navy yards continued day and night, and arms were conveyed to strategic points. The plan of the war department at first in the mobilization of the army was to concentrate the regular troops at New Orleans, Mobile, and Tampa, in readiness for the move on Cuba; but this plan was changed to a general rendezvous of all the forces at the

national park on the battlefield of Chickamauga. Naval forces were concentrated at various points along the American seaboard for the proposed attacks on Cuba and Porto Rico. To guard the coast between the Delaware and Bar Harbor, a patrol squadron under Commodore J. A. Howell was employed, consisting of the steamer San Francisco, flagship; the Prairie, Dixie, Yankee, and Yosemite.

In the harbors submarine mines were placed. Signal corps were organized, giving special attention to new telegraph lines and the electrical constructions of the fortifications. A cable ship was at hand, ready to destroy the enemy's lines while establishing lines of our own. The telegraph cables from Cuba were cut so as to completely isolate the island and render the blockade complete. Every available vessel suitable for the purpose in America and Europe was purchased or leased, though the continental powers used their influence to prevent the sale of ships to the United States; nevertheless enough were found for the purpose. The four passenger steamers of the American line, the finest of their kind afloat, the St Paul, St Louis, New York, and Paris were chartered by the government at a cost of $9,000 a day each, the names of the New York and Paris being changed to Harvard and Yale respectively. By the purchase of small craft, including twenty-five private steam yachts, a flotilla of auxiliary cruisers was formed for despatch boats or other use. Then a transport fleet of fifty-seven vessels with hospital service was improvised for expeditions to Cuba, Porto Rico, and the Philippines; so that at the end of the war, apart from these chartered transports, the United States had a navy of over a hundred vessels.

Fifty million dollars were voted by congress for war expenses, and an emergency appropriation of some $35,000,000 asked for by the war department passed the senate without debate. Throughout the war all the money required was promptly and cheerfully given by congress. Calls were issued by the president, first for 125,000 volunteers to serve for two years, and a month later for 75,000 more. A bill was also passed by congress for the increase of the regular army.

A popular three-per-cent loan of $400,000,000 was authorized by congress in June, half of which was offered in amounts of not to exceed $5,000 to one person, and preference to be given to subscriptions of $20 to $500. For the $200,000,000

part of the loan there were 320,000 applicants, whose subscriptions aggregated $1,365,000,000, or more than six and a half times the amount of the loan. This is the lowest rate of interest at which any nation ever borrowed money during war time. No commissions were paid. The bonds were issued at par, and before the end of the war they were in demand at 105.

On the 22nd of April the president issued a proclamation declaring a blockade of the north coast of Cuba, and the port of Cienfuegos, and all the ports between Cardenas and Bahia Honda on the south coast. No attack was ordered, it being sufficient at present to render Blanco's position in Cuba untenable until relieved by Spain, provided Spain could relieve him. The blockading fleet in charge of William T. Sampson, was divided into two commands, one under Sampson, who had been promoted from the captaincy of the Iowa to succeed Rear-admiral Sicard, relieved on account of ill health, and the other under Commodore Winfield Scott Schley, held as a flying squadron in reserve at Newport News to act as circumstances should direct. Sailing from Key West Admiral Sampson directed his course to Havana, and blockading operations were instituted. Instructions were given the blockading fleet to avoid risking unnecessarily the safety of the ships; but when off Matanzas, on the 27th, Admiral Sampson observed that the garrison was constructing new shore batteries, he regarded it a good opportunity to give his gunners a little target practice. Bringing his flagship, the New York, the cruiser Cincinnati, and the monitor Puritan within from two to four miles range, he opened fire, discharging 300 shots in twenty minutes, demolishing the earthworks at Punta Gorda and the forts at Quintas de Recreo. Not one of the 100 and more shots fired by the enemy reached the American vessels. American marksmanship proved good, a final 12-inch shell from the Puritan striking the very centre of the earthworks, and reducing them to their original level. Other bombardments of coast defenses followed, but without serious injury to the enemy. In like manner the New York silenced the batteries at Cabanas, 35 miles west of Havana, on the 29th.

In Cardenas harbor, May 11th, the Winslow, Hudson, and Wilmington, torpedo, revenue, and gun-boat respectively, met with the fire from a masked battery, resulting in the loss of five Americans killed and several wounded. While cruising