Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-05-09
ADVANTAGE WITH SPANIARDs
RESULT LARGELY DUE TO AMERI-
CAN GENERAEsHIP.
Every Detail of the Action Had Been
Carefully Planned, and the Plan
Carried. Out Like Clock
work-spanish Fought
Bfayely.

military men and civilians. Europeans and
natives, here to-day, there is only one sub
iect of discussion, the brilliant. dashing.
annihilating victory OF the American fleet
under Commodore Dewey over the Spanish
fleet commanded by Admiral Montejo in
Manila bay on Sunday last. .r- -
Owing to the fact that the cable between
this port and the Philippine islands was
not in working order. having been cut. it
is said, some distance from the capital of
the islands. there has been delay in OBJ
tanning a detailed account Of the battle,
and facts in the case were only available
when the United States gunboat McCul-
loch arrived here yesterday. and even then
the. tremendous pressure Of business,
thrown suddenly upon the cable company.
necessarily made the earlier accounts Of
the engagement somewhat brief. t.--
The American commander had most skill
fully arranged every detail Of the action.
and even the apparently most Insignificant
features were carried out with perfect
-punctuality. and In railroad timetable Or
der.
At the end Of the action, Commodore
Dewey anchored his feet In the bay. before
Manila. and sent a message to Governor
General Augustin announcing the Inaugural
tion of the blockade. and adding that If a
shot were fired against his ships he would
destroy every battery about Manila.
The position occupied by the spaniards,
the support which their ships received from
the land batteries, and the big guns they
had ashore. gave them an enormous ad-
vantage. Therefore. when 1t is considered
that the Spaniards lost over 600 men in
killed and wounded. that all their ships,
amounting to about fourteen, were de-
stroyed, and that their naval arsenal at
Cavite was also destroyed, with its de-
fenses. it will become apparent that the
victory Of the American commodore is one
Of the most complete and wonderful
achievements in the history of naval war
fare.
Not man on board the American fleet
was killed. not ship was damaged to
any extent. and only eight men were in
5ured slightly on board the Baltimore.
This grand achievement is quite as much
due to the generalship of Commodore
Dewey as to the fact that American gun
ners. ships and guns are superior to any
thing In the same line afioat anywhere.
Great credit must also be given to the
fullest extent to the officers under Com
nodore Dewey, for. to man. they Sec
onded their. gallant. commander In every
way possible. and thus helped him win the
laurels which are justly his.
| When the squadron left here. II touched
first at q point in the Philippines, near
Rolinao, rs Commodore Dewey wished the
| insurgents agents to disembark there. as.
| certain the strength and disposition Of the
insursent forces, arrange to prevent need.
| chance to commit excesses. The insurgent
| OF his intention to change the government,
Of the Philippine islands. the commodore
| strongly objecting to giving the rebels a
chance to commit excesses The insurgent.
leaders. however. refused to disembark un.
der any consideration. and the American
ships coasted in search of the Spanish
ships, but failed to find them.
| Commodore Dewey arrived at Subig bay
| about thirty miles north Of Manila bay, or
Saturday. April 30. and sent the Baltimore
and Concord to reconnoiter the enemy. The,
found no Spanish ships at the entrance Of
the bay. and SO Commodore Dewey decided
to risk the mines and proceed that same
night after dark into the Bay of Manila
| which he did &C.,
When the American fleet entered the bay
coming through the southern channel be.
tween Cabaalo Frile inlets. the following
| was their order:
The flagship Olympia, the Baltimore, the
Raleigh. the Concord. the Boston, the Pet
rel and the McCulloch. with the two store
ships. the Nanshan and the Zafiro, bring
ing up the rear. And in that order the,
swept grandly before the city and faced tn,
enemy in column line.
The order Of battle taken up by tn,
Spsniards was with all the small Graf
inside the stone and timber breakwater
of Cavite harbor. The larger ships o
Spain cruised off Cavite and Manila. Th,
American fleet entered Manila bay on Sat
urday night with the greatest of ease
The Spaniards had not established a pa
troll, and there were no searchlights a
the entrance OF the bay. In fact, tn
American ships would probably hav
passed inside the bay without any chal
lenge had it not been that some spark
few up from the McCulloch's funnel
Thereupon few shots were exchange
with the batteries on corregidor island
but the fleet did not slow down and 500
took UP position near Cavite. awaiting
dawn In order to commence hostilities.
The early hours of the morning reveale
the opposing ships to each other, and tn
Spanish flagship opened fire. Her actio
was followed by some of the larger Span
ish warships. and then the Cavite fort
opened up. and the smaller Spanish yes
sels brought their guns into play.
The American squadron, which had bee
led into the bav through the channel b
the flagship Olympia. did not reply. thoug
the shells Of the Spaniards began to strik
the water around them, but moved male.
tically onward. When nearing Baker ba,
q sudden upheaval of water a short di.
tancs ahead of the Olympia showed ths
the Spaniards had exploded q mine or
torpedo. This was followed by a secon
and similar explosion. They were both nj