THE TRUE STORY OF MANILLA.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 294, 6 May 1911, Page 9

THE TRUE STORY OF MANILLA.

HOW A BRITISH SKA.MAX \V<).\ THE BATTLE. The following short story is based upon facts. It describes how the far-famed Admiral Dewey owed his triumph at Manilla to the heroism of an obscure British seaman, who led the way through the mined harbor. The shades of nighl. were creeping over the harbor of llong Kong. A golden splash in the West marked the end of another day, and the lights of Kawhm had already begun to twinkle. It was hot, damp, and muggy.

"Another blooming typhoon, I suppose," mused a man who was leaning over the wealiier-guard of a ship's bridge. Both ship and man were ill their way remarkable. .Most people speak of a ship ih being rather picturesque. Xow, there wa- nothing of that about the Xingsin, to give the vessel her name. She was merely a blunt-nosed, potbellied collier, devoid for the most part of any pretence of paint, but decorated profusely with rust. The man was a broad-shouldered, greybearded edition of Captain Kettle. His face was the color of mahogany, and his expression, as he gazed tit the distant shore, just a trille wistful. Even the ''hardest cases" at moments pause in their progress to the devil and think. And, be it said, .Mr. Morrison, lirst mate, to give the individual his name and title, was a "hard ca-c." Knocking round the China Sea, with a yellow crew, generally in a state of incipient mutiny, is not a good school for etiquette, though, to be sure, there are lessons to be learnt even there, as selfcontrol on the one hand and a number of words which do not appear in the latest standard dictionaries on the other. This evening .Mr. .Morrison was in a somewhat, pessimistic frame of mind. The skipper had been giving his views on matrimony and dilating 011 the joys of getting home to bis wife and family up Tyneside way. Home! Yes, that was just it; Morrison had none, and he knew it. He realised perfectly well in his inner conscience that he was just as much a waif of the world as the Xingsin was a waif of the sea, which was saying a gooM deal. And sometimes the knowledge got up and hit him as it had this evening. Then, in addition, the weather looked doubtful, and ITong Kong in a typhoon is a synonvm for Hades. Mr. Morrison spat 011 the deck—his usual sign of emotion—and surveyed with passing interest a launch steaming in his direction. "Seems to be coming here,'' lie muttered to himself, and a moment later his surmise was confirmed. Tt shot under the Xingsin's stern and ran up alongside the rope ladder wbieh danglpd over the starboard side. A brisk, clean-shaven man climbed quickly 011 board and made his way towards Morrison. "Mr. Morrison, chief officer, I guess," be rasped out with a strong American accent. "I've a little news for you, and maybe we can do a deal together. Fact is, this ship has been sold to the American Government, and I guess the cards will be shuffled. That's to say, present captain won't sail for home, so there's your chance. Eli?" Morrison looked his visitor up and down, and then asked: "And who you be, anyway, to know anything about iny old man?" He was going to say more, but was cut short by the stranger. "That's nil right. I'm the American Consul, so I guess I know the faeU I suppose you've heard war's declared between the States and Spain? Well, we are sending a fleet to Manilla, and a fleet wants coal. Twig? Your skipper won't sign on for a tun out that waywife and children, or something—but" he said he thought you'd go, and like it. Ship your own crew, choose your own men, run your own ship. Mighty nice job and lots of money. Well, what d've say?" Needless to remark, Morrison said "Yes," and the agreement was thereon signed, sealed, and delivered. But, as a matter of fact, the job was not such a "mighty nice one" as the American Consul had portrayed. To begin with, at that time the exact position of the Spanish fleet was unknown, and an encounter 011 the high seas between the Xingsin and a Spanish cruiser promised an unpleasant, if exciting, time to all on board the former vessel.- Then the Chinese crew gave food for thought. Some deserted, some grumbled, some actively mutinied and made the acquaintance of Morrison's list, and all were dissatisfied.

As to officers—well, that didn't worrv him so much. He found a Cockney engineer with a taste for whisky and a record second to none for getting "stitched up"—a prettier word, so some opine, than the ordinary expression "drunk"—of the name of Briggg. This gentleman, two halfcaste dagoes, and, of course, a few Chinese, constituted the engine-room stall. On deck there was himself, an Australian beachcomber (who was wanted, so it was reported, by the Sydney police for card-sharping), and a Swede Who bad "done time" in Hong Kong gaol for stabbing a Chinaman in an opium den, and, of course, more Chinese. Some natures would have been a little doubtful as to whether the end of the journey would ever be reached under such conditions, but not so Morrison. He bad the engines tinkered up, laid in a, few stores (chiefly of a liquid and alcoholic character), and loaded his ugly craft to the Plimsoll mark and over with 11 cargo of the best Welsh coal. Then, one morning, the Ningsin's anchor chain clinked noisily through her rustv hawse pipes, and her nose, pointing seawards, began to cut through the water. At the lighthouse, as per custom, Lloyd's agent asked her destination. Morrison was 011 the bridge and smiled grimly. "I know it all right," he remarked to the Swede, "but it's a place that don't figure in the signal code," and with that he turned on his heel and went below.

A lovely morning, with that peculiar freshness which goes far to temper the unpleasantness of the tropical heat, arrived later with advancing day. Oil the horizon are clearly silhouetted mountains, the hinterland of .Manilla. Six wsirships, Hying the stars and stripes, are steaming in line ahead, dead slow. They are cleared for action, and the consequent bareness of their decks selves to throw into relief the grim «-rey guns, which point their mouths out in all directions, awaiting their mission of death. (In the beam of the squadron a dirty looking collier is rolling clumsily in the heavy swell—the Ningsin. A smart little launch is puffing busily through the water towards tile flagship of the American admiral —Admiral Dewey. In its fitfirn sits Morrison, Morrison 011 his good behaviour, Morrison in his best suit of white duck. He is for once in away a little ill at ease, his acquaintance with admirals being nil. However, as he steps on to the warship's quarter-deck he recollects himself sufficiently to touch his cap to the officer of the watch. This gentleman surveys Morrison with just a suspicion of amusement as he says: "Admiral Dewey

wants to see you for a minute or two. Go right down, you'll lind a marine before the door of the admiral's cabin." He does 90, and is duly ushered in to the great man. The admiral welcomes liini courteously and waves him to a -eat.. "Captain Morrison," he bruins. "I sent for you this morning because 1 want, to play the game with you. and becau-e I like Britishers. Some time to-day I am going to make an attack on Manilla and hammer the Spanish fleet. Hut, and there is a big 'but,' my information is that the channel leading into the harbor is heavily milled. Well, even you as a civilian know what that means, it means the devil's own risk to the leading ship. "Xow, men of war are expensive items, added to which, my force is not. unduly strong, so'l propose to send lifst over that minefield the least valuable ship in my company—and that's your boat, the Xingsin. "Xo," said the admiral, seeing that Morrison was about to speak, "let me linish. please. I know you're a. Britisher, and that your officers also are. Hence there is no need for you to continue your command ami risk life if you don't want to. You and your companions can come 011 board my ship and we'll look after you. There are lots of youngsters along with me who will jump at this opportunity of doing something for the Old Glory. And I shan't think | any the worse of you; this quarrel ain't yours, anyway." Morrison looked at the admiral with steady eyes. 111 a way he liked him for, his offer, which bespoke a certain generosity, lint, at the same time, like all decent sailormen. lie was jealous of his ship as long as he was in her. jealous even of a ramshackle tub like the Xingsin. and enormously jealous of the one quality which he possessed in abundance '—or'fr"Thank you for your offer, sir," be answered; "but, speaking for myself and my officers, T must decline it. You see. ' sir, we haven't the spit and polish of you gentlemen, and we ain't of much account even to our own country, but we have all got a sort of pride. As you say, the Xingsin ain't, much to look at, and if a boat's got to go, better her than the others. But we go in uer, sir, with your kind permission, and you can trust us to cari'v through just the same as if we were leading our own ships. After all. sir, none of us have got much to lose, T reckon, so it don't much matter." "You're a brave'man, Captain Morrison," said the admiral, "and you shall stick to your ship. Can I offer you a cocktail or something? Xo? Then perhaps you had better rejoin your vessel. As soon as the mine field is passed, steam to the left, and take up a position so that you are screened from the fire of the enemy. Should the worst happen, you can depend upon us to do all that is humanly possible to save life." The admiral touched an electric bell push and a sentry appeared. "A launch foi' Captain Morrison at once, please," emphasising, so Morrison thought, the word "captain." Then, turning to him, he held out his hand and said: "Good-bye, captain, and the very best of good luck." Morrison passed up the few steps leading to the quarter deck, and was surprised to see that quite a number of officers and men had gathered, apparently to watch his departure. There was the same officer of the watch, but this time he looked quite serious. There was, moreover, a corporal's guard of marines with shouldered arms. What did it all mean? He felt a little embarrassed, and just then the bo'sun's pipe sounded—someone gave the order, ''Present arms!" and the officer of the watch likewise came to the salute. Then he jraspetl it, and something like a lump formed in his throat. He wa.s being shown the honors of the I ship, and was being "piped" over the I side like a real captain returning to a ; ) real command. ]

The Spanish defeat at Manilla is, of course, by now ancient history, but if there is one man who will never forget it, that man is Morrison. It is remarkable how much sensation can be crammed into one short hour, sensations which are not wholly realised or appreciated till after the climax. As the Xingsin began her perilous journey, Morrison found it hard to believe that death was stalking abroad. The weather was so lovely, the sea so blue, and the world seemed suddenly desirable, even to a waif such as he. Fortunately, the Chinese crew were ignorant of the possibility of disaster, or there would have been serious trouble. Briggs. the chief engineer, who had dieted himself liberally on his favorite repast of whisky, and,'curiously enough, it was always when he had had quite enough that he did his work best. Hence the old Xingsin vomited forth volumes of inky smoke, as though to herald her coming, and rolled her wa'v through the sea at a steady nine knot's. The"other officers were frankly out for plunder and regarded the future and its risks with the philosophic calm of the true adventurer. "I wonder whereabouts this mine-field lies, said Morrison to his companions. "It's one of the few things I've never been—blown up bv a mine-quick and nasty death. I expect," and he spat by way of emphasis. However, all tiling come to an end, and as the ship passed slowly up the steadily narrowing channel towards the bluff, which hides the town of Manilla from the sea. he remembered his orders and steamed (0 the left, while he noticed that the American sliip.s were now rapidly overtaking him, and that they would form a complete shelter for liim onee inside the harbor. As the flagship passed a tinv string of bunting fluttered out from her .solitary mast. "Something for us. I suppose," remarked Morrison, "blue and white check, that's Z. red burgee, that's Q, and the yellow with the blue circle, that's H. Darned funny signal that—'Z.Q.H.' never heard of'it. I'll look it up in the international code." "Xo." he added, as he closed that volume with a slam, "thought it was a strange signal to me. It means 'Well done.'"

Tll that, haven of missing men. the West Coast of Africa, and the neighborhood of the deadly Bight of Benin.' there I is maintained by a. benevolent providence a small coasting trade. The work of those wlio run the steamers thus employed is lonely, unhealthy, and depressing. T nder such circumstances squareface gin becomes a dear friend, who impiove.s very materially upon closer acquaintance, and stays' with one till he has seen one safely deposited in the mud of a mangrove swamp. The eaplain of one of these boats has already found the truth of this statement, and if he shivers in the evening from the effects of malaria, he shivers in the morning from the effects of his friend—"square face." But there are moments when he pulls himself together, and looks back into the past and out into the future. He then allows that he has made of his life what lie calls a "botch." that if he could start over again he would marry and trade in a respectable way from a port like Penarth. But he always concludes by saying that there is one tiling he does not gret, and in a somewhat shamefaced way he will take out of his pocket a muchsoiled and crumpled sheet of paper.

Its contents are interesting and are as follows: "The White House, "Washington, I'.S.A, "Sir, —1 am directed by tiie President of the I'niteil States to express to you his keen appreciation of your services at the recent battle of .Manilla, as reported by Admiral Dewey, and also his admiration of the courage you then displayed. "I am lurther instructed to inform you that, in consequence thereof, the President has directed that your name »e attached to the roll of hnnorar v captains of the United States Navy, and that the ship you then commanded shall hereafter be known as the United States cruiser Xingsin."