Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1898-05-13

Like thieves, in the dark,
With an electrical spark,
Twas done in the night 10y Spain
In Gods broad daylight,
In a square open fight,
We made them remember the Mains,
Hong Kong, China, May l1.-When his
tory speaks of great naval en-
Igagements, the battle of Manila,
fought on Sunday, May l, 1898, will
rank among the first
I Beside it that of Trafalgar faded into
insignifcance, for not there nor at any
other place has such a victory crowned
the efforts of fleet.
With shot and shell pouring from
forts and warships, with leaden hail
falling in sheets upon the decks with
ltorpedoes ready to do their deadly
work and in a harbor thickly studded
with mines, not a single man was lost
on the American side.
| With a fearlessness that is a marvel
to the whole civilized world, Admiral
Dewey kept on, himself in the place
gave his commands as coolly as if on
parade, and the resolute daring in his
every act and the acts of the other
captains and officers communicated to
the crew. They evaded and fired with
a steadiness and precision that was
grand. The inevitable followed.
Il Not a single American vessel was
damaged. Each one that took part
| in the engagement is in condition to
go into and then fight with the flower
of SPANS navy at that-at a moments
notice. Among the Spanish cruisers
and gunboats sunk were the flagship
Reina Maria Cristina, Castillo, Velasco,
Don Juan de Austria, the Isla de Cuba,
Gen. Lezo Marquee del Duero, Min
anao and Ulloa.
The Killed and Wounded.
One-third of the Spanish fleets fight
ing force was killed or disabled. Ac-
cording to their own figures they lost
800 killed and 400 wounded. 1t is
even possible that the list of casualties
will be greatly increased.
The news of the great victory in all
its details would long since have been
cabled but the Spanish Government
refused to permit the cable to be used.
So for that reason Admiral Dewey cut
the cable. If he could not have it he
decided that the Spaniards should not
use it.
For seven hours and twenty minutes
the battle lasted. Beginning with mid
might of Saturday, Dewey's fleet of
nine vessels started to run the blockade
past the forts of Corregdor Island.
The fleet consisted of the Olympia,
Baltimore, Boston, Concord, Raleigh
and Petrol. The other three were the
revenue cutter Hugh McCulloch and
two transports.
Every precaution had been taken to
deceive the enemy
No lights whatever burned, except in
the stern of each boat as guide to
the others that followed
They passed Corregidor unseen, and
it was not until the McCuloch had gone
a considerable distance that the pres
ence of the fleet was detected.
Then the guns from Corregidor OPEN
ed upon her and the first of the en-
gagement had begun.
The Battle Begins.
A few hundred yards away was the
Boston, which at once replied with a
.three-inch gun. 1t seemed a surprise
ITO those on the fort, as after wasting
four shots their guns were silent.
| Up the bay toward the distant city
then steamed the American fleet at a
8four-knot pace, and just as the grey
dawn of morning dispelled the shad-
lows of night they were off Manila.
4 Not until the mists lifted did the
lSpaniards realize that the enemy was
lat their door. Then activity was dis
lcernible at every point.
In the twinkling OF an eye, as it
Seemed the big guns of Manila fort be-
lgan to roar. They came thick and fast.
but there were many merchantmen in
the bay, and Dewey did not want to
harm them. So for the time being he
did not respond to the fire.
In fact, it was with an expression Of
contempt that Dewey gave the order
to the fleet to form into double column
Iof battle.
In that array they advanced and
opened up a murderous fire on the
heavy forts at Cavite six miles south.
In the first line was the Olympia, the
} Baltimore and the Boston. They bore
the brunt of the enemy's fire. In the