u will inform the government to which you are accredited, so that its
neutrality may be assured in the existing war."

Before the close of the day John Sherman, Secretary of State, had
resigned; Assistant Secretary William R. Day was appointed the head of the
department, with John B. Moore as his successor.

The United States squadron sailed from Hongkong, under orders to
rendezvous at Mirs Bay, and public attention was turned towards Manila, it
being believed that there the first action would take place.

During the evening the tiny steamer _Mangrove_, a lighthouse tender,
captured the richest prize of the war thus far, when she hove to the
_Panama_, a big transatlantic liner, and an auxiliary cruiser of the
Spanish navy, which had been plying between New York and Havana.

The _Mangrove_, Lieut.-Commander William H. Everett commanding, was
cruising along the Cuban coast about twenty miles from Havana when she
sighted the big steamer, which was armed with two 12-pounders. As the
latter came within range the _Mangrove_ sent a shot across her bow; but
the Spaniard gave no heed; another missile followed without result, and
the third whistled in the air when the two vessels were hardly more than a
hundred yards apart, Commander Everett shouting, as the report of the gun
died away, that unless the steamer surrendered she would be sunk
forthwith.

The only other ship of the fleet in sight was the battle-ship _Indiana_,
three miles to the rear. The _Mangrove's_ officers admit that they
expected the enemy's 12-pounders to open on them in response to the
threat, but the Spaniard promptly came to. Ensign Dayton boarded the
prize.

The _Indiana_ had seen the capture, and meanwhile drew up to the
_Mangrove_, giving her a lusty cheer. Lieutenant-Commander Everett
reported to Captain Taylor of the battle-ship, and the latter put a
prize-crew on board the captive, consisting of Cadet Falconer and fifteen
marines.

_April 26._ The President issued a proclamation respecting the rights of
Spanish vessels then in, or bound to, ports in the United States, and also
with regard to the right of search.

The United States gunboat _Newport_ carried into Key West the Spanish
schooner _Piereno_ and the sloop _Paquette_, which she captured off
Havana, while the monitor _Terror_ took to the same port the coasting
steamer _Ambrosia Bolivar_. This last prize had on board silver specie to
the amount of seventy thousand dollars, three hund