the path of empire-第15部分

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　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　keep　his　vessels　for　the　most　part　in　line　between　the　Americans　and　the　shore。　Commodore　Dewey　sailed　back　and　forth　five　times；　raking　the　Spanish　ships　and　the　shore　batteries　with　his　fire。　Having　guns　of　longer　range　than　those　of　the　Spaniards；　he　could　have　kept　out　of　their　fire　and　slowly　hammered　them　to　pieces；　but　he　preferred　a　closer　position　where　he　could　use　more　guns　and　therefore　do　quicker　work。　How　well　he　was　justified　in　taking　this　risk　is　shown　by　the　fact　that　no　man　was　killed　on　the　American　fleet　that　day　and　only　a　few　were　wounded。　After　a　few　hours'　fighting；　with　a　curious　interval　when　the　Americans　withdrew　and　breakfasted；　Dewey　completed　the　destruction　or　capture　of　the　Spanish　fleet；　and　found　himself　the　victor　with　his　own　ships　uninjured　and　in　full　fighting　trim。　By　the　3d　of　May；　the　naval　station　at　Cavite　and　the　batteries　at　the　entrance　of　Manila　Bay　were　in　the　hands　of　Commodore　Dewey；　and　the　Asiatic　squadron　had　wrested　a　safe　and　commodious　harbor　from　the　enemy。

Secure　for　the　moment　and　free；　Dewey　found　himself　in　as　precarious　a　strategic　position　as　has　ever　confronted　a　naval　officer。　With　his　six　war　vessels　and　1707　men；　he　was　unsupported　and　at　least　a　month's　voyage　from　America。　It　was　two　months；　indeed；　before　any　American　troops　or　additional　ships　reached　him。　Meanwhile　the　Spaniards　held　Manila；　and　a　Spanish　fleet；　formidable　under　the　circumstances；　began　to　sail　for　the　Philippines。　Nevertheless　Dewey　proceeded　to　blockade　Manila；　which　was　besieged　on　the　land　side　by　the　Filipino　insurgents　under　Aguinaldo。　This　siege　was　indeed　an　advantage　to　the　Americans　as　it　distressed　the　enemy　and　gave　an　opportunity　to　obtain　supplies　from　the　mainland。　Dewey；　however；　placed　no　confidence　in　Aguinaldo；　and　further　was　instructed　by　Secretary　Long　on　the　26th　of　May　as　follows：　〃It　is　desirable；　as　far　as　possible；　and　consistent　for　your　success　and　safety；　not　to　have　political　alliances　with　the　insurgents　or　any　faction　in　the　islands　that　would　incur　liability　to　maintain　their　cause　in　the　future。〃　Meanwhile　foreign　nations　were　rushing　vessels　to　this　critical　spot　in　the　Pacific。　On　the　17th　of　June；　Dewey　sent　a　cable；　which　had　to　be　relayed　to　Hongkong　by　boat；　reporting　that　there　were　collected；　in　Manila　Bay；　a　French　and　a　Japanese　warship；　two　British；　and　three　German。　Another　German　man…of…war　was　expected；　which　would　make　the　German　squadron　as　strong　as　the　American。

The　presence　of　so　large　a　German　force；　it　was　felt；　could　hardly　fail　to　have　definite　significance；　and　therefore　caused　an　anxiety　at　home　which　would；　indeed；　have　been　all　the　keener　had　Admiral　Dewey　not　kept　many　of　his　troubles　to　himself。　European　sympathy　was　almost　wholly　with　Spain。　The　French；　for　instance；　had　invested　heavily　in　Spanish　bonds；　many　of　which　were　secured　on　the　Cuban　revenues。　There　was　also　perhaps　some　sense　of　solidarity　among　the　Latin　races　in　Europe　and　a　feeling　that　the　United　States　was　a　colossus　willfully　exerting　itself　against　a　weak　antagonist。　It　was　not　likely　that　this　feeling　was　strong　enough　to　lead　to　action；　but　at　least　during　that　summer　of　1898　it　was　somewhat　unpleasant　for　American　tourists　in　Paris；　and　an　untoward　episode　might　easily　have　brought　unfriendly　sentiment　to　a　dangerous　head。　Austria　had　never　been　very　friendly　to　the　United　States；　particularly　since　the　execution　of　the　Emperor　Maximilian　in　Mexico；　which　his　brother　Francis　Joseph　believed　the　United　States　could　have　prevented；　and　was　tied　to　Spain　by　the　fact　that　the　Queen　Regent　was　an　Austrian　Hapsburg。

It　was　evident；　moreover；　that　in　Europe　there　was　a　vague　but　nevertheless　real　dread　of　the　economic　potentialities　of　the　United　Statesa　fear　which　led；　in　the　next　few　years；　to　the　suggestion　that　the　American　invasion　of　trade　should　be　resisted　by　a　general　European　economic　organization　which　would　even　overrule　the　natural　tendency　of　powers　to　group　themselves　into　hostile　camps。　In　1898　it　seemed　possible　that　the　United　States　was　consciously　planning　to　become　a　world　military　power　also；　and　a　feeling；　not　exactly　like　Blaine's　〃America　for　the　Americans〃　but　rather　of　〃the　world　for　Europeans；〃　gathered　force　to　meet　any　attempt　at　American　expansion。

Even　before　war　had　broken　out　between　Spain　and　the　United　States；　this　sentiment　had　sufficiently　crystallized　to　result　in　a　not　quite　usual　diplomatic　action。　On　April　6；　1898；　the　representatives　of　Great　Britain；　Germany；　France；　Austro…Hungary；　Russia；　and　Italy；　presented　a　note　to　the　Government　of　the　United　States　making　〃a　pressing　appeal　to　the　feelings　of　humanity　and　moderation　of　the　President　and　of　the　American　people　in　their　differences　with　Spain。　They　earnestly　hope　that　further　negotiations　will　lead　to　an　agreement　which；　while　securing　the　maintenance　of　peace；　will　afford　all　necessary　guarantees　for　the　reestablishment　of　order　in　Cuba。〃

Of　all　the　European　powers　none　was　more　interested　than　Germany　in　the　situation　in　the　Western　Hemisphere。　There　seems　to　be　no　doubt　that　the　Kaiser　made　the　remark　to　an　Englishman　with　reference　to　the　Spanish　American　War：　〃If　I　had　had　a　larger　fleet　I　would　have　taken　Uncle　Sam　by　the　scruff　of　his　neck。〃　Though　the　reason　for　Germany's　attitude　has　never　been　proven　by　documents；　circumstantial　evidence　points　convincingly　to　the　explanation。　The　quest　for　a　colonial　empire；　upon　which　Bismarck　had　embarked　rather　reluctantly　and　late；　had　been　taken　up　with　feverish　zeal　by　William　II；　his　successor　in　the　direction　of　German　policy。　Not　content　with　the　commercial　conquests　which　German　trade　was　making　in　all　countries　of　the　earth；　the　Kaiser　wanted　a　place　in　the　sun　exclusively　his　own。　The　world　seemed；　however；　as　firmly　closed　to　the　late…comer　in　search　of　colonies　as　it　was　open　to　him　as　the　bearer　of　cheap　and　useful　goods。　Such　remnants　of　territory　as　lay　on　the　counter　he　quickly　seized；　but　they　hardly　made　an　empire。

It　is　not；　therefore；　a　daring　conjecture　that　the　Kaiser　was　as