The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-05-10

Copyright by the Associated Press)
Hong Kong, May THE order of
battle assumed by the Spanish was
with all the small craft inside Cavite
harbor behind stone and timber break
waters and the larger ships cruising
off Cavite and Manila. No patrol was
established nor was a searchlignt plac-
ed at the entrance of the bay.
On Saturday night the American
ships crept inside the bay without be
ing seen until the McCulloch's funnel
emitted spark. Then a few shots
were exchanged with Corregido Is
Rand, but the fleet never stopped or
slowed down opposite the city until
dawn. The Spanish ships then opened
fire, supported by the Cavite forts. The
McCulloch .'emained at some distance
and the enemy's shells passed but did
not touch her. The cruiser Baltimore
suffered the most of any of the Amer
lean ships. Five or ten shots took eff
feet on her, but none Of her officers or
crew was seriously hurt. Only few
slight injuries were suffered by the
American fleet, the worst of which re-
suited from an explosion of ammuni-
tion on the deck of the Baltimore. The
other ships of the fleet were practically
unhurt.
One hundred and fifty Spaniards
were killed and many were wounded.
The cruiser Reina Christina was the
worst damaged of the Spanish ships
and it is believed that she was sunk.
The other ships of the Spaniards were
quickly riddled by the Americans fire.
Two torpedo boats from CaVite were
quickly driven to return to that place
for shelter.
The Cavite arsenal exploded and
forty Spaniards were killed. The forts
made a nominal resistance. The bat
terry has never capitulated and the
SpaniardS ashore are still defiant.
INTENSE SUSPENSE.
Washington, May IA day of ex-
citnent such as today has not been
seen in Washington since the days
when reports came in of great VictO-
Gies during the civil war. Official
and unofficial Washington was in a
ferment and few of tlle employees
in any of the departments could main
tain their cOmpoSure sufficiently to go
on with their routine work. They
We're in an explosive state and at the
great state war and navy department
buildings, the least sign of dispatches
were sufficient to cause them TO drop
their work and swarm in the corridors,
clamOring for news. The excitement
was contagious and senators and rep
sentatives mixed in the crowds that
gathered around the navy headquar
Gers and gazed Wistfuly at the MahOg-
any doors of the navigation bureau
behind which the cipher experts. un
der lock and key. were slowly decipher-
ing the words that conveyed DeWeyS
glorious message to the American peO
pie. Senator Hanna aroused the crowd
at one time by leading with hip, hip
hurrah for Dewey, and. later, roar
of sStentorian cheers from Theodore
RoOseVelt'J room gathered everybody
1n the vast building to the east wing in
time TO witness the departure Oh the
eastern contingent of the mounted
Titlemen. Mr.. Roosevelt had said good
Rye to the boys before they started at
2:40 this afternoon for San Antonio
and the cheers was the means by
which they took their leave. Mr..
Roosevelt himself will follow Monday
or Tuesday.
The state department has the honor
of receiving the first news from the
fleet. 1t came in tn shape of cable
gram of three words from the United
States Consul Wildman, at Hong
Kong and was as follows: Hong
kong.-McCuloch Wildnan." That is
the usual form i'm which naval move
ments are reported by cable. This dis
patch was received by Third Assistant
Secretary Cridler. who had been on
duty all night, at 4:40 o'clock this
morning. The naval officials were
promptly notified and awaited with in
dense interest the dispatch which was
expected to surely follow from Commo-
dore Dewey.
DEW7EY'S REPORTS.
About $50 O'Clock Manager Marean,
of the Western Union Telegraph Com
pany, appeare' a. the department.
bringing with him a sheet comprising
four lines of the mysterious jargon
which makes up the naval cipher. He
handed this directly to Secretary Long,
who gazed at II for a moment and
Gurned it over to Lieutenant '|hfttle-
-sey, one of the cipher experts OF the
navigation bureau, for translation into
English. Then the secretary made "a
pretenSe OF sitting DOWN at flis desk TO
transact other business, but 1t was
plain to be seen that in spirit he had
Joined the anxious thrOng of news
paper men and officials who thronged
rhe reception room and the corridors
waiting for the news.
The naval cipher is one of the most
complex in the world. The messages
come in words OF strange formation,
taken from all languages. These words
are turned by the translating clerk
hIto groups of figures, and these in
durn are resolved into their equivalent
yords in English. Ali this takes time.