The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-05-16
MANILA BLOCKADE
Admiral Dewey Cables the
Situation.
REBELS HEMMING CITY
ANY PROVISIONS IN
MANILA.
SURRENDER OF CITY MUST SOON FOLLOW
Foreign Vessels there'-Every Possible Effort
Being Made to Rush the Expedition
from San Francisco--l2, 600
Troops TO be Sent,
Troops TO be Sent.

Washington, d. c., May 15.-The dis
patches from Hong Kong brought news
to-day from Admiral Dewey to the Pres
ident and particularly to Secretary Long
and the naval officials who are watching
the Admiral's movements with so much
interest. While no apprehension existed
as to his security, nevertheless re-assur-
ance of safety is always pleasant. The
kilograms indicate that Dewey has lost
none of the prestige gained in his mem
orable fight of two weeks ago, a@l that
while he refrains from taking the city
of Manila he has it practically at his
mercy. The Admiral expresses the be-
lief that the rebels are swarming in the
city by land, but the fact that he says
explicitly that they have made no demon
stration seems to disprove thoroughly
the published reports that they huA al
ready entered Manila and had begun a
career of bloodshed and rapine. The
best evidence of the effectiveness of the
blockade maintained by the American
Admiral and also of the work of the in
surgents in surrounding the city is
shown in the statements in the dis
patches that provisions are scarce in the
city of Manila which seem to Indicate to
Admiral Dewey an early surrender by
the Spanish authorities. Another pub
lished report seems also to be refuted
by the Admirafs advices and that is
that the rebels had raided Cavite where
the Spanish naval station was located
and where presumably large supplies of
arms and ammunition were kept. If the
with arms it must have been with the
Admirafs consent, as his dispatch is
originally dated from Cavite indicat-
ing that he is still in possession. The
greatest satisfaction prevails here over
the good work being done and the eff
fectiyencss of the blockade being main
tanned by him. The dispatch as given
out by Secretary Long is as follows:
"CAvITE, 18TH.
HONG KONG, 18TH.
MAINTAINING STRICT BLOCK
AIDE. REASON TO BELIEVE THAT
THE REBELS ARE HEMMING IN
THE CITY BY LAND, BUT HAVE
MADE NO DEMONSTRATIONS.
SCARCELY ANY PROVISIONS IN.
MANILA. PROBABLY THE SPAN
ISL GOVERNOR WILL BE OBLI-
.GED TO SURRENDER SOON. CAN
TAKE MANILA AT ANY MOMENT.
CLIMATE HOT AND MOIST ON
MAY u CAPTURED GUN BOAT
CALLAO ATTEMPTING TO RUN
BLOCKADE. HAVE PLENTY OF
COAL. ONE SPANISH. ONE
FRENCH. TWO GERMAN AND ONE
JAPANESE VESSELS HERE OBJ
SERVING.
(SIGNED) DEWEY"
A telegram has also been received
from Admiral Dewey thanking the Pres
ident for his promotion and compliment
ing his Chief of Staff and Commodores
of the American naval vessels.
The officials are making all possible
haste to rush troops to supplement- Adj
miral Dewey's forces so that if the
Spanish Governor does surrender the
former will not be dependent upon the
small number of marines which he can
spare from his ships but will have assis-
lance of soldiers in holding his position
and maintaining order. IT is confidently
hoped here that the City of Picking, char
tered as transport vessel, will be able
to clear from San Francisco in Il very
short time to be followed in rapid sue
cession by the other three ships engaged
for a similar purpose. The Picking can
carry 1000 men which with the marines
aboard the Charleston just about to
sail will be of considerable assistance
to the Admiral, but far from the number
he will need. The total number of men
to be sent will aggregate probably 10000
as Major General Wesley Merritt. who
is to command the epedition and subse-
quently to be made Military Governor.
IL. n, ~ !
tain order in city like Manila made up
| of many discordant elements Over ten
regiments of infantry and four batterys
of Artillery from the volunteers has been
ordered to concentrate at San Francisco
and from these and the regulars now in
| the extreme west will be taken the mon
for the Philippine expedition. 1t is ex-
pected here that practically all the vol
unteers will go.
Secretary Long was at the Navy De
partment several times during the day
and in addition to the dispatch from tho
Admiral he authorized the publication
OF the statement that the torpedo boat
Terror belonging to the Spanish fleet was
| disabled at the port of France, Martin.
| ique. The dispatch is as follows.
| Spanish torpedo boat Terror disabled
| - = " y " lflNFs martinique.
There was a disposition among those
who saw this statement, to regard il with
suspicion, suggesting the report of IFS dis
ability was intended simply for a blind
and that the Spanish government has
caused it to be spread so that no com
| plaint could be made to France on ac-
count of the stay of the boat at n neu-
trial port None of the officials, however,
would express themselves on the subject.
| Secretary Long also made public n
message which had been received from
Key West telling of the departure Of fine
| United States vessel Uncas in command
of Captain Brainard. She is bound for
some point in Cuba with a view 10 secur.
ing the release of two American prison.
ers under flag Of truce, in exchange fo1
Spanish prisoners held by this govern.
| ment.
AT the State and War Department the
officials were on hand in many of the bu.
reaus for the greater part Of the dav
Secretary Day and Assistant Sacreta ries
Adee and Cridler were at their desks
] Secretary Day said that he had no inn