out in ineffectual
protest, but was swiftly silenced by the threat of a lunacy commission.
Goliah remained silent. Against Palgrave Island five great fleets were
hurled--the Asiatic Squadron, the South Pacific Squadron, the North
Pacific Squadron, the Caribbean Squadron, and half of the North Atlantic
Squadron, the two latter coming through the Panama Canal.

"I have the honour to report that we sighted Palgrave Island on the
evening of April 29," ran the report of Captain Johnson, of the
battleship _North Dakota_, to the Secretary of the Navy. "The Asiatic
Squadron was delayed and did not arrive until the morning of April 30. A
council of the admirals was held, and it was decided to attack early next
morning. The destroyer, _Swift VII_, crept in, unmolested, and reported
no warlike preparations on the island. It noted several small merchant
steamers in the harbour, and the existence of a small village in a
hopelessly exposed position that could be swept by our fire.

"It had been decided that all the vessels should rush in, scattered, upon
the island, opening fire at three miles, and continuing to the edge of
the reef, there to retain loose formation and engage. Palgrave Island
repeatedly warned us, by wireless, in the international code, to keep
outside the ten-mile limit; but no heed was paid to the warnings.

"The _North Dakota_ did not take part in the movement of the morning of
May 1. This was due to a slight accident of the preceding night that
temporarily disabled her steering-gear. The morning of May 1 broke clear
and calm. There was a slight breeze from the south-west that quickly
died away. The _North Dakota_ lay twelve miles off the island. At the
signal the squadrons charged in upon the island, from all sides, at full
speed. Our wireless receiver continued to tick off warnings from the
island. The ten-mile limit was passed, and nothing happened. I watched
through my glasses. At five miles nothing happened; at four miles
nothing happened; at three miles, the _New York_, in the lead on our side
of the island, opened fire. She fired only one shot. Then she blew up.
The rest of the vessels never fired a shot. They began to blow up,
everywhere, before our eyes. Several swerved about and started back, but
they failed to escape. The destroyer, _Dart XXX_, nearly made the
ten-mile limit when she blew up. She was the last survivor. No harm
came to the _North Dakota_, and that night, the steer