The picture of the poor admiral, busy getting his fleet ready for battle, pestered by officious consuls on the one hand and by irresponsible Filipinos on the other, is pathetic; but it had its humorous features, which were not lost on the Admiral himself.  I quote the following:—­

“Senator Patterson.  Was there any communication between you and Pratt in which the matter of a written pledge or agreement with Aguinaldo was discussed with reference to the Philippine Islands?

“Admiral Dewey.  No.

“Senator Patterson.  What became of the correspondence, Admiral, if you know?

“Admiral Dewey.  It is all in the Navy Department.  When I turned over my command my official correspondence was all sent to the Navy Department.

“Senator Patterson.  You retained all of your letters from any United States officials?

“Admiral Dewey.  No; they went to the Department.

“Senator Patterson.  I mean you did not destroy them.

“Admiral Dewey.  No; I did not destroy them.

“Senator Patterson.  And you turned them over to the Navy Department?

“Admiral Dewey.  Yes; our regulations require that.  I may say that for my own information I kept copies of certain telegrams and cablegrams.  I don’t think I kept copies of Mr. Pratt’s letters, as I did not consider them of much value.  He seemed to be a sort of busybody there and interfering in other people’s business and I don’t think his letters impressed me.

“Senator Patterson.  He was the consul-general?

“Admiral Dewey.  Yes; but he had nothing to do with the attack on Manila, you know.

“Senator Patterson.  I understand that.

“Admiral Dewey.  I received lots of advice, you understand, from many irresponsible people.

“Senator Patterson.  But Pratt was the consul-general of the Government there?

“Admiral Dewey.  Yes; he was consul-general.

“Senator Patterson.  And he communicated with you, giving you such information as he thought you might be interested in, and among other information he gave you was this concerning Aguinaldo?

“Admiral Dewey.  I don’t remember; no, I really don’t remember his telling me anything about Aguinaldo more than that cablegram there, and I said he might come.  And you see how much importance I attached to him; I did not wait for him.

“Senator Patterson.  What you said was:  ’Tell Aguinaldo to come as soon as possible.’

“Admiral Dewey.  Yes; but I did not wait a moment for him.

“Senator Patterson.  Yes; but there was a reason for that.

“Admiral Dewey.  I think more to get rid of him than anything else.

“Senator Carmack.  Rid of whom?