The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-05-03

WASHINGTON, May 2.--It is a curious fact that
the nation most interested of all the great powers in
the combat that took place at Manila yesterday
should be among the last officially to kne of the re-
suit Up to the close of Office hours today absolutely
all the information that government had received
OF the brilliant victory of Commodore Dewey and
the winning of the battle of Manila on May day came
TO the government through the medium of the press
dispatches If the report is true that Commodore
Dewey has begun a bombardment and blockade of
the city of Manila, it is unlikely that he can spare
vessel from his fleet to carry the to Hongkong,
the nearest cable station, SO it is not known when
official advices will come.
There was some expectation that through the sur
render of the city the commodore might acquire CON
troll of the cable but even then there might be prac.
teal difficulties in communicating through it. The
officers of Commodore Deweys feet include at least
one lieutenant who is good practical electrician
and teegrapher but ii is not known positively that
he is able to work cable successfully Second a
fear is entertained that before retiring from the cty
the Spanish troops will smash the delicate and com.
picated electrical apparatus for the reception and
dispatch of messages. and it is very uncertain
whether there enough technical skill in the Amer
can fleet to repair such damage without aid from the
mainland The mere cutting of the cable reported
by the Spanards is not regarded particularly seri-
Gus since, being hemmed in port by the American
blockading feet the Spaniards would not be able to
make the cut far of shore. that the cable could
be easily grapped and repaired.
The greatest anxiety is felt as to the casualties
sustained by the American fleet. From the stubborn
defense made by the Spaniarls it was feared that
before they burned, blew up sunk their ships they
managed to iniict severe damage upon Commodore
Dewey's squadron
All of the ships engaged vulnerable in one re-
spect--namely in their lack of protection to life
There was not an armored ship In Commodore
Dewey's feet, the nearest approach being the flag
ship Olympia.
She had some coal protection around the sides and
an arced steel deck calculated to protect the vitals
of the ship The other vessels of the fleet. save
those recently added to the navy like the McCuloch
have lighter steel decks of this character but in all
cases, with the exception of some slight protection
i'm the shape Of gun shields the personnel of the ships
was exposed to the fire of the enemy.
If Commodore Dewey has lost considerable por
tion of his men ii is feared he will be much embar
rassed in the work of maintaining possession of Man
ila for lack of sufficient force
United States naval vessels are always under
manned according European standards and il will
not be possible having regard to the safety Of the
ships 10 spare any considerable number of men Ia
keep the eity especially if the engagement has dis
abled many of them There some talk this after
noon of sending out troops from San Francisco to aid
in this work but this has not Yet taken shape far
as can be learned and it is likely that the department
will wait to hear from Commodore Dewey himsel!
before taking any action II may be- and in fact it is
expected that by combination with the insurgents
he will succeed in having his men relieved of the task
of garrisoning Manila.
As 70 TIE future of the islands il is likely that the
government will retain possession of at least one
rood port such as Manila. for coaling station and
base of supplies during the remainder of the var
There was understood TO be- considerable force in
the Philippines and large number of natives are
said TO be .Icyal. meaning in that sense attached 10
he spanish fortunes With this material on hand
and the insurgents on the other the latter stimulated
-. tho overthrow of the Spanish Manila. II Is prob
h,e that civil war may rage the islands for some
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