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ention； while she did recognize that of the Pope and the European powers。 Was it then possible that a Government which was either unwilling or afraid openly to acknowledge American interest in April would； by October； yield to the wishes of the Administration？ Was it certain or likely that if the Spanish Government did so yield； it would remain in power？
Reluctantly President McKinley decided that he could not announce to Congress that he had secured the acceptance of the American policy。 In his message to Congress on the 11th of April； he reviewed the negotiation and concluded by recommending forcible intervention。 On the 19th of April； Congress； by joint resolution； called upon Spain to withdraw from Cuba and authorized the President to use force to compel her to do so。 Congress； however； was not content to leave the future of the island merely indefinite； but added that the United States did not desire Cuba and that the 〃people of the island of Cuba are； and of right ought to be； free and independent。〃 This decision ruled out both autonomy and cession as solutions of the problem。 It put an end to the American century…long dream of annexing Cuba； unless the people of the island themselves desired such a relation； and it practically determined the recognition of the unstable Cuban Government then in existence。 This decision on the part of Congress； however； reflected the deep…seated conviction of the American people regarding freedom and plainly put the issue where the popular majority wished it to beupon a basis of unselfish sympathy with struggling neighbors。
The resolution was signed by the President on the 20th of April。 On the following day； Admiral Sampson's fleet left Key West with orders to blockade the coast of Cuba； and； in the absence of a formal declaration of war； this strategic move may be considered as its actual beginning。 On the 25th of April； Congress declared 〃that； war be； and the same is hereby； declared to exist； and that war has existed since the twenty…first of April； Anno Domini； eighteen hundred and ninety…eight； including the said day； between the United States of America and the Kingdom of Spain。〃
CHAPTER VIII。 Dewey And Manila Day
War had begun； but the majority of the American people had hardly considered seriously how they were to fight。 Fortunately their navy already existed； and it was upon it that they had to rely in the opening moments of hostility。 Ton for ton； gun for gun； it stood on fairly even terms with that of Spain。 Captain； later Admiral； Mahan； considered that the loss of the Maine shifted a slight paper advantage from the United States to Spain。 In personnel； however； the American Navy soon proved its overwhelming superiority； which was due not solely to innate ability but also to sound professional training。
The Secretary of the Navy； John D。 Long； had a thorough appreciation of values。 Although Congress had not provided for a general staff； he himself appointed a Naval War Board； which served many of the same purposes。 Upon this Board he appointed Rear Admiral Sicard； who but for ill health would have commanded the main fleet； Captain A。 S。 Crowninshield； and； most important； Captain A。 T。 Mahan； whose equal as master of the theory and history of naval warfare no navy of the world could show。 The spirit of the fighting force was speedily exhibited by such exploits as that of Lieutenant Victor Blue in boldly plunging into the Cuban wilderness to obtain information regarding the position of Admiral Cervera's fleet； though in this dangerous sort of work the individual palm must be given to Lieutenant A。 S。 Rowan of the army； whose energy and initiative in overcoming obstacles are immortalized in Elbert Hubbard's 〃Message to Garcia；〃 the best American parable of efficient service since the days of Franklin。
Efficient； however； as was the navy； it was far from being a complete fighting force。 Its fighting vessels were totally unsupplied with that cloud of serverscolliers； mother ships； hospital ships； and scoutswhich we now know must accompany a fleet。 The merchant marine； then at almost its lowest point； was not in a position entirely to fill the need。 The United States had no extensive store of munitions。 Over all operations there hung a cloud of uncertainty。 Except for the short campaign of the Chino…Japanese War of 1894； modern implements of sea war remained untested。 Scientific experiment； valuable and necessary as it was； did not carry absolute conviction regarding efficient service。 Would the weapons of offense or defense prove most effective？ Accidents on shipboard and even the total destruction of vessels had been common to all navies during times of peace。 That the Maine had not been a victim of the failure of her own mechanism was not then certain。 Such misgivings were in the minds of many officers。 Indeed； a report of the total disappearance of two battling fleets would not have found the watchful naval experts of the world absolutely incredulous。 So much the higher； therefore； was the heroism of those who led straight to battle that complex and as yet unproved product of the brainthe modern warship。
While negotiations with Spain were in their last stages； at the orders of Secretary Long a swift vessel left San Francisco for Honolulu。 There its precious cargo was transferred to the warship Baltimore； which then made hurriedly for Hongkong。 It contained the ammunition which was absolutely necessary if Commodore George Dewey； in command of the Asiatic squadron； was to play a part in the war。 The position of his squadron； even after it received its ammunition； was indeed singular。 After the war began； it was unable to obtain coal or other supplies from any neutral port and at the same time it was equally unable to remain in any such port without being interned for the duration of the war。 There remained but one course of action。 It must not be forgotten that the Spanish empire stretched eastward as well as westward。 Already William Pitt； when he had foreseen in 1760 the entrance of Spain into the war which England was then waging with France； had planned expeditions against both Cuba and the Philippines。 Now in 1898 the Navy Department of the United States； anticipating war； saw in the proximity of the American squadron to the Spanish islands of the Philippines an opportunity rather than a problem。 Commodore George Dewey； the commander of the Asiatic squadron； was fully prepared to enter into the plan。 As early as the seventies； when the Virginius affair* threatened war between Spain and the United States； Dewey； then a commander on the west coast of Mexico； had proposed； in case war were declared； that he sail for the Philippines and capture Manila。 Now he was prepared to seek in the hostile ports of those islands the liberty that international law forbade him in the neutral ports of Asia。 How narrow a margin of time he had in which to make this bold stroke may be realized from the fact that the Baltimore； his second vessel in size； reached Hongkong on the 22d of April and went into dry dock on the 23d； and that on the following day the squadron was ordered either to leave the port or to intern。
* A dispute between the United States and Spain； arising out of the capture of the Virginius； an American vessel engaged in filibustering off the coast of Cuba； and the execution at Santiago of the captain and a number of the crew and passengers。 The vessel and the surviving passengers were finally restored by the Spanish authorities； who agreed to punish the officials responsible for the illegal acts。
The little armada of six vessels with which Dewey started for the Philippines was puny enough from the standpoint of today； yet it was strong enough to cope with the larger but more old…fashioned Spanish fleet； or with the harbor defenses unless these included minesof whose absence Dewey was at the moment unaware。 If； however； the Spanish commander could unite the strength of his vessels and that of the coast defenses； Dewey might find it impossible to destroy the Spanish fleet。 In that case； the plight of the American squadron would be precarious； if its ultimate self…destruction or internment did not become necessary。
Commodore Dewey belonged to that school of American naval officers who combine the spirit of Farragut's 〃Damn the torpedoes〃 with a thorough knowledge of the latest scientific devices。 Though he would take all precautions； he would not allow the unknown to hold him back。 After a brief rendezvous for tuning up at Mirs Bay near Hongkong on the Chinese coast； Dewey steered straight for Subig Bay in the Philippines； where he expected to meet his opponent。 Finding the Bay empty； he steamed on without pause and entered the Boca Grande； the southern channel leading to Manila Bay； at midnight of the 30th of April。 Slowly； awaiting daylight； but steadily he approached Manila。 Coming within three miles of the city； he discovered the Spanish fleet； half a dozen miles to the southeast； at the naval station of Cavite。 Still without a pause； the American squadron moved to the attack。
The Spanish Admiral Montojo tried； though ineffectually； to come to close quarters； for his guns were of smaller caliber than those of the American ships； but he was forced to