To offset any disparity that might exist between the two fleets, the administration at Washington sought to purchase ships in whatever market was available. Two auxiliary vessels were secured for Commodore Dewey in Asiatic waters; three ships were purchased from Brazil, and two torpedo boats obtained in Germany. In addition the merchant marine was levied upon, and eleven ocean liners were transformed into swift, light swift, light armed cruisers. Of these the American line supplied four: the St. Louis, St. Paul, New York and Paris, the latter two being rechristened the Yale and Harvard respectively. Four others were supplied by the Morgan line, and were renamed the Yankee,

Dixie, Prairie, and Yosemite. A number of private yachts were also chartered and transformed into gunboats; one of them, J. P. Morgan's splendid yacht, the Corsair, proving very efficient in the batle of Santiago, under its new name, the Gloucester.

From the outset, the problem of providing for the purchase of ships, the mobilizing of an army, and all the extraordinary expenses connected with a war became the concern of Congress. It was estimated that the monthly expenses would amount to $50,000,000, and the means of raising this additional revenue was the issue before the House of Representatives and the Senate from the declaration of war, April 25, to the final passage of the

the tax on the tonnage in the foreign trade, and $38,000,000 from a documentary and proprietary stamp tax, based substantially on the stamptax acts enacted near the close of the War of the Rebellion."* The bill also carried a provision authorizing the Secretary of the Treasury to borrow on the credit of the United States any sum up to $500,000,000, to be secured by 3 per cent. bonds. Under the provisions of this act these bonds were placed on sale by popular subscription June 13 to July 14, and demand for them proved one of the startling episodes of the war. The fact that $1,400,000,000 worth of the bonds were subscribed for, seven times the amount of the subscription bonds offered, is one of the many evidences revealed during the stress of the conflict of the faith the average American has in his country.

Thus after thirty years of peace the nation found itself in the throes of preparation for war. During these years the interests and energies of the people were concerned wholly with the problems of its own development; the victories were the victories of peace. The ancient policy of the nation with regard to entangling alliances or interference with international affairs was still so consistently observed that to the majority of the foreign powers the United States of America was an unknown quantity. Yet all at once, and as the result of

*Nelson Dingley in The American-Spanish War, pp. 325–338. See also Lyman J. Gage in The American-Spanish War, pp. 367-391.

abrogated the right of belligerent powers to issue letters of marque or permit privateering, and as the United States was not a signatory power, it was feared that the administration would resort to a method of warfare that would menace the maritime trade of the world. Nevertheless, since its promulgation in 1856, the United States had considered itself morally bound by the Declaration, and, in fact, had adhered closely to its provisions during the Civil War. If there was any doubt with regard to the matter it was dispelled by the third proclamation which was issued on April 26. In it the President stated specifically that the "war should be conducted upon principles in harmony with the present views of nations and sanctioned by their recent practice, it

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"Secret and confidential. Order the squadron, except the Monocacy to Hong Kong. Keep full of coal. In the event of declaration of war, Spain, your duty will be to see that the Spanish squadron does not leave the Asiatic coast, and then offensive operations in the Philippine

Islands. Keep Olympia until further orders."

On April 4 another message came ordering the landing at Hong Kong of "all woodwork, stores, etc., not considered necessary for operations."

Commodore Dewey had at this time under his command the protected cruisers Olympia, Boston, Raleigh, the gunboats Concord and the Petrel, and an old sidewheel steamer, the Monocacy, which was rejected as inefficient. The powerful dispatch-boat, the McCulloch, joined the fleet on April 18. The fleet, however, was decidedly in need of colliers and storeships, and in obedience to instructions from Washington, Dewey purchased an English collier, the Nanshan, with 3,000 tons of coal aboard, and later, the Zaphiro, with 600 tons. These he manned with the officers and sailors of the deserted Monocacy. On the 22d the Baltimore arrived after a long voyage from Honolulu, bringing with her a welcome supply of ammunition. Immediately upon arrival she was treated to her war coat of slate grey paint, the other ships having been repainted several days previously.

On Saturday, April 23, as the result of President McKinley's proclamation to neutral nations of the existence of a state of war between the United

dore Dewey that the American fleet must withdraw from the harbor before 4 o'clock P. M., April 25. Without waiting for the expiration of the time designated, the fleet anchored the next day in the Chinese harbor, Mirs Bay. On the day of his departure from Hong Kong came the following dispatch from Secretary Long:

"War has commenced between the United States and Spain. Proceed at once to Philippine Islands. Commence operations at once, particularly against the Spanish fleet. You must capture vessels or destroy. Use utmost endeavors. Long."

Thus in five terse sentences did the government place its destiny in the eastern seas in the hands of one man. What he should do, and how he should do it were not too clearly defined; haste and thoroughness only were the sole requirements. Dewey, however, did not obey this order to the letter, deeming it wiser to delay his departure until the United States consul, Williams, had arrived from Manila. His delay was wholly justified by events, for the latter was able to supply information of great value. The fleet weighed anchor in Mirs Bay at 2 P. M., April 27, and in less than three days had traversed the 600 mile stretch across the Yellow Sea, arriving off Bolinao Point on the morning of April 30. Here additional preparations for the forthcoming collision were made; everything that could be the least in the way, or could endanger life by splintering or catching on fire, was thrown without a thought into the