The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-05-08
"FOP Colds and
Throat Troubles
our regular standard medicine il
- Ayers
ShePPy peciOPaF''
J. HAYWOOD, A. M,
Professor of Mathematics, Otterbein Uni
versity, Westerville, o.
hALF-SIZE BOTTLES, sos.
NO SUCH BATTLE IN HISTORY
When the Disparity in Respective
Losses is Considered.

Washington. May IA close study OF
Admiral Dewey's two cablegrams during
the day only increased the wonder felt
early in the day by the naval experts at
the extraordinary results achieved by the
| admiral, almost without injury.
! The reports that came before the cut
| ting of the cable were of a character to
Indicate that Dewey was going to make
! quick and thorough work of the seizure
! of Manila, but II was feared that in so
! fierce an engagement against a Spanish
fleet. combined with the shore defenses,
the American fleet must surely have sus-
| tanned a great deal of damage, loss Of
life and other injuries. That was regard
ed as inevitable in combat between two
navies, for even the Chinese. at the great
battle of Yalu, managed to inict con-
siderable amount of damage upon their
japanese antagonist Yet, in the battle
Of Manila. lasting two hours at least, &C
cording to reports first received. and re-
sulting in the destruction of the entire
Spanish feet and the sfencing OF their
FORTS not an American life was lost and
not an American ship was injured. A
few men. il Is true, were slightly wounded
but that is frequently the case when YES
sells indulge in target practice. There are
all sorts of theories among the officials to
account for this, but in the absence Of
facts it is hard to form a reasonable
hypothesis.
Superior gunnery. target practice. cool
ness. preparedness those are the factors
that won the day in such an astounding
fashion. in the opinion of one of the
brightest of our young naval officers. An
older head, and a man of higher grade, a
strategist, thought that Dewey had taken
the Spaniards unawares in every respect !
He had run the batteries at night undis-
covered, and at daybreak was pouring
broadside after broadside into the Spanish
feet, which was taken unawares, with no.
body at quarters, with most of the crew
asleep. and generally In a state utterly
unprepared to resist an attack.
One officer thought that the Spaniards
had even failed to keep banked fires, so
that they had no steam on and could not
move, lying helpless while Dewey's ships
circled around them, firing first from one
side and then another.
Probably the true explanation will not
be forthcoming until mail advices are at
hand, but the Spanish naval prestige has |
received a blow from the battle of Manila |
from which it cannot recover in very
many years.
Admiral Dewey cut the cable himself. !
and though he offers no explanation for |
doing so, it is believed that his purpose
was not only to prevent the Spnish gov |
ernor general from communicating with |
his own government, but also to prevent |
the foreign consuls at Manil from inter- |
fering with his pins by cbling protests to |
their governments. He mde it impossible |
for them to summon any war vessels to
enforce the protest they were expected to
make against the siege OF Manila
A closer examination of the two cable
grams shows that in the news. as origin
ally given out. the names of two Spanish
vessels had been omitted from the list OF
those destroyed. They were the Don
Juan de Austria and the Isla Di Luzon
The Austria was a 1.1SO ton vessel. IA
knots. carrying 4.7-inch guns and also
machine guns. The Luzon was a 1.ooO-ton
gunhoat. similarly armed.
That makes eleven Spanish ships de-
stroyed by Dewey in the short space of
two hours.
As he left the navy department this
afternoon, Secretary Long said, in answer
to question, that he had already given
to the public all of the news that the
McCulloch brought, save trifiIng details
not OF general interest and of importance
only to the department The receipt Of a
dispatch at the state department, how
ever, from commercial sources. indicates
that further news may be coming by COM
mercial steamers.
II congress does not prematurely act, as
I did in the case OF Worden, when he
achieved his famous victory over the Mer-
-imac Acting Admiral Dewey will become
an actual admiral in a few DAYS. The
avs of July IS. 1882. provide that naval
officers who, upon the recommendation OF
me president. receive the thanks OF con-
sress, may be advanced one grade.
The president win do this in Dew.v,s
case, which viii put 1900 additional in
his pocket and jump him over three com
as well as over Acting Admiral