to the city until it capitulated, and, in order to
avoid further destruction of property, he renewed the proposal already
made.

General Grant, on receiving this message--for the citizens had literally
forced him to take active command of the troops--simply remarked:

"Let him fire away!"

But the Safety Committee vehemently protested; and finally, after much
discussion, induced Grant to send back word that the terms were
accepted.

The situation was, in truth, one of sadness--of bitter humiliation. The
Empire City had fallen, and lay at the mercy of a foreign foe. The
immense ransom demanded must be raised and paid, or the work of
destruction would be resumed until the defenders of the bay removed
their torpedoes from the Narrows and permitted the Spanish forces to
enter and occupy the metropolis.

VI.

THE FLAG WITH THE LONE STAR.

As it was manifestly impossible to obtain fifty millions of dollars in
specie and foreign notes within New York--for all the money in the
vaults of the banks and the treasury had long since been sent to other
cities--the general government assumed payment of the amount demanded by
the Spaniards, which, however, it was decided not to make until just
before the expiration of the last of the five days of grace.

As will now be seen, this was a fortunate decision. The unremitting
bombardment which had been maintained by the four vessels off the Long
Island shore had so greatly reduced their supply of ammunition that it
became necessary to send for more: and for this purpose the "Vittoria"
was dispatched to meet a transport which had been ordered to sail from
Cuba at about this time.

On the evening of the third day the weather assumed a threatening
appearance, and the "El Cid" left her position near Fort Hamilton for a
more secure anchorage near Sandy Hook. The other ships stood out to sea.

It stormed heavily during that night, and before evening on the morrow
one of the strongest gales ever known in this vicinity had set in.

The situation in which the Spanish flag-ship now found herself was
critical. She had put down her two bower anchors, but they were clearly
insufficient to hold her. To veer out cable was dangerous, for it was
not known how near the ship was to sunken torpedoes; to allow her to
drag was to run the double chance of striking a torpedo or going ashore.

During the night she parted both cables, and the morning found her
firmly imbedded in the beach off