U. S. S. OLYMPIA.
“Perhaps they will see us now,” the commodore remarked, quietly, as his attention was called to this indiscretion.
A flash of light burst from the fort; there was a dull report, and in the air could be heard that peculiar singing and sighing of a flying projectile as a heavy missile passed over the Olympia and the Raleigh.
The garrison on Corregidor was awakened, but not until after the last vessel in that ominous procession had steamed past.
It was the first gun in the battle of Manila Bay, and it neither worked harm nor caused alarm.
Again and again in rapid succession came these flashes of light, dull reports, and sinister hummings in the air, before the American fleet gave heed that this signal to heave to had been heard.
Then a 4-inch shell was sent from the Concord directly inside of the fortification, where it exploded.
The Raleigh and the Boston each threw a shell by way of salute, and then all was silent.
The channel, which had been thickly mined, according to the Spanish reports, was passed in safety, and the fleet, looking so unsubstantial in the darkness, had yet to meet the mines in the bay, as well as the Spanish fleet, which all knew was lying somewhere near about the city.