Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1898-05-05
No OFFICIAL NEWS.
No Dispatches Received from Dewey
About the Manila Fight.
ANXIETY FELT FOR HIS FLEET.
II He Has Loaf Many Men He May Re Much
Embarrassed In Maintaining Possess
sion Of Manila The Future
Of the Islands.

TACT that the nation most interested
of all the great powers in the combat
that took place at Manila Sunday
should be among the last officially to
know the result. Up to the close Of
office hours yesterday absolutely the
only information that our 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. II
the report is true that Commodore
Dewey has begun bombardment and
blockade Of the city Of Manila, it is
unlikely that he can spare q vessel
from his feet to carry the news TO
Hong Kong, the nearest cable station,
SO 1t is not known when official advces
will come.
The greatest anxiety is felt as to the
casualties sustained by the American
fleet From the stubborn defense
made by the Spaniards, it was feared
that. before they burned, blew up or
sunk their ships, they managed to in
flict severe damage upon Commodore
Dewey's squadron. If Commodore
Dewey has lost considerable portion
of his men, it is feared he will be much
embarrassed In the work Of nintain-
ing possession of Manila for lack of
sufficient force. United States naval
vessels are always undermined, ac-
cording to European standards, and it
will not be possible, having regard to
the safety Of the ships, to spare any
considerable number of men to keep
the city, especially II the engagement
has disabled many Of them There
was some talk yesterday afternoon Of
sending troops from San Francisco 10
aid In this work, but this has not yet
taken shape, as far as can be learned,
and 1t is likely that the department
will wait to hear from Commodore
Dewey himself before taking any &C.
ton. 1t may be and, In fact 1t Is ex.
pected, that, by combination with the
insurgents, he will succeed in having
his men relieved of the task OF garri-
soning Manila.
As TO the future OF the islands, 1t Is
likely that the government will retain
possession Of at least one good port,
such as Manila, for a coaling station
and base Of supplies during the re-
mainder OF the war. There was un.
derstood to be considerable force In
the Philippines, and large number Of
natives are said to be "loyal," mean
ing, in that sense, attached to the
Spanish fortunes. With this material
on one hand and the insurgents
on the other, the latter stimu-
lated by the overthrow Of the Span.
iards at Manila, 1t is probable that
civil war may rage on the islands for
some time, outside Of Manila proper.
II is believed the officials have not de-
cided what to do with the islands at
the end Of the war, but, In their pos.
session, the United States will enjoy o
powerful weapon In enforcing terms
of peace with Spain. Surprising Porto
Rico shall next be seized, IL would
seem that Spain will have little to en-
courage her in further resistance, par.
ticularly as the fall Of Porto Rico
would mean the loss to her Of her iron
clad feet, should 1t cross the Atlantic.
There is no definite talk yet Of Eu.
ropean Intervention, but one Of the
most beneficial results Of Dewey's VIC
tory is that deep impression has been
made upon the European powers, who
can now no Longer afford TO blind
themselves to the fact that, man to
man, the American navy is equal to
any in the world. The impression pro-
duced is likely to deter the European
powers from hasty Intervention, and
the present indications are that we
shall be left TO settle our affairs with
Spain at our own pleasure, always pro-
viding we do not get involved in the
eastern question through obtaining
possession Of the Philippines.
The general opinion among promi.
nent members Of the administration is
that the naval victory at Manila ia not
only important Of itself, but that It
will have a very decided influence
among the nations Of Europe, which
may ultimately result In their united
action in forcing Spain to an early re-
linquishment Of the impossible task Of
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