The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1898-05-11
THE NATION s THANKS
Given to Admiral Dewey for His
Grand Victory at Manila.
CONGRESS ACTS PROMPTLY
----
Upon the Message of the President
Recommending Promotion.
SITUATION FULLY cANvAssED.
At Special meeting of the Cabinet
Matters Pertaining to the War
Are considered-News From
All Sections About Friends
and Foes.
CONGRESS ACTS PROMPTLY
SITUATION FULLY cANvAssED.

Washington, May 9@The president
sent the following message to con-
gress:
on the oath of April I directed the sec
rotary of the navy to telegraph orders to
Commodore George Dewey of the United
States navy, commanding the Asiatic
squadron, then lying in the port of Hong
kong, to proceed forthwith to the Philip
pine islands. there to commence operations
and engage the assembled Spanish fleet.
Promptly obeying that order the United
States squadron, consisting of the flagship
Olympia, Baltimore, Raleigh, Boston, Con
cord and Petrol, with the revenue cutter
Mccullough as an auxiliary dispatch boat,
entered the harbor of Manila Mt daybreak
on May 1, and Immediately engaged the
entire Spanish 1eet OF IL ships, which were
under the protection of the fire of the land
forts
After stubborn fight, in which the en-
envy suffered great loss, these vessels were
destroyed completely disabled, and the
water battery of Cayite silenced. OF our
brave officers and men not one was lost,
and only eight injured, and those slightly.
All of the ships escaped any serious dam
age.
BY May Commodore Dewey had taken
possession of the naval station at Cnvite,
destroying the Qualifications there and at
the entrance of the bay and paroling their
garrisons.
The waters of the bay are under his COM
plete control He has established hos
pItals 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 warfare. Outweighing any material
advantage 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 deep gratitude that this triumph has
come in just cause and that by the grace
of God 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 incnlculable debt.
Feeling as our people feel and speaking
in their name, at once sent message to
Commodore Dewey, thanking him and his
officers and men for their splendid achieve
ment and overwhelming victory, and in
forming him that 1 had appointed him an
acting rear admiral.
now recommend that. following our
national presidents and expressing the fer
vent gratitude of every patriotic heart, the
thanks of congress be given Acting Rear
Admiral George Dewey of the United
States navy for highly distinguished CON
duct in conflict with the enemy, and to the
officers and men under his command for
their gallantry in the destruction of the
enemy's fleet and the capture of the enc
uy's Qualifications In the bay of Manllla-
WILLIAM MCKINLEY.