Page:Lives of the presidents in words of one syllable (1903).djvu/151

 DESTRUCTION OF THE "MAINE"

Strange it was that the first great fight was miles and miles off both from the U-ni-ted States and Cu-ba. In Chi-na, at Hong Kong, was an A-mer-i-can fleet in charge of Com-mo-dore George Dew-ey who had fought in the Civ-il War and was a man of quick thought and deed.

He got word that a fleet of Spain was at Ma-ni-la, the chief town of the Phil-ip-pine Isles. He went there and reached the mouth of the Bay of Ma-ni-la late on the night of A-pril 30, 1898. He got by the forts and at dawn next day found that fleet of Spain for which he had been sent.