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 Philippine Islands.

Keep Olympia until further orders.
"'ROOSEVELT.' "(The reference to keeping the Olympia until further orders was due to the fact that I had been notified that she would soon be recalled to the United States.)" All that was needed with Dewey was to give him the chance to get ready, and then to strike, without being hampered by orders from those not on the ground.

Success in war depends very largely upon choosing a man fit to exercise such powers, and then giving him the powers.
It would be instructive to remember, if only we were willing to do so, the fairly comic panic which swept in waves over our seacoast, first when it became evident that war was about to be declared, and then when it was declared.

The public waked up to the sufficiently obvious fact that the Government was in its usual state--perennial unreadiness for war.

Thereupon the people of the seaboard district passed at one bound from unreasoning confidence that war never could come to unreasoning fear as to what might happen now that it had come.