The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-11-26
Pitby Report on the Destruction Of
the Spanish Fleets at Manila
dDd Santiago.
Shdfter Criticised for Refusing to Permit q Naval
Representative to Be Party to tbe
Copituotion Agreement.
Special Dispatch to The Call.

nual report to the President, Secretary
of the Navy Long gives much interest
ing information, particularly that re
lating to the war with Spain. The re
port says:
Since my last annual report the nav.
has, for the first time since it's rehabili
tation, been put to the supreme test o
! war. Years of patient, persistent train
/ ing and development had brought it Il
a point of high efficiency, which resulted
| in the unparalleled victories at Manil;
| and Santiago-victories which have given
! the names of our naval commander
| worldwide fame, and added an additional
! page to the glorious naval history Of GU
! country.
| On January "a the Maine was ordered
to Havana, Cuba. This was the first visi
of a vessel Of the United States navy Il
any port in Cuba for several years, al
though the necessity of protecting Ameri
can interests made the presence of oul
flag IN Cuban ports desirable.
ON February Is, at $40 p. m, this noble
battle ship was blown up IN Havana har-
Dor and 266 lives were lost Inc news OF
I this appalling catastrophe was cOmmunl-
Gated in the following dispatch:
HAVANA, Feb. Is, 1895
Secretary of the Navy, Washington, d. c.:
Maine blown up in Havana harbor at $40 to-
night ana destroyed. Many wounded and
| doubtless more killed or drowned Wounded
Ward line steamer. Send lighthouse tenders
from Key West for crew and the few pieces
other than that upon him. Public opinion
should be suspended until further report. All
oIIHClaIs peHeFeu 10 pe saved. Jenhins ahq
Merritt not yet accounted for Many Spanish
officers, including representatives OF General
Blanco, now with me TO express sympathy
This judicious telegram uId much to Sc
cure in the public mind a dispassionate
view of the disaster. A board of inquiry,
appointed to report to the department the
cause of the explosion, proceeded to HaV-
ana and began its investigation February
q. After an exhaustive examination of
the wreck and after taking the testimony
of witnesses and of experts, the board re-
ported on the 2lSt OF March that the
Maine had been destroyed by the explo-
sion of a submarine mine, but that 1t was
unable to fix the responsibility upon any
person or persons. 1t was evident that
the cause of the disaster must have been
from the outside.
wise forethought, prepared the vessels of
the navy with every facility in the way
of men. supplies, ammunition, information
and drills, and as early as April l5-tour
weeks before Admiral CerYera's fleet
reached Cuban waters-the navy of the
United States was ready for the outbreak
at Key West covered Cuba; the flying
squadron at Hampton Roads stood ready
to defend our own coast or to threaten
that of Spain, and the Asiatic squadron
a HongkOng only awaited information OF
the outbreak of hostilities.
On the 18th of March the Oregon left
San Francisco for Callao, Peru. The de-
partment issued orders to the Marietta,
then at San Jose de Guatemala, TO pre-
cede her in order to arrange for coal and
to facilitate in every way possible the
passage of this powerful vessel TO rein
force the fleet in the North Atlantic.
From CaIlao she proceeded to Valparaiso,
then to Sandy Point, Patagonia, and ar
rived at Rio JaneirO on April 80 at which
point the department advised the com
handing officer of the declaration Of war
and of the sailing of the, Spanish heet
from the Cape de Verde Islands on April
%. She arrived off Jupiter Inlet, Fla, on
the oath of May, in good condition and
Key West, where, after coaling, she took
her place with the blockading squadron
and became part of the command OF
In order to provide for the protection
of the Atlantic coast between the capes
of the Delaware and Bar Harbor Me,
the Northern patrol squadron was or
ganiZed and was placed under the COM
mand of Commodore j. a. Howell on
April 20. This squadron consisted of the
San Francisco (1agship). Prairie, Dixie,
Yankee and Yosemite. At various times
there were also attached to it the Co
lumbia, Minneapolis, Badger and South
cry.
On April q Congress declared war:
Rear Admiral Sampson, in command Of
the North Atlantic fleet, which had been
engaged during the five or six preceding
months in gunnery and tactical practice
off Florida, was at once ordered TO DOCK
ade that part of the northern coast of
Cuba, extending from Cardena7s % to -, Bahia
Honda AT $50 a. m. on April Il the ad-
miral sailed on that errand.
On the oath of April the following tele-
gram was sent by the department to Com
modore Dewey, in command of the Asiatic
WASHINGTON, April "a, 1895
Dewey, Hongkong: War has commenced be-
tween the United States and Spain. Proceed
at once to the Philippine Islands. Commence
operations at once, particularly against the
destroy. Use utmost endeavors. LONG.
On the 9th this squadron, composed of
the Olympia (1ag), Baltimore, Raleigh,
Petrol, CONCORD, Boston and McCulloch,
On the morning of May 1t entered the
harbor of Manila, successfully passing the
forts and mine defenses guarding the en-
Spanish fleet under the guns of the forts
at Cavite. The Reina Christina, Castillo,
Don Antonio de Ulloa were sunk, the
Don Juan de Austria, Isla de Luzon, lsla
de Cuba, General Leo, Marques del
Duero, Ell Correo, Velasco and Isla de
Mndano (transporD were burned, and the
tugs Rapido and Hercules and several
small launches were captured. Admiral
Dewey has contracted for the raising of
the Cuba, Luzon and Austria, and this
work is now in progress.
The Spanish loss, as given in the re-
port of Admiral Montejo, was, including
those at the. arsenal, 3Sl men killed and
ii
fleet, and but nine slightly wounded. No
damage was done our ships.
This victory gave to our feet the COM
plete control of the bay of Manila. The
naval station at Cavite was taken pos
session of and its Notifications were de-
stroyed. The admiral reported that the
city could be taken at any time when
sufficient number of troops were on
hand to hold it.
Aside from the mere fact of having won
without the loss of a single life such a
brilliant and electrifying victory at the
very outset of the war, with all the con-
fidence which it infused throughout the
country and into the personnel of every
branch of the service, 1t removed at once
all apprehension for the Pacific Coast
The indirect pecuniary advantage TO the
United States in the way Of saving an
increase of insurance rates and in as
surfing the country of freedom from at
tack on it's coast is incalculable.
1t was at once determined to reinforce
the Asiatic squadron and to send troops
to take and occupy the city Of Manila.
Early in June the Charleston, which had
previously sailed from San Francisco, was
Joined at Honolulu by the chartered
steamer City of Picking, and On the 4th
sailed with her and with the army trans
ports Australia and CIty Oh Sydney for
Manila, carrying the first detachment of