accordingly been observed by both belligerents, although neither was a
party to that declaration.

Our country thus, after an interval of half a century of peace with all
nations, found itself engaged in deadly conflict with a foreign enemy.
Every nerve was strained to meet the emergency. The response to the
initial call for 125,000 volunteers[20] was instant and complete, as was
also the result of the second call, of May 25, for 75,000 additional
volunteers.[21] The ranks of the Regular Army were increased to the
limits provided by the act of April 26, 1898.

The enlisted force of the Navy on the 15th day of August, when it
reached its maximum, numbered 24,123 men and apprentices. One hundred
and three vessels were added to the Navy by purchase, 1 was presented
to the Government, 1 leased, and the 4 vessels of the International
Navigation Company--the _St. Paul_, _St. Louis_, _New York_, and
_Paris_--were chartered. In addition to these the revenue cutters
and lighthouse tenders were turned over to the Navy Department and
became temporarily a part of the auxiliary Navy.

The maximum effective fighting force of the Navy during the war,
separated into classes, was as follows:

Four battle ships of the first class, 1 battle ship of the second
class, 2 armored cruisers, 6 coast-defense monitors, 1 armored ram,
12 protected cruisers, 3 unprotected cruisers, 18 gunboats, 1 dynamite
cruiser, 11 torpedo boats; vessels of the old Navy, including monitors,
14. Auxiliary Navy: 11 auxiliary cruisers, 28 converted yachts, 27
converted tugs, 19 converted colliers, 15 revenue cutters, 4 light-house
tenders, and 19 miscellaneous vessels.