Roosevelt worked at top-speed in the Navy Department, and began to
lay plans for going to the war himself. He believed that it was
right and necessary to fight Spain, and end the horrible suffering
in Cuba. And he believed that it was the duty first and foremost
of men like himself, who advised war, to take part in it. He was
nearly forty years old, and had a family. Many other men in his
place would have discovered that their services were most
important in Washington. They would have stayed in their offices,
and let other men (whom they called "jingoes") do the fighting for
them. It was never Roosevelt's custom to act that way.

Later in February, while Mr. Long was away, and Roosevelt was
Acting-Secretary of the Navy, he sent this cable message to
Commodore Dewey:

WASHINGTON, February 25, '98.

Dewey, Hong Kong

Order the squadron, except the "Monocacy," to Hong Kong. Keep full
of coal. In the event of declaration of war Spain, your duty will
be to see that the Spanish squadron does not leave the Asiatic
coast, and then offensive operations in Philippine Islands. Keep
"Olympia" until further orders.

ROOSEVELT.

War against Spain was declared in April,--the month in our history
which has also seen the beginning of our Revolution, our Civil
War, and our entrance into the Great War against Germany. Congress