ew flag on the Olympia was an interesting ceremony. As the
blue bunting with its four white stars fluttered to the peak of the
flagship, the crews of all the vessels in the fleet were at quarters;
the officers in full dress for the occasion. The marines paraded; the
drums gave four "ruffles" as the Admiral stepped upon the deck; the
Olympiads band struck up "Hail to the Chief," and an admiral's salute
of seventeen guns echoed across Manila Bay from every American ship;
followed by salutes of the same number of guns from each foreign war
vessel in the harbor.

[Illustration: The Dewey Medal of Honor.]

CHAPTER V.

THE MERRIMAC.

While Admiral Sampson had been fixing the blockade he had also been
forming plans to close the channel, and so keep any large ship from
stealing out of the bay. For, although our men watched closely, there
was always a chance that in a fog or storm the Spanish ships might
slip out without being seen. Admiral Sampson knew that the Spaniards
could remove anything that might be sunk to close the channel, but the
work would take time, and meanwhile our Army might arrive on the land
back of Santiago, and then our Army and Navy could help each other.
Time was what was needed in order to have all things ready for
forcing the Spaniards out of Santiago and taking possession of the
city.

[Illustration: Lieut. Richmond P. Hobson.]

So, plans were made for sinking a coal steamer across the narrowest
part of the channel, and thus blocking the way. Now you shall hear of
one of the bravest deeds ever done in war.

The work of closing the channel was put into the hands of Lieutenant
Hobson. The collier Merrimac was chosen as the vessel to be sunk. You
have no idea how much had to be done before the Merrimac was ready.
There were hours and hours of work. The crew had to take off all the
things that were not to be sunk, the machinery had to be fixed in
certain ways, the heavy anchors had to be placed in the right parts,
and the torpedoes, which Lieutenant Hobson made for blowing holes in
the vessel at the right moment, had to be fitted into their places.
More than two thousand tons of coal had to be shoveled away from
certain places in the hold to make room for the torpedoes and to leave
spaces for the water to rush in and sink the vessel. So, much hard
work was done before the good collier was ready to be forced under the
waves.

There was only a small chance that the men who took the Merrimac