The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1898-05-03
FURTHER DETAILS
All Of Which Have Come From Span
ish Sources

NEW YORK. May "A dispatch to the
Herald from London says:
The Asiatic Squadron OF the United
States, Commodore Dewey commanding
Sunday engaged and completely defeated
the Asiatic Squadron of Spain in the har-
Dor of Manila, in the Philippine Islands.
All the news of the great naval battle
thus far is coming from Spanish sources.
This shows conclusively that Manila has
not yet been taken by the American forces
and that the cable lines are still under the
control of Spain.
From the fact that even the advices re.
ceived from Madrid show that the Amer
lean warships Jared the best, there is hard
/ ly any doubt that when complete details
are obtainable 1t will be learned that it was
a crushing defeat for Spain. Reports of the
battle thus far are coming in piecemeal
During the two engagements that took
place, Commodore Montijo. commanding
the Spanish fleet. lost three of his largest
ships. His flagship, the cruiser Reina
| Christiana, and the armored cruiser Cas-
tilla were burned and the cruiser Don Juan
de Austria was blown up. Several other
Spanish vessels were badly damaged. One
report adds that several other Spanish
| ships were sunk by their commanders to
! prevent their falling into the hands of the
| Americans.
| There was heavy loss of life among the
| Spanish.
| Captain Darzo. commanding the Reina
Christana, was killed. Commodore Mon
tito commanding the fleet. shifted his flag
| from the Reina Christiana to the Isla de
Cuba, a much smaller steel protected cruis
er, just before the Christiana sunk The
blowing UP of the Don Juan de Austria was
attended by a great loss of life among the
crew, her commander also being killed.
Commodore Dewey's squadron, leaving
Subig bay, few miles from Manila, about
4 o'clock yesterday afternoon, proceeded
toward Manila. Under the cover of dark.
ness he entered the harbor of Manila. the
batteries there announcing his arrival
Both of the fleets lined up for battle about
daybreak, 5 o'clock this morning. The guns
of the American warships began firing on
the fortress of Cavite and the arsenal Of
Manila.
Under the protection of the guns Of these
Notifications the Spanish warships OPEN
ed fire on the American fleet. For several
hours the harbor resounded with the roar
of guns, the crashing of steel and timbers,
the shrieks and groans of the wounded.
Thick clouds of smoke at times almos.
obscured the opposing ones from each
other.
A well-directed shot reached the iron
cruiser Don Juan de Austria, vessel OF
HOO tons. A terrific explosion followed
and the ship was blown up.
All the time during the first engagement
the American ships were under way. their
maneuvering being intended to render
the craftsmanship of the Spanish gunners
less effective.
The American squadron, about o'clock.
drew off to the west side of the bay and
/ took refuge behind some foreign ship
ping. The ships had evidently suffered
| considerable damage. After some hasty
repairs they returned to the conflict.
During this engagement the guns of
Cavite maintained a steadier and strong
err fire upon Commodore Deweys ships
than in the first encounter, but the AM
erican guns were being used with telling
effect.
AS the smoke lifted 1t was seen the flag
ship Reina Christiana was on fire. The
vessel was completely burned. In the in
terval between the two engagements Com
modore Montijo moved his flag from the
Reina Christiana to the smaller cruiser
Isla de Cuba. To the fact that he made
| this change he doubtless owes his life.
| The cruiser Castillo, next to the flagship,
the largest and most powerful Of the Span
| ish squadron, was also burned. The oruis-
er Don Antonio de Ulloa and the Mindanao
were also badly damaged in this encounter.
That the American squadron received
severe damage in the engagement cannot
be doubted. Early reports had 1t that five
Of Commodore Dewey's ships had been
sunk. Later advices from Madrid put the
number at two. There were undoubtedly
heavy losses in men on both sides. One
apparently trustworthy report states that
the Spanish had 200 killed and 400 wounded
| Trustworthy details Of the American loss
of life will hardly be obtainable until Com
modore Dewey has taken Manila or has
sent a vessel with dispatches to Hong
Kong