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we'll do after we've licked her is to make her take Key West back," and the whole audience laughed heartily and approvingly. But when the laugh was ended it was agreed that the production of such a race on our borders was sufficient cause of war in itself. Further than that it was not the destruction of our battle-ship and the murder of our sailors, but it was the existence of a state of affairs where such an infamy was possible that compelled us to fight.

By the handling of our war-ships we had endeavored to educate the Spanish into a knowledge that we had material of war fit for a conflict, but because we showed remarkable self-restraint after the destruction of the Maine -showed the self-restraint of a determined race instead of the froth of an impulsive one— they were convinced that our stock-brokers would rule us in the interest of preserving values. So the Spanish Government thought to set us running by a menace-they demanded the recall of Consul-General Lee. It was a very diplomatic demand in its form, but it was understood for what it was intended, and it was promptly refused. This menace was made on Saturday, March 5th. It was refused the same day, and on the following Monday the President, with the leaders in Congress, determined on an act that, it was hoped, would convince Spain of the entire hopelessness of

her course toward our people and the Cubans. On Tuesday, March 8th, a bill was introduced into both houses appropriating $50,000,000 for the defence of the nation. It was to be used by the President at his discretion, absolutely unhampered by any restriction. The bill passed unanimously and without debate.

Now, at that time the Treasury had an available cash balance of $224,541,637. To fully understand what the act of Congress meant we must recall the fact that Spain at that time had been unable to pay her troops in Cuba for many months and that she had been a beggar at the doors of European money-lenders-had secured loans only at such sacrifices as are made to pawn-brokers. We were giving, as we supposed, an effectual answer to Spanish assertions that we were full of greed for money and devoid of manhood, but the fact that we appropriated only about one-fifth of our available cash was considered by the Spanish, rather than the potential energy of the sum appropriated. The fact that we had appropriated but one-fifth indicated, to their minds, that we were just what they had supposed us to be. In proof of this may be quoted an article from the leading Spanish illustrated periodical-La Illustracion -regarding our navy. It asserted that our navy was "manned by hirelings who calculate, while they are fighting, what their value, in cents,

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should be worth to them;" that it was a navy without traditions of any kind," and that the ships were all poor imitations of European vessels, that our "tests of armor and other work were unsatisfactory," and that "it will be nothing remarkable, if, in a short time, we see all these vessels go to the rubbish heap."

It was soon apparent that the chief object in view when the $50,000,000 was appropriated would not be attained, and we at once began using the money not for a defence fund, as it was called, but to prepare for an aggressive war.

The squadron at Key West at this time included the New York, Captain French E. Chadwick; Iowa, Captain William T. Sampson; Texas, Captain John W. Philip; Massachusetts, Captain Francis J. Higginson; Indiana, Captain Henry C. Taylor; Marblehead, Captain Bowman H. McCalla; Montgomery, Captain George A. Converse; Nashville, Captain Washburn Maynard; Detroit, Captain James H. Dayton; the Fern (transport), Captain William S. Cowles, and two or three torpedo-boats. To increase this force the monitors Puritan, Amphitrite, Miantonomoh and Terror were overhauled and ordered to Key West. The South American squadron under Captain Chester, which included the Cincinnati, the Bancroft, and the Castine, started north. Two curious gun-boats that had upper

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ings in Spain impelled the formation of what was called a flying squadron at Hampton Roads, for the protection of our coast in case the Spanish cruisers should force the fighting. Captain W. S. Schley was placed in command there, with his flag on the Brooklyn. The Massachusetts and the Texas were sent from Key West, and to these were added the unequalled flyers Minneapolis and Columbia. That was a remarkable combination for a battle line, but it had its advantages in the way of a solid nucleus with the flyers for scouts.

Meantime the conferences that had been held from time to time during the winter, between the Navy Department officials and the manufacturers of war material began to have practical results. An order for $2,800,000 worth of projectiles was placed in one day (March 12th), for instance. Then Captain Frederick Rodgers, Lieutenant-Commander J. D. J. Kelley, Naval-Constructor J. G. Tawresey, Chief-Engineer Albert F. Dixon and Lieutenant Nathan Sargeant were appointed as a board to charter and buy merchant ships and yachts that might be converted into men-o'-war of some efficiency. The Navy Department had some years before begun gathering data regarding private vessels flying the American flag, with a view of such an emergency as was now at hand, and Congress had helped on this work by pro

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