The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1898-05-06

OF keeping order Lieutenant General
Daban, captain general Of Madrid, has
charge, and the first military patrols
have appeared in the Puerto del Sol.
Dewey's Guns Are Still Booming.
London. May 3. A dispatch from
Hong Kong to The Daily Mail, dated
Monday, says: Commodore Dewey's
fleet is off Corregidor island, hotly en-
gagged with the forts there. Electrical
experiments show that the cable has
been cut at or near Manila"
Madrid, May 3. - Eel Liberal, says
Commodore Dewey. of the United States
squadron in the Philippines, has de-
manded the surrender of all Spanish
vessels In the archipelago, threatening
to lombard the ports If the demand
is refused.
London, May ga special dispatch
from Madrid says that Dewey gave Au-
gusti twenty-four hours to comply with
his ultimatum, demanding all the stores
and coal. 1t is believed that the gov
eminent has cabled August to comply.
Sailed i'm During the Night.
London, May 3.-The Madrid corre-
spondent Of The Times describing the
engagement at Manila says: THE
Olympia, the Boston, the Raleigh, the
Concord, the Petrol and the Monocacy
entered the bay under cover of dark
ness by the smaller and safer Bocachica
channel The forts Of Corregidor island
gave the alarm by firing on the intrud-
ers, but they seem to have inflicted no
serious damage. The American squad
ron moved up the bay and at o'clock
in the morning appeared before Cavite.
Here, lying under the shelter Of the
forts, was the Spanish squadron. Ad-
miral Montejo, a few days before, went
to Subic bay to look for the enemy, but
learning that they were vastly superior
In force had prudently returned and
placed his ships under the protection OF
the forts.
Short Story Is Soon Told.
This was his only chance of meeting
the enemy on something like equal
terms, and it did not suffice. Soon the
Americans opened fire. The Spaniards
replied vigorously and the combat con-
tinued without interruption for four
hours, during which the Don Antonio
de Ulloa was sunk the Castillo and Min
dan were set on fire and the Reina Ma
ria Christina and the Don Juan dc
Austria were seriously damaged. One
or two of the smaller craft were scut-
tied by their crews to escape capture
Others took refuge in a small neighbor.
ing creek emptying into Bakor bay
where, presumably, the American ship:
were unable to follow them. But not
cne surrendered"
1. No Mines Laid i'm the Harbor.
Other details of the fight state that
Admiral Montejo was taken altogether
| by surprise, and that the Spanish au.
| thorities generally were in state OF
utter unreadiness The forts were not
completed, the harbor was not mined
there were no searchlights and the
American squadron was only sighted
after it had already passed the outer
and principal forts. On every side III
England is heard praise of the skill and
daring displayed by Commodore Dewey
in situation where, if anything hat
miscarried, he would have been caught
| in 81 most desperate position. At the
same time credit is given Admiral
Montejo, who had a wretched fleet and
stood no chance except from the as
Stance he might receive from the forts
The American vessels, however, by
moving to and fro. were easily able tC
avoid the badly directed fire from the
forts, and looking to all the circum-
stances 1t is apparent that the American
fleet could have received but slight
damage. The moral influence of the
first great victory is incalculable.