Evening journal., 1898-05-03
OFFICIAL REPORT
shington Has Not Heard
From Dewey.
la CABLE NAY HAVE BEEN CUT.
That Dewey Has Not Marines
nough to Hold the Philippine
Capital-Troops May BE Sent
From San Francisco.

Il IAs9Il14N6I IOIN, May 3.--lt is q GU
n fact that the nation most directly
E ested Of all the great powers in the
at that took place at Manila Sun
+ should be among the last officially
81 ow OF the result. Up TO the close
pee hours yesterday absolutely the
9 information that our government
81 received of the brilliant victory of
Fnodore Dewey and the winning Of
8attle OF Manila on May day came
le government through the medium
1e press dispatches. IL the report
Ne that Commodore Dewey has be-
Il a bombardment and blockade Of
a &ity Of Manila it is unlikely that he
N spare a vessel from his feet to
4 the news TO Hongkong, the near
#iable station, 80 it is not known
ohicial adviees will come. There
Zsome expectation that through the
Fnder Of the city the commodore
acquire control of the cable, but
then there might be practical diff
es in communicating through it.
officers Of Commodore Dewey's
include at least one lieutenant
is a good practical electrician and
rapher, but il is not known posi-
n that he is able to work a cable
Rssfully. A fear is also enter
n that before retiring from the city
Spanish troops will smash delicate
complicated apparatus for the
'Ption and dispatch Of messages, and
very uncertain whether there is
gh technical skill In the American
to repair such damage without aid
the mainland. The mere cutting
DO cable, as reported by the Span
3, Is not regarded as particularly
US, since being hemmed In there by
american blockading fleet the Span
would not be able to make the cut
IF shore, so that the cable could be
grappled and repaired.
greatest anxiety is felt as to the
alties sustained, by the American
From the stubborn defense made
he Spanlards it is feared that be-
they burned, blew up or sunk their
IS they managed to inhict severe
age upon Commodore Dewey's
dron. All of the ships engaged
vulnerable in one respect-name-
n their lack of protection to life.
e was not an armored ship in Com
ore Dewey's fleet, the nearest ap-
ch being the flagship Olympia She
some coal protection around the
and an arched steel deck calculat-
n protect the vitals Of the ship The
r vessels of 4the fleet. save those
|atly added to the navy, like TIE Nc
'och, have light steel decks of this
acter, but IL all cases, with the ex-
lon Of some slight protection in the
pe Of gun shields. the personnel of
|5hips was exposed to the fire of the
by. ihf
Commodore Dewey has lost a con-
Fable portion Of his men. It IS feared
|~in be much embarrassed in the
OF maintaining possession Of Ma
for Jack Of sufficient force. United
es naval vessels are always under
|ned, according TO European stand
and it viii not be possible. having
rd to the safety Of the ships, to
e any considerable number Of men
eep the city, especially IL the en-
'e was some talk yesterday after
b Of sending troops out from San
|lcisco to aid in this work, but this
mot yet taken shape as far as can
earned, and it is likely that the de-
ment will wait to hear from Conn
ore Dewey himself before taking
action. 1t may be, and in fact It is
,cted, that REORGANIZATION with the
rgents he will succeed in having
men relieved Of the task Of garri-
.ng Manila.
\ to the future of the island. it is
y that the government will retain
3ession Of at least one good port.
p as Manila, for a coaling station
base Of supplies during the re-
lder OF the war. There was under
d to be a considerable Spanish force
he Philippines, and a large number
atives is said to be loyal" mean
in that sense attached to the Span
fortunes.
ith this material on one hand and
insurgents on the other, the latter
iulated BY the overthrow Of the
1iards ct Manila, It IS probable that
war, rrll9x- rage on, the islands for
e time outside Of Manila proper. 1t
.elieved that officials have not de-
d what to do with the islands at the
of the war, but in their possession
United States Will enjoy a powerful
pon in enforcing terms Of peace
! Spain. Supposlng Puerto Rico
! next be seized. it would seem that
in viii have little to encourage her
lrther resistance. particularly as the
or Puerto Rico would mean the loss
1er of her ironclad fleet should IT
Is the Atlantic. There Is no talk vet
European Intervention. but one OF tbe
L beneficial results of Dewev's viz
is that a deep Impression has bean
he upon the European powers. who
now no longer afford to blind fbs,,
es to the fact that, man TO man the
erican navy is equal to any in The
Id There was no exhibition. such
vas sneeringly predicted in the ru-
9an press. of weakness in the Amer
/ fleet caused by the fact that IL was
composition. It Is safe
say that after the battle at Manila
European powers viii conclude that
American flag always floats over
American crew regardless of the
lvity or racial descent Of the men
} fight the guns. The impression
iuced is likely to deter the European
'ers from hasty intervention, and
present indications are that we
Il be left to settle our affairs with
in az our own pleasure, always pro-
ng we do not get involved in the
.erIi question through obtaining pos
don Of the Philippines.
is entirely possible that Commodore
yey may secure his promotion to the
k Of admiral through the splendid