Victory (1913)

The Secretary of the Navy orders the U.S.S. Utah to proceed to the Republic of Antillas to protect American interests during the impending revolution. On their arrival at Caiman, the principal seaport, Commander Benson orders Lieutenant Ward to proceed inland to Valdiva, the capital, and report to the American Embassy so as to keep him advised of the general situation. On his arrival Lieutenant Ward meets Minister Gordon and his daughter Helen, with whom he at once falls in love, but finds a rival in the person of General De la Monte, the Minister of War of Antillas. He also meets a young inventor who has just finished building a hydroplane. While attending a Government ball Helen overhears Gen. De la Monte conspiring to assassinate President Martinez, and then blow up the American battleship in an attempt to take over the reins of the government in his hands. Helen tells Lieutenant Ward of the conspiracy. Before he has the opportunity of thwarting these plans Lieutenant Ward is wrongfully arrested for the murder of President Martinez. Minister Gordon finally obtains the freedom of Lieutenant Ward, but not in time to prevent the departure of the conspirators. They are prevented from sending a warning by wireless and Lieutenant Ward decides their only hope lies in his making the flight of fifty miles in the hydroplane. The moving picture camera placed in the hydroplane itself then shows an exciting race by air and land. Lieutenant Ward, at a height of 1,500 feet makes a daring glide for the battleship and reaches there barely in time to prevent its destruction by a harbor mine that throws a tower of water two hundred feet in the air. Commander Benson immediately opens fire on the fort and during this thrilling combat. Lieutenant Ward asks permission to drop a bomb from the hydroplane. He does so with deadly results. No sooner is this battle over than the Utah is attacked by the foreign fleet and a spectacular naval battle takes place which shows the Utah defeating the fleet with the aid of bombs from the hydroplane. The final scenes of this naval battle show the foreign ships helpless masses of twisted steel with the actual sinking at sea of one of these ships. A wireless reaches Com. Benson from the American Embassy reporting that a revolt has taken place in the city. Com. Benson orders Lieutenant Ward to the rescue with a company of marines. They engage the revolutionists who outnumber them three to one. After a desperate engagement the marines charge the foreign batteries and rout the enemy. Lieutenant Ward marches into Valdiva with the victorious marines and rescues Minister Gordon and Helen. The last scene shows Lieutenant Ward to be as successful in love as in war, as he wins Helen, after which she is presented to the officers and crew of .the Utah, who cheer her to an echo.