you protest against the arrest of the person alleged to be Señor
Don Manuel Blanco, His Catholic Majesty's Consul at Charleston, at
the instance of the Republic of Chili, and demand the release of
the said person, with a suitable apology from this Government in
the premises, I have the honor to inform you that the
representatives of the Chilian Government allege the person in
question to be one Leon Sangrado, a fugitive from justice, charged
with the crimes of murder and robbery; that, before the United
States Commissioner at New Orleans, the Chilian representatives
have produced evidence identifying the prisoner as Leon Sangrado,
which evidence has warranted the said Commissioner in rendering
judgment accordingly; and that the proceedings and judgment, on
review by the President of the United States, have been confirmed,
and the warrant of extradition ordered. I have the honor to
transmit herewith a copy of the record of the evidence in the case
for your Excellency's information. I have also to state that, in
the circumstances, this Government conceives itself to be acting
in a spirit of strict international comity with the Republic of
Chili, and, upon the representations made by your Excellency,
cannot admit that any reparation or apology is due to the
Government of His Catholic Majesty.
I have the honor, etc.,
JAS. G. BLAINE,
_Secretary of State_.
Some days later the Spanish Minister forwarded a note to the State
Department, wherein, after the usual formal recitals, he stated as
follows:
The undersigned has the honor to inform the Honorable Secretary of
State that, having transmitted his communication by cable to the
Government of His Catholic Majesty, he is now instructed to make
the following demands:
1st. That the Federal Government shall deliver Señor Don Manuel
Blanco, His Catholic Majesty's Consul at Charleston, S.C., alleged
to be Leon Sangrado, a fugitive from justice from the Republic of
Chili, to the undersigned, at the Legation of Spain at Washington,
by or before the first day of February, proximo.
2. That the Federal Government shall address to the Government of
His Catholic Majesty a formal and solemn apology for the insult
offered by the arrest of said Blanco. And, in further proof
thereof, shall, on said first day of February, at noon, cause the
Spanish flag to be hoisted over Fort Columbus, in New York Harbor;
Fort Warren, in Boston Harbor; the Navy Yard, in Washington; and at
the mast-head of the flag-ship of the North Atlantic squadron--then
and there to be saluted with twenty-one guns.
I have the honor, etc.,
ANTONIO MANTILLA.
The reply sent by Secretary Blaine to this peremptory demand was, as
might be expected, an equally peremptory refusal.
Thereupon the Spanish Minister demanded his passports, and with his
Legation left the country.
The passports of the American Minister at Madrid were at the same time
forwarded to him, and he returned to the United States.
Blanco was delivered to the Chilian representatives, and duly
extradited, his wife accompanying him.
The anti-administration newspapers commented with great severity upon
the case, alleging that undue haste was manifested in forwarding the
proceedings; that proper opportunity was not afforded the accused to
establish his true identity; that the warrant of extradition was
illegal, inasmuch as it had been issued by an Assistant Secretary of
State during the absence of both the President and Secretary from
Washington, and that, consequently, there had been in fact no real
review of the proceedings by the Executive.
The administration journals, on the contrary, found the extradition of
the prisoner to be perfectly within the letter of the law; but were not
inclined to say much on this point, preferring rather to applaud Mr.
Blaine's new proof of a "vigorous foreign policy," as exemplified in the
previously quoted correspondence with the Spanish Minister.
* * * * *
I.
THE GATHERING OF THE STORM.
That the friendly relations of two great nations should be ruptured by a
difficulty which, to all appearances, might easily have been adjusted,
seems incredible; but it should be remembered that at this period Spain
and the United States were by no means on the best of terms. Spanish
war-vessels in the West Indies had been overhauling American merchantmen
in a high-handed way, which had already called forth the remonstrances
of our Government; and the complaints from Cuba of the insecurity of
property and life of American citizens had become more numerous than
ever. Still, the result of the dispute was a surprise to the world;
especially as the overt act of rupture had come from Spain, and not
from the United States, as had so frequently hitherto seemed probable.
The popular excitement throughout the country was intense. There was a
universal demand for war. It was pointed out that the country was never
so prosperous, or better able to bear the burden of a conflict; that,
with our immense resources, an army could be raised and a navy equipped
inside of sixty days; that such a war would be of short duration, and
that the result could be none other than the humiliation of Spain, and
the ceding to us of the Spanish West Indies as a war indemnity.
The House of Representatives fairly rung with bellicose speeches, and
the press, with a few exceptions, reflected the popular feeling.
On the other hand, however, there was a powerful party attempting to
stem the precipitancy of the nation. The great moneyed corporations
viewed the matter with alarm, and advocated peaceful settlement, or, at
most, inaction. This, however, was attributed to their fears of
unsettlement of values, and consequent depreciation of their property.
The Senate, refusing to be influenced by popular clamor, steadily
opposed all hasty legislation originating in the lower House. The
President and Cabinet brought down upon themselves the bitter
denunciation of the opposition press for "cowardly truckling to Spain,"
because no immediate steps were taken to place army and navy on a war
footing, and no volunteers were called for.
A month went by. The popular excitement in this period perceptibly
decreased; and, as it did so, the New York _World_ and _Tribune_, which,
from the first, had given but weak support to the cry for war, became
more outspoken against hostilities. The bill agreed to by both Houses of
Congress, providing for the immediate construction of ten swift armored
cruisers, was strongly attacked in both journals, and the arming of the
harbor forts, and the elaborate preparations which began to be visible
for protecting the harbor by torpedoes, were sneered at as "useless
precautions, dictated by an unworthy fear of a nation which would never
venture to attack us."
The stocks of the New York Central, Western Union Telegraph, Lake Shore,
and other corporations controlled by Vanderbilt and Jay Gould, which had
fallen during the excitement of the previous month, rose slowly, but
steadily.
On the afternoon of March 6th, the _Evening Telegram_ issued an extra,
reporting the sailing from Coruna of four Spanish ironclads. The
announcement on the London Stock Exchange was that they were going to
Cuba.
On the following day there was a decided fall in American Securities in
London, and a weak market in Wall Street; which degenerated into a
rapidly declining one when it became rumored that Gould was selling
Western Union short in large blocks, and that Vanderbilt's brokers were
similarly disposing of N.Y. Central and other stocks.
At 10 o'clock that night the news came that Spain had formally declared
war upon the United States. It was posted in all the hotels, and read
from the stages of all the theatres. The people flocked into the streets
_en masse_. Speeches were made, breathing defiance and demands for an
immediate attack upon Spain, before tremendous crowds, in Madison and
Union Squares. No one slept that night.
Next morning there was a panic in Wall Street, which was arrested,
however, by the intelligence from London that, although Government
four-per-cents had fallen to 86, they were steady at that figure, and
that the Rothschilds and Baring Brothers were buying them in largely.
Before night Congress had voted a special appropriation of a hundred
million dollars for purposes of defense, authorized the immediate
construction of twenty armored ships, and the President issued his
proclamation, calling for the raising of four hundred thousand men "to
repel an invasion of the Union."
Within twenty-four hours the regiments of the National Guard in New York
and vicinity were mustered into the service of the United States and
ordered into camp, under command of General Hancock. That officer at
once began the construction of sea-coast batteries on Coney Island,
Rockaway Beach, and the New Jersey coast. A crack city regiment was
detailed to complete the partially finished fort on Sandy Hook and throw
up earthworks along the Peninsula; but, as the hands of most of the men
became quite sore through wielding shovels and picks, they were relieved
and sent to garrison Governor's Island, where they gave exhibition
drills daily, and, on Friday evenings, invited their female friends to
hops of the most enjoyable description. The Hook fort was subsequently
completed by a volunteer regiment of Cuban cigar-makers, from the
Bowery.
As a matter of course, notice was immediately given to all foreign
vessels in port of the proposed blocking of the Narrows and the Main,
Swash and East Channels with torpedoes, and forty-eight hours' time was
accorded them wherein to take their departure. The European steamers
were the first to leave, each one towing from two to five
sailing-vessels. Later on, General Hancock impressed all the harbor tugs
into service; and, by their aid, before the specified period had
elapsed, not a single ship floating a foreign flag remained in New York
Harbor. A battalion of army engineers, under command of General Abbot,
and another of sailors, under Captain Selfridge, at once began
operations.
In the Narrows, torpedoes were moored at distances of one hundred feet
apart, and were connected with the shore by electric wires. At various
points along the beach shell-proof huts were constructed, to which these
wires led. In each hut was arranged a camera lucida, so that a picture
of the harbor, over a limited area, was thrown upon a whitened table. In
this way an observer could recognize the instant an enemy's vessel
arrived over a sunken mine, and could explode the latter by simply
touching a button which allowed the electric current to pass to the
torpedo. In the Harbor channels the torpedoes were so arranged as to be
exploded on contact of an enemy's vessel with a partially submerged
buoy.
The torpedo-stations on Staten and Coney Islands and the Jersey coast
were provided with movable fish-torpedoes of the Ericsson and Lay types,
intended to be sent out against a hostile vessel, and manoeuvred from
the shore. All the steam-tugs in the Harbor were moored in Gowanus bay,
and each tug was rigged with a long boom projecting from her bow, on
which a torpedo, containing some fifty pounds of dynamite, was carried.
With the tugs, and serving as flag-ship for the squadron, was the U.S.
torpedo-boat "Alarm," Lieutenant-Commander H.H. Gorringe.
The armament of the sea-coast batteries was not calculated to strike
terror into the soul of any nation owning a modern ironclad vessel. It
consisted mainly of old-fashioned smooth-bore guns, a system of
artillery which has been rejected by every European power as the weakest
and most inefficient. The greatest range attainable with the best of
these cannon was 8000 yards, or some four and one half miles. At one
quarter this range their shot would be utterly unable to penetrate even
moderately thin armor. Besides these guns there were a few ten and
twelve-inch rifles of cast-iron, and hence of unreliable and inferior
material; some old smooth-bore cannon, converted into rifles by
wrought-iron linings; and a number of mortars and pieces of small
calibre, altogether contemptible in the light of the advances made in
the art of war during the last quarter of a century.
Meanwhile the inventors were not idle, and the press fairly teemed with
novel suggestions for the defense of the city. It was proposed to run
all the oil stored in the Williamsburgh refineries into the lower bay,
and set it on fire when the enemy's fleet appeared.
The _Herald_ suggested the raising of a regiment of divers to live in a
submarine fort, the guns of which should be arranged to fire upwards
into a vessel floating above, and immediately offered to contribute
$250,000 to begin the construction of such defenses.
General Newton proposed the building of continuous earthworks on both
shores of the bay and Narrows, behind which a broad-gauge railroad
should be constructed. On the track he placed heavy platform-cars, each
car carrying one heavy gun. Embrasures were made at regular intervals
along the embankment. His idea was, that if a hostile vessel made her
way into the Harbor, the gun-cars should move along behind the
earthworks, keeping abreast of the ship, and thus pour into her a
continuous fire. Measures were promptly taken to follow this plan.
Mr. T.A. Edison announced that he had invented everything which, up to
that time, any one else had suggested. He invited all the reporters to
Menlo Park, and, after elaborately explaining the merits of a new
catarrh remedy, showed some lines on a piece of paper, which, he said,
represented huge electro-magnets, which he proposed to set up along the
coast, say, near Barnegat. When the enemy's iron ships appeared, he
proposed to excite these magnets, and draw the vessels on the rocks.
Somebody said that this notion had been anticipated by one Sindbad the
Sailor, whereupon Mr. Edison denounced that person as a "patent pirate."
He also said that these magnets would be exhibited in working order next
Christmas Eve.
Professor Bell proposed the "induction balance," as a way of recognizing
the approach of the enemy's iron vessels. He went down the Bay with his
instrument, and sent back some telegrams which were alarming, until it
was discovered that the professor had made a slight error in the
direction from which he asserted the ships were coming, it being
manifestly impossible for them to sail overland from the Pacific, as his
contrivance predicted.
The condition of affairs in the city reminded one of the early days of
the Rebellion. Wall Street was panicky--chiefly because of the immense
depreciation in railway securities. Government four-per-cent bonds,
however, had gone up to ninety-eight. Provisions were high, and, through
the stoppage of European commerce, the cost of imported articles, such
as dress-goods, tea, etc., became excessive. Recruiting was going on
everywhere; the regiments, as fast as organized, being dispatched to
different points along the sea-board, or to swell the numbers of an army
under command of General Sheridan, which was preparing to sail to Key
West, to invade Cuba.
During the month of March New York remained in a state of suspense. Army
contractors did a brisk business; but otherwise there was little doing.
News was eagerly sought. It was known that Spain was mobilizing her army
and fitting out transports; but beyond this, and the dispatching of the
four ironclads, which had duly reached Havana, she had taken no steps
pointing toward an invasion of the United States. All the European
nations had issued proclamations of neutrality, except Russia and
France. England had ordered the great Spanish ironclad, "El Cid," in
which Sir William Armstrong had just placed two 100-ton guns, out of her
waters inside of twenty-four hours after Spain had declared war; and
this, although the vessel was in many respects unfinished. The Queen's
proclamation was most stringent against the fitting out or coaling of
the vessels of either belligerent, and a special Act of Parliament was
passed, inflicting penalties of the greatest severity for any violation
of it. John Bull evidently proposed to pay for no more "Alabamas."
The first great news of the war came during the first week in June. The
Spanish screw corvette "Tornado," six guns, had sailed from Cartagena
for Havana. Off Cape Trafalgar she encountered the "Lancaster,"
flag-ship of the United States European squadron, bearing the flag of
Rear-Admiral Nicholson. The "Lancaster" carried two-eleven-inch and
twenty nine-inch old-fashioned smooth-bore Dahlgren guns. The action was
short, sharp, and decisive.
It terminated in the surrender of the "Tornado," after the loss of her
captain, five officers, and forty of her crew. The "Lancaster" was badly
cut up about the rigging, but otherwise uninjured. Her loss was but five
men. The first tidings of this was the arrival of the "Tornado" in
Hampton Roads, with a prize crew on board, and the royal ensign of Spain
floating beneath the stars and stripes.
When the extras announcing the news were shouted in the streets, the
enthusiasm of the people knew no bounds. From every building, from every
window, the flag was displayed. Throngs of excited men marched through
the avenues, cheering and shouting, and the recruiting was renewed so
vigorously, that New York's quota of the four hundred thousand men
called for by the President was filled within the next twenty-four
hours after the news came.
In the midst of this furore, the bulletins announced that the Spanish
ironclads "Zaragoza" and "Numancia" had sailed from Havana, with no
destination announced; that their consorts, the "Arapiles" and
"Vittoria," together with three transports, "San Quentin," "Patino," and
"Ferrol," the latter well laden with coal and provisions, were preparing
to follow; also, that the huge "El Cid" had been fitted for sea, and was
about to sail from Vigo, Spain.
Just before this intelligence arrived, the United States steam frigate
"Franklin," forty-three guns, carrying the flag of Vice-Admiral Stephen
C. Rowan, left Hampton Roads on a cruise, northwardly.
Where were the Spanish ironclads going?
On Sunday morning, April 9th, Trinity Church was crowded with
worshipers. The venerable Bishop of New York was present, and was to
deliver the sermon. His erect, stately form, clad in the flowing robes
of his office, had just appeared in the pulpit, and he had spoken the
words of his text, when a commotion in the rear of the church caused him
to stop and look up, wondering at the unseemly interruption.
A soldier emerged from the crowd, and, making his way to the Astor pew,
handed a letter to Mr. John Jacob Astor. The ruddy face of that
gentleman blanched as he read its contents. Then he rose, walked to the
pulpit, and handed the missive to the bishop.
A dead silence prevailed--at last broken by these simple words:
"Brethren, the war-vessels of the public enemy have appeared off our
Harbor. Let us pray."
A deep, heart-felt Amen responded to the appeal made in eloquent, though
faltering, tones; and then, quiet and orderly, the congregation left the
temple. It was fitting that such a prayer should be the last ever
offered in a sanctuary of which, but a few days later, only a heap of
smoking ruins remained.
The same news had been forwarded to the other churches, and the
congregations, dismissed, had gathered in front of the great
bulletin-boards which had been erected in the various parts of the city.
In huge letters were the words:
"A large steamer, showing Spanish flag, sighted off Barnegat."
Shortly afterwards came another dispatch:
"The United States frigate 'Franklin' has been signaled off Fire
Island."
Then another dispatch:
"The Spanish steamer has gone to the eastward."
And then, three hours later:
"Heavy firing has been heard from the south and east."
II.
THE BATTLE OF FIRE ISLAND.
The "Franklin," on leaving Fire Island, where she had communication with
the shore, stood to the westward. At 3 p.m. the mast-head look-out
reported a large steamer on the port bow. As is customary on vessels at
sea, the "Franklin" showed no colors; the stranger displayed a flag
which could not be made out.
On the poop-deck of the "Franklin" were Admiral Rowan, Captain Greer,
commanding the ship, and the executive officer, Lieutenant-Commander
Jewell.
"Mast-head, there! can you make out her colors yet?" hailed the latter.
"No, sir."
"Take your glass and go aloft, Mr. Rodgers," said Admiral Rowan to his
aid; "perhaps you can see better."
The officer rapidly ascended the rigging to the foretopmast cross-trees.
"It is the English flag, sir!" he shouted.
"Hoist English colors, Captain," said the admiral, quietly; "and bend on
our own, ready to go up."
The red cross of St. George, the British man-of-war flag, rose slowly to
the peak.
The stranger was seen to alter her course, and head for the "Franklin."
The admiral turned to Captain Greer and nodded. The latter gave an order
to a midshipman standing near.
Rat-tat--rat-tat--rat-tat-tat-tat!
The quick drum-beat to quarters for action rang sharply through the
ship. The executive officer took his speaking-trumpet and stationed
himself on the quarter-deck. The men sprang to their guns.
"Silence! man the port-guns. Cast loose and provide!"
A momentary confusion, as the thirty-eight nine-inch smooth-bore guns on
the main-deck, the four hundred-pound rifles on the spar-deck, and the
eleven-inch pivot on the forecastle were cleared of their tackle, and
got ready for training. The guns' crews then stood erect and silent in
their places beside the guns, on the side of the ship turned toward the
enemy.
Meanwhile the magazine had been opened, and the powder-boys flocked to
the scuttles, receiving cartridges in the leather boxes slung to their
shoulders. Shell were hoisted from below. The surgeon and his
assistants, including the chaplain, laid out instruments, and converted
the cock-pit into an operating-room. The fires in the galley were put
out, and those under the boilers urged to their fiercest heat. The decks
were sanded, in grim anticipation of their becoming slippery with
blood. Tackles and slings were prepared to lower the wounded below. The
Gatling guns aloft were made ready to fire upon the enemy's decks, in
case the two vessels came near enough together.
"Prime!" shouted the officer on the quarter-deck. Primers were placed in
the vents of the already loaded guns, and the gun-captains stepped back,
tautening the lock-strings, and bending down to glance along the sights.
"Point! Tell the division officers to train on the craft that's coming,
and wait orders." This last command to a midshipman aid.
The silence throughout the great ship was profound. The gun-captains
eyed the approaching vessels over the sights of their guns. Only the
quick throb of the engines and the sough of the waves were audible.
The two vessels were now within some four miles of each other. There was
no question but that the stranger was a man-of-war--and an ironclad, at
that--provided with a formidable ram.
"I thought so," suddenly ejaculated the admiral: "Now show him who _we_
are."
The English flag had been replaced by the red-yellow-and-red bars of
Spain. Down came the red cross from the peak of the "Franklin;" and
then, not only there, but from every mast-head, floated the stars and
stripes.
A puff of smoke from the Spaniard--a whirr, a shriek, and a solid shot
struck the water, having passed entirely over the American frigate.
"He fires at long range!" remarked the admiral, calmly.
"It would be useless for us to reply," answered the captain.
"Clearly so."
"Shall we stop and wait for him, sir?"
"Wait for him? No! Go for him! Four bells, sir! Ring four bells and go
ahead fast!"
The clang of the engine-bell resounded through the ship; the thump of
the machinery grew more rapid; the whole vessel thrilled and shook, as
if eager for the attack.
The distance between the two ships was reduced to about two miles.
Again the Spaniard fired. The shot struck the "Franklin" broad on her
port-bow, knocked over a gun, killed six men, and passed through the
other side of the ship.
Still the "Franklin" pressed on.