The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-05-13
Anxious to Have a Shy
at the Spanish.
MORE SIGNS OF ACTIVITY
The Return OF the Cape Verde Fleet
Removes the Necessity for the Fleet
Remaining on Coast Guard Duty.
The Vessels COaling Up-The Massa.
cnusetts Tries Her New Guns-Splen-
did Drill Of the Men-In Praise Of Ad.
miral Dewey.

Old Point Comfort, Va, On Board the
Flagship Brooklyn, off Fortress Mon
roe, May u.-Commodore Winfield S.
Schley, commanding the dying squadron
today for the first time consented to
give his views upon the victory Won
by Admiral Dewey, at Manila To the
Associated Press representative he
SAID:
Admiral Dewey's victory at Manila
must deservedly take its place with the
greatest navy victories Of the worlds
history. 1t is urged that the result
shows such decided inferiority in re-
sistance as compared with the vigor
of attack that there is dimnution Of
the glory, but that is untrue, for it
must be remembered that the greatness
Of DeWey's success lies in the calm
courage and daring displayed in his
decision to enter strange harbOr, at
dark, under the guns of many forts
and braving perhaps hidden tOrpedOeS
or mines. 1t strikes me that with sew
eral advantageOusly fortified positions,
the preponderance of advantage was
certainly with the enemy, and that
with the great daring displayed by
Dewey there must fall upon his should
ers the mantle of Perry and Farragut.
From the meagre accounts that have
been received of the battle, it is evil
dent that despite the gre risk every
officer and every man knew was being
taken, there was not a faint heart in
all that squadron, but an enthusiasm
and esprit de corps that could not
but win With such a leader. I would
note. too, that superior education,
which brings intelligence, coupled with
perfection in Workmanship, aided
greatly in winning the day and will,
l believe, contribute to future victor
les. Admiral Dewey and every man in
his squadron deserves every recogni
ton that a grateful people and a ma
ton can beStOW."
The definite news of the return of
the Spanish fleet to CadiZ put new life
into the squadron officers today. While
they have recognized that the strategy
board has made them a splendid fac
tor in the war, by the enforced stay
here, and realize that their presence
on the coast has been the direct cause
of the return of Spanish squadron to
its own ports, they have chafed at their
idlenesS and the possible termination of
the war before they moved. Today
the general belief is that the history of
Nelson will be repeated and as the bat
Tie OIL Mania pdrdlIeIeQ the victory OIL
Nelson on the Nile, 50 Spanish indig-
nation as in the day of Nelson may
force the Spanish fleet to sea and
Trafalgar be repeated. Every officer is
now encouraged to believe that tom-
modore Schley will be allowed to dis
play his acknowledged skill and daring
in active battle.
The New Orleans finished coaling to-
day md is ready for sea. An assistant
passed engineer and two cadet engi-
neers arrived here today and Joined
the Brooklyn and it is believed that
these are significant facts, indicating
an early movement Of the squadron.
Captain Hutchison, of the Massa-
chusetts, tried his new automatic
Maxim one Founders today with great
success. On all the ships today, fire
! and collision drills and general call to
quarters, practically a battle drill, oc-
Cured. Commodore Schley watched
all the ships carefully and expressed
himself as we'll satisfied. The New
Orleans tried her big guns and her
officers reported to commodore Schley
that they were we'll pleased with the
working of them.