l.

This retreat did not prove, in the battle of Yalu and the combats
between the Chileans and Peruvians, a place of safety; but as a rule
there is a considerable percentage of protection in its use. Admiral
Dewey preferred to remain on the bridge--and there were four fragments
of Spanish shells that passed close to him, striking within a radius
of fifteen feet. The Admiral, when told there had been some remark
because he had not occupied the conning-house in the action, walked
with me to the tower, the entrance to which is so guarded that it
resembles a small cavern of steel--with a heavy cap or lid, under
which is a circular slit, through which observations are supposed to
be made. "Try it," the Admiral said, "and you find it is hard to get
a satisfactory view." He added, when I had attempted to look over
the surroundings: "We will go to the bridge;" and standing on it he
annotated the situation, saying: "Here you have the whole bay before
you, and can see everything." I remarked: "The newspaper men are
very proud of the correspondent of the Herald who was with you on the
bridge;" and the Admiral said: "Yes; Stickney was right here with us."

There were many reasons for the officer commanding the American
fleet that day to watch closely the developments. The Spaniards had,
for their own purposes, even falsified the official charts of the
bay. Where our vessels maneuvered and the flagship drew twenty-two
feet of water and had nine feet under the keel, the chart called for
fifteen feet only!

It is not a secret that the President wanted Admiral Dewey, if
it was not in his opinion inconsistent with his sense of duty,
to go to Washington. Naturally the President would have a profound
respect for the Admiral's opinion as to the perplexing problem of the
Philippines. The Admiral did not think he should leave his post. He
could cover the points of chief interest in writing, and preferred
very much to do so, and stay right where he was "until this thing is
settled." The opinion of the Admiral as to what the United States
should do with, or must do about, the political relations of the
Philippines with ourselves and others, have not been given formal
expression; but it is safe to say they are not in conflict with his
feeling that the American fleet at Manila should be augmented with
gunboats, cruisers and two or three battle-ships. It was, in the
opinion of the illustrious Admiral, when the Peace Commission met in
Paris, t