The herald., 1898-06-13


surrendered A mighty cheer went up
| from all the ships.
, A, most extraordinary victory was ours
not one man did we lose, and there were
only six men slightly wounded, these on the
Baltimore, while from last accounts the
Spanish lost between 900 and 1000 men killed
and wounded The Spanish commodore was
wounded and captain lieutenant, the
chaplain and midshipman were killed by
shells striking the bridge of the Reina
Christina. She lost besides eighty men
killed and had sixty men wounded. The
Castillo lost no men killed and wounded
| Inc snore batteries SUFFERED badly.
Had we been able to engage their ships
and batteries at short range the battle
would have been more quickly over, but our
loss of life would in all probability have
been considerable. AS it was, the Spanish
fleet was destroyed without one death on
our side and only few shot holes through
the upper works Of our ships.
That night we anchored off Manila leav-
ing the Boston and Concord to watch Ca
vite arsenal.
Negotiations were opened with the author
tiles ashore and 1t was earnestly desired
on our part that it would not be necessary
to lombard Manila.
Manila's Defenses
| On the Lunetta in front of Manila is a
battery of ten-inch Krupp guns. These
guns opened on the fleet as 1t passed in the
early morning, and by so doing exposed the
city to merciless bombardment which,
but for the humanity of our commander,
might have put to death thousands of the
! inhabitants and laid the city in ruins. Even
after the first half of the battle was over,
that battery kept firing, but after the final
destruction of the naval station and the
silencing of the Spanish ships off the city,
white flag was hoisted over this battery
and not gun was thereafter fired.
| During Monday, May I'd, the Raleigh and
Baltimore were sent down to demand the
surrender or to destroy the forts at the
mouth of the bay. Arrived off the principal
fort and headquarters on Corregidor island,
a flag of truce was sent in and the surrender
of the Spanards was demanded, whereupon
the governor and the colonel commanding
the forces came on board and arranged the
| terms with Captain Coghlan of the Raleigh.
We have since dismantled the guns, de-
stroyed their ammunition and put all the
Spaniards on parole not to bear arms
against the United States during this war
or to attempt to fire shot at our ships en-
| tering or leaving the bay.
| AS this dispatch is closed on Wednesday,
affairs are at standstill. Old Glory floats
| over the naval station at Cavite and the
garrison and employees have evacuated the
place. The hospitalssare full of wounded
and we buried those who died; lis were bur-
led yesterday.
The insulting and bombastic proclama-
ton of the governor of Manila has evidently
borne fruit, for when the Petrol first
reached the navy yard the doctor and
deputation of Sisters of Mercy from the hos
pital came down to beg our men not to kill
the wounded or fire on the hospital. They
seemed surprised and delighted when they
were assured that such practices were not
in our system of warfare.
Nine Wrecks
The wrecks of nine splendid vessels are
dotted around in view of the ship on which
this dispatch Is written
The Spanish transport Manila was found
in three feet of mud up near the navy
yard, but the Petrol was able to tow her
off and she came out under her own steam
and anchored near the squadron. She Is
beautiful little steamer of 1000 tons. On
board were supplies for the navy and 500
tons of coal. The Raleigh is now filling her
bunkers with the coal captured on board
the Manila. In addition to the latter, about
a dozen small tugs and steam launches have
been seized and are now being used by the
American fleet.
The terms of the surrender of Manila have
not yet been fixed. The commodore wants
to avoid bombardment In the interests of
humanity and to keep from inflicting ter
rble loss on unoffending neutrals. Besides
this the rebels are massed near the city, and
should it be bombarded, it would be the sig
nal for their descent to pilage and burn.
Our Injuries
| The following is an accurate list of the
damage and injuries sustained by the
Americans during the battle:
| Oympia-Five shot holes in her upper
works and six men wounded by a 4-7-inch
shell striking and exploding 3-pounder
shell; injuries not serious.
! Raleigh-One-pounder shell through her
whaleboat, now repaired.
/ Boston, Petrol, Concord-No damage or
| injuries.
The Spanish fleet was slightly over
matched in ordnance, but not in such de-
gree as to account for the marvellous dis
parity in the damages inflicted. OF the gun
| that throw shell of one pound or over the
Spanish carried ninety, while the American