The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-11-26
SECRETARY LONGS REPORT.
,rsr,sE OF THE NAVY's OPERA
rroN DURING THE PAST YEAR.

~ That of the Naval Militia.
s,nokeIess Powder, He Says, Is
Docessity-Ilecomme That En-
u.ted Men BE Given the Benefits of
retirement After Thirty Years
service.
washington, Nov 25.-In opening his an
anal report the Secretary of the Navy
say:
since my last annual report the navy
hos for the first time since its rehabil-
tsdon. been put to the. supreme test of
war Years of patient, persistent train
inc and development had brought it TO
noint of high efficiency, which resulted In
tbe unparalleled victories at Manila and
san+iago-victories which have given the
names of our naval commanders world
wide fame and added an additional page
70 the glorious naval history of our coun-
try
on Jan. "a the Maine was ordered to
Havana, Cuba This was the first visit
nj vessel of the United States navy to
arv port in Cuba for several years, al
though the necessity of protecting Ameri-
con interests made the presence of our
aas in Cuban ports desirable.
on Feb. Is, at $40 p. M, this noble bat
ueship was blown up in Havana harbor,
and 266 lives were lost.
on April q Congress declared war. Adj
miral Sampson, In command of the North
Atlantic fleet, which had been engaged
during the five or six preceding months in
eunnery and tactical practice off Florida
was at once ordered to blockade that part
Of The northern coast of Cuba extending
from Cardenas to Bahia Honda. At $50
a. m, on April p, the admiral sailed on
that errand
on the 24th of April The following tele-
gram was sent by the department to Com
moiore Dewey, in command of the Asiatic
squadron.
Washington, April, "a, 1S9s-Dewey.
Hong Kong. War has commenced between
i the United States and Spain. Proceed at
q once to the Philippine Islands. Commence
a operations at once, particularly against the
4 Spanish fleet. You must capture vessels
Or destroy. Use utmost endeavors.
Long"
On the 9th this squadron, composed of
the Olympia (hag), Baltimore, Raleigh,
Petrel. Concord, Boston and McCunocA,
sailed from Mrs bay, China
On the morning of May l it entered the
4 harbor of Manila successfully passing
the forts and mine defenses guarding the
n entrance to the bay, and destroyed the
Spanish fleet under the guns of the forts
3 al CaVite
This victory gave to our fleet the COM
plete control of the bay of Manila. The
q naval station at Cavite was taken pos
session of and its fortiications were de-
stroyed The admiral reported that the
& city could be taken al any time when a
sufficient number of troops were on hand
TO hold ii.
With reference to the North Atlantic
squadron, the secretary says:
This fleet was under the command OF
Admiral Montgomery Sicard, U. S. NJ,
until March %, when it was found nee
essary, on account of his health, to re-
lieye him from that onerous and exacting
duty. Capt. Sampson, the senior officer
present, who was thoroughly familiar with
4 the personnel and material of the fleet,
and with all the arrangements which had
been made preceding the actual outbreaks
of hostilities, was given command of the
utet, WIN the rank Oh rear duiiiIdl
On April 90 Admiral Cervera's fleet, CON-
posed of the armored cruisers Cristobal
Colon, Vizcaya, Almirante Oquendo and
lnfanta Maria Teresa, and the torpedo
d gunboats Furor, Terror and Piuton, sailed
from the Cape de Verde Islands
On May q Admiral Sampson received a
dispatch from Key West stating that Ger
vera's squadron was in the harbor of San.
tago de Cuba, on the morning of the
Dist; also a telegram from the department
that il was expected TO visit San Juan
81 Porto Rico, and if Commodore Schley
found that it had left Santiago, he should
follow it.
81 Al a. m. on the morning of the 23d
FL Admiral Sampson left off Havana, sailing
eastward, with a view to occupying Mich
oas channel in such a manner as to pre-
81 vent the approach of the Spanish squad
| ron IN that direction. The Montgomery
|8 joined MIN on the 24th, with dispatche:
stating that information had been received
TO the effect that Cervera's squadron haC
not left Santiago.
III On June ! Admiral Sampson arrived of
Santiago and found Commodore Schley':
squadron in column to the westward o
Inc mouth of the harbor. Immediately
upon the concentration of these two force
III at Santiago a close and efficient blockad,
4
command. A plan of attack by which
our vessels were to close in at once upoi
any Of the enemys coming out was pro
Nood for in standing orders. On June
az attempt was made to close the harbo
y! sinking across its entrance the collie
Merrimac. This is now one of the wei
known historic marvels of naval adven
ture and enterprise, in which Naval Con
struetor Hobson and his men won indy
ing fame.
On the morning of July 8, an interview
having been prearranged between Gen
enaIter and Admiral Sampson, the latter
N the flagship New York. left the flee
toF Siboney. When the flagship was abou
Iour miles east of her blockading station
ana about seven miles from the Morro
ue spanish squadron was seen steamin
0ul OF the harbor entrance. This was a
'''' a. m. The vessels of the blockadin
qu'qron were, as usual, in their desig
n@'sn positions, making a semi-circl
aoout the harbor entrance, counting fror
sHe eastward in the following order: In
paHa' Oregon-the New York s place bein
Tween these two-Iowa, Texas an
brooklyn The Massac husetts had gon
M rrfFa q.