The San Francisco call., 1898-05-09

seamen to protect the wounded or to transfer them to Manila. The latter was done on Wednesday, Commodore Dewey utilizing the captured steamers for this duty. All the houses of the Spaniards in the town of San Roque near Cavite, were absolutely gutted by the natives, who even ventured into the arsenal and carried off many boatloads of furniture and stores before a marine guard was posted at the gates.
 The Spanish defeat was advertised for miles away by the ships burning in Cavite Bay. The Castilla, which was set on fire in Sunday mornings battle, was magnificent mass of flames twelve hours later, and continued to burn all night with brilliant intensity I boarded the Don Juan de Austria, the Isla de Luzon and the Marquis del Onero while they were still burning. I found them fitted up with fine Canet rapidfire guns and modern equipments. I did not discover until we had spent the afternoon in their vicinity that all their large guns had been left loaded with powder and shell, making them peculiarly dangerous to small boats. The guns generally lay level just above the surface of the water AS several of them were pointd at the arsenal their charges were first drawn, and drowned" as the fire might reach them at any moment.
 When our ships drew away for breakfast Sunday morning the temper of the men was well illustrated by the almost fearful appeal of one gun cap tain to Commander Lamberton For Gods sake, captain, don't stop now, let's finish them right off. To hell with breakfast.'
 '.Old Purdy," privileged petty off, cer, because he has served in the navy or army nearly fifty years, greeted the commodore on Saturday, when the old man shifted his quid'' and said: T hope you won't fight on the 3d of May, commodore
 Why not?" asked Commodore Dewey.
 Well, you see,'' the old man said. "I got licked the last time I fought on that day"
 Purdy had been with Hooker at Chancel1orsville, and he did not like that anniversary.
 All our firemen suffered greatly from the heat during the action, for they were all shut up below, with furnaces blazing and a tropical sun pouring down it's heat rays. Probably several of them would have succumbed but for the excitement of battle.
 Eighty Spanish bodies were found unburied on Monday Nnight, and we gave them a burial Tuesday morning, calling in Roman Catholic priest to read the burial service over their re- mains. The bodies presented horrible sight. One had a head almost entirely carried away. Another had been struck in the stomach by a large projectile, cutting everything away to the back bone One very large man, apparently an officer, was not only mangled but burned, and all the bodies were horribly bloated To add to the horror of tile scene, several lean wolf-like dogs had discovered the bodies before we had.
 Probably there were nowhere a more interested or more thoroughly harpy set of persons than the group of wives of the American naval officers, who have been living in Hongkong in order to be near their husbands. Having heard little news, except alarming rum ors. since the squadron left here. they are now recovering their normal scren- ltv. with the certainty that their hus- bands are safe There are about a dozen of these officers wives, forming a little navy colony here.