But it was mostly on the sea, because Spain sent part of her navy to fight for her claims.

We shall be interested to read how Commodore Dewey took his Pacific Squadron of our Navy into Manila Harbor, and destroyed the whole Spanish fleet there, without losing one American sailor.

This battle set the Philippine Islands free from Spain. They were struggling for liberty just as Cuba

was.

Another Spanish fleet was sent out, and the United States fleet under Admiral Sampson and Commodore Schley caught it while it was in the harbor of Santiago de Cuba taking on coal. Our ships lay outside the harbor and waited for the Spanish ships to come out.

The Spanish Admiral, Cervera, who was a fine naval officer, knew that he could not come out without losing his fleet, but the Spanish Government sent him an order to leave the harbor and fight, and he obeyed orders.

As his four cruisers and two destroyers steamed out of the narrow mouth of the harbor, the American vessels closed in on them so they had to run in along shore. And in a very short battle, one after another the ships were driven on shore or destroyed by American gunners.

The American sailors on the Texas were fighting one of the Spanish ships, and they saw that it had caught fire from their guns, and was conquered. They started to cheer, but Captain Jack Philip stopped them. He said, "Don't cheer, boys, the poor fellows are dying."

That message came back to America with the news of victory. The people of the United States felt that both messages gave them the spirit of our Navy. The regret of a brave commander for the suffering of his enemy was the spirit of Abraham Lincoln, and of all our greatest Americans.

While the Navy was fighting, an American army under General Shafter went into Cuba and conquered the Spanish army there. There were many volunteers in our army in Cuba, and one regiment was called "Roosevelt's Rough-Riders." These men were commanded by Colonel Leonard Wood, one of our bravest and most modest officers. Under him served Theodore Roosevelt, who afterwards became our President. These volunteers did splendid service, and America was very proud of them.

At the end of the war, Spain gave up her control over Cuba and Porto Rico.

The United States sent a temporary government to

Cuba, to help the smaller country get started in the right way. When the Cuban people were ready to manage their affairs for themselves, we called the Americans home again and Cuba became independent,

Some of the European countries had said that America would not take her government away, but would take Cuba for herself. But the United States showed by her acts that the war had been truly a war for the rights of small peoples.

We can be very proud of the work of our Army and Navy in the Spanish War, and of the fair dealing of our Government. Let us thank God for teaching our first Americans how to build a republic, where we ourselves can decide what we will fight and suffer for. Let us ask Him to give us wisdom to keep the Republic free from unjust wars, and for courage to fight bravely for it in a just cause.

W

XXVI

E know something about government now. We know that each country has either a democratic government or an autocratic government. The people of each country obey its laws because that is the only way they can live together comfortably.

But the different countries have to live with each other, too. People do not stay in their own country. They travel for business and pleasure. The ships of all countries use the same ocean. The products of

one country go to another, and often pass through still other countries on their way. Mail and telegrams go through many countries.

This could not be, without some kind of law to live by. We could not send mail through a country if that country let her railroad men steal it, or keep it back. We could not use the ocean if some country allowed her navy to sink our ships.

Long ago there were no laws between countries. As soon as a traveler left his own country he was likely to be robbed or killed. But as soon as business and travel began to grow between countries, the countries began to make agreements with each other. What governments agree upon is called a "treaty." A treaty is a promise of governments to each other.

Every promise is a solemn thing. A man who breaks his promise is despised by other men. But a treaty is far more solemn than a man's promise. It is the promise of a whole nation. If it is broken, it breaks the reputation of a whole people.

After hundreds of years of making treaties, some things had been agreed upon so often that they became a kind of law. Those things that all civilized countries agreed on were called "International Law." But International Law was only an understanding.