The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-08-01
SPANISH STORY OF MANILA.

SPANISH STORY OF MANILA.
Admiral AIontejo's Account Of Eiis Defeat
BY Dewey.
The Hong Kong Papers contained inter.
esting matter in regard to the battle Of
Manila. which was not sent by cable.
1t seems that the Spanish were in
teLsely disguised that Admiral Dewey
should not have given formal warning
that he was going to enter Manila har-
Dor and that he shoald have entered
1t by the broad channeI instead Of by
the narrow channel. which had been
mined. The few shots which Admiral
! Deweys ships fired ct the Corregldoi
forts on the night taey entered the
harbor killed forty-tuo men. although
the only target the American gunners
had were the flashes of the Spanish
cannon.
The correspondent Of the Hong Kong
China Mail. who went to Manila on the
British steamer Esme ralda, arrived on,
the day after the battle. On May 3 he
had an interview with the Spanish Ad.:
mi:al, Montojo. and obtained his were
sion of the battle. It contains some
novel and interesting facts. The cor
respondent describes the Admiral as
IAN old man about 65 years Of age
slight In stature, ard In appearance
everything but warlike. He realized
my ideal of an old Spanish grandee.
was cordially itself. and talked with
frankness of Sundays conflict" Adj
,miral Montojo said his intention was
to go to Subig Bay and fortify 1t. but
he found that 1t would require at least
month. So after spending week
there he returned to Manila on April
80. Had Dewey started on: day earle,
he would thus have caus.., the Span.
1sh feet outside Manila harbor.
Admiral Montojo Gaid he had re.
Questioned Madrid for ships and tor.
pedoes. but had received neither, so
he laid the blame of ais defeat on the
Spanish Government. In describing
the fight Admiral Mcntojo said:
1.-THE Relna Crlstina and Don Juan
d'Austria, as you know. were old cruis-
ers; the Castella was wooden cruiser,
but was unable to steam owing to the
breaking down of her engines The
Don Antonio dUlloa and the Velasco
were helpless and wore undergoing re-
pairs off the arsenal. The Olympia,
Baltimore Raleigh and Boston en-
gagged my flagship In turn about $50.
attracted by my flag. / recognized the
necessity Of getting under way and
slipped both anchors. ordering the
other ships to follow my example. Al.
though We recognized the hopelessness
OF fighting the American ships we were
busy returning their fire. The Re!na
Cristina was hit repeatedly.
Shortly after $50 I observed. fire Oh
my ship forward and our steering geal
was damaged, rendering the vessel I'm.
manageable. We we've subjected to
terrific hail Of shell aud shot. The en-
gines were struck and We estimated we
had seventy hits ABOUT our hull and
superstructure. The boilers were not |
hit, but the pipe to tAe condenser was
uthlIOs GU. "a LOW IHNultulS ldleT %. |
served that the after part of the ship
was on fire. shell from an American
ship had penetrated and burst with
deadly effect, killing nany of our men.
My Flag Lieutenant said to me:
1.-THE ship Is In Games. 1t Is i'm.
possible to stay on 4he Cristina any
longer
"IIe signalled to the gunboat Isla
de Cuba and I and my staff were
transferred to her and my flag was
hosted. Before leaving the Cristina
my flag was hauled down. My flagship
was now one mass of flames. ordered
away all boats I cGuld to save the
crew. Many of the AIen Jumped over.
board without clothing and succeeded
in reaching shore, several hundred
yards away. Only O few men were
drowned, the majority being picked up
by the boats.
Before jumping overheard Capt
Cadarses son, Lieutenant on board
the Cristina saw hiE father alive on
deck, but others say that as the Cap.
tain was about to leave a shell burst
over the ship and killed him. We es-
innate that 81 mea were killed on
board the Cristina and about 1jo
wounded. The Chaplin was killed and
the assistant physician, the chief en-
giEeer and three officers were wound
ed. The boatswain and chief gunner
we're both killed. In the Castella only
about Is men were killed, but there
were many wounded both on the Cas-
tel!a and the Don JDan d'Austria, on
which 10 men were Killed. Altogether,
so far as we know at present, 400 men
We're killed and wouhied on our ships.
"As soon as I Translated myself from
the Relna Cristna to the Isla de Cuba,
all the American shots were directed
upon the Isla de Cuba. following my
flag. We sought shelter behind the
pier at Cavite. and, recognizing tho
futllity of fighting more, prepared to
disembark, and gave orders for tho
evacuation Of the remainder OF the
ships Tho Castela had been on fire
from end to end fo} some time, and
was Of course. already abandoned. The
Ulloa was also burning. My last sig
nal to the captains " all the vessels
was 'scuttle and abal.don your ships'"
He said: 1.-THE Captain of the Boston
sgd to my chief Of ssaf Capt. Boado,
YOU have conbatted with US four very I
Iad ships, not wafs,ips. There was /
naeYer seen brsyer fighting under such
II Stf |