The Independent. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1895-1905, 1898-05-17
PRESIDENT AND CONGRESS
THANK ADMIRAL DEWEY
McKinley's Messs ge-Words Of Con-
gress.

WASHINGTON, May S.-lne Erebl-
dent to-day sent the following mes
sage to Congress:
"To the Congress OF the United
States:
ION the Oath OF April I directed
the Secretary of the Navy to tele-
graph orders to Commodore George
Dewey OF the United States Navy,
commanding the Asiatic squadron,
then lying in the port Of Hongkong,
to proceed forthwith to the Philip
pine Islands, there to commence
operations and engage the Spanish
fleet
promptly obeying that order,
the United States squadron, consist
ing Of the flagship Olympia, the
Baltimore, Raleigh, Boston, Con
cord and Petrol, with the revenue
cutter Hugh McCulloch as an aux
iliary dispatch boat, entered the
harbor OF Manila at daybreak on the
first OF May and Immediately en-
gagged the entire Spanish feet OF
eleven ships, which we're under the
protection of the FIRE of land forts.
After stubborn fight, in which the
enemy suffered great loss, these YES
sells were destroyed or completely
disabled and the water battery at
Csvite silenced. OF our brave off,
GERS and men not one was lost and
only eight injured, and those slight
ly, All OF our ships escaped any
serious damage.
'By the 4th of May Commodore
Dewey had taken possession of the
naval station at Cavite, destroying
the Notifications there aud at the
entrance Of the bay and paroling
their garrisons, and the waters of
the bay are under his complete con-
troll. He has established hospitals
within the American lines, where
$50 OF the Spanish sick and wounded
are assisted and protected.
"The magnitude OF this victory
can hardly be measured by the
ordinary standards of naval war.
fare. Outweighipg any material adj
vantage is the moral effect OF this
initial success. At this unsurpassed
achievement the great heart Of our
nation throbs, not with boasting or
with greed of conquest, but with a
deep gratitude that this triumph
has come in a just cause, and that,
by the grace OF God, an effective
step has thus been taken toward the
attainment OF the wished-for peace.
To those whose skill, courage and
devotion have won the fight, to the
gallant commander and the brave
officers and men who aided him, our
country owes an incalculable debt.
"Feelng as our people feel, and
speaking in their name, at once
sent a message to Commodore De-
wey, thanking him and his officers
and men for their splendid achieve
ment and overwhelming victory, and
informing him that 1 had appointed
him an acting rear-admiral.
81 now recommend that, follow
ing our national presidents and ex.
pressing the fervent gratitude OF
every patriotic heart, the thanks OF
Congress be given Acting Rear-Ad-
miral George Dewey of the United
States navy for highly distinguished
conduct in conflict with the enemy
and to the officers and men under
his command for their gallantry in
the destruction OF the enemy's feet
and the capture OF the enemy'f
Notifications in the bay of Manila
civilian MCKINLEY.
Executive Mansion, May 8, 1898
WASHINGTON, May 9.-The append
ed resolution was passed to-day in
both houses of Congress.
"Joint resolution rendering the
thanks OF Congress to Commodore
George Dewey, U. S. N, and to the
officers and men of the squadron
under his command
Resolved by the Senate ant
House OF Representatives OF Am
erica, in Congress assembled, that