The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-05-08

Washington. May "A day Of ex-
element such as to-day has not been
seen in Washington since the days re-
ports came in Of great victories during
the civil war. Official and unofYiciai
Washington was in a ferment. and few
Of the employees in any of the depart
ments could maintain their composure
sufficiently to go on with their routine
work. They were in an explosive state
and at the great state. war and navy
building the least sign of dispatches or
the gathering of a crowd of reporters
was sufficient to cause them to drop
their work and swarm in the corridors.
clamoring for news. The excitement
was contagious. and senators and rep
resentatives mixed into the crowds
that gathered around the navy head
quarters and gazed wistfully at the ma
hogany doors OF the navigation bureau.
behind which the cipher experts. under
lock and key, were slowly deciphering
the words that conveyed Dewey's gio-
rious messages to the American peo-
pie.
Senator Hanna aroused the crowd at
one time by leading with ''hip-hur-
rah" for Dewey, and later a roar OF
stentoran cheers from Theo. Roose-
velt's room gathered everybody in that
vicinity to witness the departure of the
Eastern contingent OF the mounted rife
men. Roosevelt had said goodbye 10
the boys before they started for San
Antonio and the cheers were the means
by which they took their leave. Mr..
Roosevelt himself will follow Monday
or Tuesday.
A close study Of Admiral Dewey's
two cablegrams during the day only in
creased the wonder felt early In the day
by the naval experts 1T the extraordi-
nary results achieved by the admiral.
almost without injury. The reports
that came before the cutting 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 IL was feared that In 80
fierce an engagement against q spanish
fleet, combined with the shore defenses.
the American fleet must surely have
sustained a great deal Of damage, loss
OF life and other injuries This was
regarded as Inevitable in a combat be-
tween two navies. for even the Chinese.
In the great battle OF Yalu. managed
to infiict a considerable amount OF dxm-
Yet. in this battle of Manila, lasting
two hours at least. according to reports
Of the engagement. and resulting in
the destruction Of the entire Spanish
fleet and the silencing Of their forts.
not an American life was lost and NOT
an American ship was injured. A few
men, II is true, were slightly wounded.
but that is frequently the case when
the vessels indulge In target practice.
There are all sorts of theories among
the officials to account for this, but in
the absence OF facts IL Is hard to form
a reasonable hypothesis. superior
gunnery. target practice. GOODNESS. pre-
paredness." those are the facts that
won the day in such an astounding
fashion, in the opinion OF one OF the
brightest of our young naval omcers-
An older head. and a man OF higher
grade. a strategist. thought that Dew
ey had taken the Spaniards unawares
In every respect. He had run the
batteries at night undiscovered. and at
daybreak was pouring broadside after
broadside into the Spanish fleet. which
was taken unawares with nobody at
quarters. with most of the crew asleep
and generally in state Of utterly un-
preparedness to resist an attack
One officer thought that the Span
iards 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. first from one side and then an
other. Probably the true explanation
will not be forthcoming until mail ad-
vices are at hand. but the spanish ma
val prestige has received blow from
the battle of Manila from which II can
not recover for a great many years.
Admiral Dewey cut the cable himself.
and though he offers no explanation
for doing so. IL Is believed that his
purpose was not only to prevent the
Spanish governor general from COM
with his own government.
but also to prevent foreign eonsuls at
Manila from interfering with his plans
by cabling protests TO their govern
ments. He made IL impossible fer
them TO summon any war vessels 70
the protests they We're ex-
pected TO make against the seige Of
A closer examination OF the two
shows that in the news.
As originally given out. the names Of
Two Spanish vessels had been omitted
from the list of tbose destroyed. They
were the Don Juan de Austria and the
Isia di Luxon. The Austria was q
!. .i30-ton vessel. IA knots. carrying four
guns and also machine
,uns- The Luzon was q l.00o-ton gun
boat. similarly armed That makes II
spanish ships destroyed BY Dewey In
he short space OF two hours.
As he left the navy department this