The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-05-05
\ ! R A !!
DEWEY RUMORS.
Navy Department Indignant
Over False and Cruel
Roorbacks.
NEWS IMPOSSIBLE
Official Calculation of the
Admirals Movements in
Accord With Latest
Cablegrams.
NO GROUND FOR FEARS
Probably Dispatches via Hong
Kong Will Be Received
Tonight.
NO GROUND FOR FEARS

WASHINGTON, May 5, 1S9S.-The Off
cials of the Navy Department from the
Secretary down are thoroughly indignant
at the character of the stories coming
from San Francisco as authentic accounts
of the engagement of Commodore Dewey
at Manila One in particular excited in
dignation, that ascribing to Admiral
Kirkland at Mare Island the receipt Of
scribing the terrible mortality on his
own feet resulting from the battle of
Manila Captain Crowninshield Chief
of the Navigation Bureau declared that
it was utterly impossible for news from
tie feet to come in any such fashion and
added that as the Departments facilities
for the receipt of information from Com
modore Dewey's squadron were superior
to those of any individual, it was utterly
improbable that they could receive news
before the Department itself. Such de-
spatches as that complained of, he said,
were cruel and senseless and Indicted
great misery upon the wives, mothers,
daughters and other relatives of the
brave sailors of this fleet who are anx-
iously waiting to hear from them.
The officials have about concluded that
there is little prospect of receiving news
from Commodore Dewey directly during
the course of the day. though there is a
possibility that a merchant vessel may
reach Hong Kong from the Philippines
bringing some news of the battle, and
subsequent events at Manila 1t is prac-
tically settled that the cable can not be
relied upon as a means of communication,
as it is believed to be cut inshore, some
where between it's landing place in the
island of Luzon-Point Bolinao-and Ma
Mia, and beyond the reach of Commodore
Dewey at this. time.
The official calculation is about as fol
lows:-
The latest authentic and direct news
from Manila showed that Dewey subdued
the Spanish fleet and made his demand
for the surrender of Manila through the
British Consul some time Sunday after
noon. He, at the same time, gave notice
of bombardment at the expiration OF
twenty-four hours which would make
the bombardment itself begin Monday
afternoon. Presuming that a despatch
boat sailed at the earliest moment of the
bombardment Monday evening and allow
ing three days for passage, the ship is
not due at Hong Kong or Mrs Bay until
tonight. 1t is already tonight by our
time in either place and possibly the Nc
Culloch or some despatch boat is just
entering the harbor. Other delays then
would occur before receipt of cable
here. through the many relay stations
SO that it is thought there is little chance
of official news coming in during the day
light hours.
There need sbe no apprehension on the
part of the public that any news that is
| received from Commodore Dewey will be
withheld from it. Secretary Long has
stated in the most emphatic manner that
he regards it as his duty to make the
people acquainted with the facts as soon
as he knows them himself. He believes
this is only just to the relatives and
friends of the sailors of Dewey's fleet
| Therefore the many statements and ru-
| mors that are constantly circulating to
the effect that the Navy Department has
received mysterious cablegrams from
Hong Kong which it has sedulously con-
cealed may be set down as pure moon
shine