The opulence of 0 lym pia s captains cabin and the vigor ofher armament complemented Americas vision of imperial destiny in the Pacific. (Photos: National Archives (left); courtesy Independence Seaport Museum (above))
ting the speed records desired by Washing- 1898. It wasn't much ofa battle-more like photographs, meanwhile, showed the ship ton officials. Nevertheless, her first cap- a turkey shoot, for the Spaniards lay at back in resplendent white and buff after the tain, John Reed, declared her "the best anchor and both sides' gunnery wasn't very momentary gray battle drab for combat. weather boat I ever sailed in." good. But, with a new captain at the helm For the next three years, Olympia cruised and a feisty commodore directing the desYears of Peace the waters off China, Japan and Asian tiny of the US toward its imperial moment, Olympia badly needed refitting, which she Russia, showing the flag, testing speed and Olympia fired the first shots when Admiral received at Boston between 1899 and 1902. gunnery, and performing her appointed George Dewey uttered those immortal Meanwhile, advancing naval technology role. Officers and crew savored shore leave words to Captain Charles Vernon Gridley: and Spanish war victories had changed the and shipboard holiday celebrations and "You may fire when ready, Gridley." size and dimensions of the American Navy. endured hard duty in different climes from America was never the same. Larger and faster battleships, armored cruisVladivostok to Hong Kong. They sufers, and a host of torpedo boats and fered occasional loss of men and a destroyers now crowded protected typical turnover of officers and comcruisers off the front of the line. It was Olympia fired the first shots rades, deploring the dirty duty of coaltruly the glory days of empire and when George Dewey uttered ing ship , subsisting on "fluff' and spread-eagle diplomacy under Presithose immortal words to beans, and enjoying the periodic dents Theodore Roosevelt and Willbumboat visits of trinket salesmen iam Howard Taft. When recommisCaptain Charles 14-rnon Gridley: when in port; one crew member mansioned, Olympia (sporting gilded bow "You may fire when ready, Gridley. " aged to print a ship's newspaper, The and stern ornamentation befitting her Bounding Billow. Meanwhile, absent success) was assigned to the North modern communications, the admiAtlantic Squadron as flagship of the ral, the ship's captain and the Asiatic SquadFame and glory attended the triumphal small Caribbean division. She returned to ron with Olympia in charge were virtually New York homecoming for Dewey and his showing the flag but this time in Latin a law unto themselves for the United States flagship a year later. But the unfortunate American and Middle Eastern waters. Dewey's old flagship participated in fleet in the Far East. But war clouds lay on the Gridley, who had died meanwhile of "an horizon. affliction of the liver," was not there to bask maneuvers involving joint army-navy coin the welcome. And the victors of Manila operation for homeland defense and was The Fame of Manila Bay Bay had not stayed around for the nasty among the first navy ships fitted with radio Trouble between the US and Spain had insurrection that was broiling up among communication. By 1907, she removed to been brewing for years. The main cause Filipinos who had no desire to exchange Annapolis as part of the Practice Squadron, was Cuba, but out in the Far East lay the Spanish colonial masters for the Americans. or midshipmen's summer cruise flotilla, at Spanish Philippines, and politicians and Nonetheless, Americans back home went the Naval Academy. Here, Olympia still policy makers had a gleam in their eye wild with Dewey commemorative pitchers, showed her mettle to the middies as the about taking the place for America. Olym- plates, and scarves while Olympia was me- fastest (and most famous) of any ship in the pia's greatest moment of fame came when morialized in paperweights and butter and squadron, proving fully as commodious as she led the American battleline against a candy dishes as well as obligatory honorific the newer, glamorous battle wagons. Her Spanish squadron at Manila Bay on 1 May lithographs of the battle. Contemporary fame made her especially welcome when
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SEA HISTORY 94, AUTUMN 2000