The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-05-10
OUR NAVAL FORCE.
Continued from First Page.)

show IL was intended that the Spanish
fleet should engage the Americans outs
side the bay the day before h fight.
No explanation IL forthcoming OF the
change Of plans. My informant told
me a landing was not effected ut Ma
Mia, where food is carce. as Cornmo-
dore Dewey could not undertake any
responsibility. Still. / do not think
there is any danger Of the Insurgents
~massacring the population OF Manila III
they began to do SO. Commodore Dew
ey would land men and stop them.
The American commander has wiz
ed for instructions regarding Manila,
not caring to take over the city on his
own responsibility. Supplies are be-
ing stopped by the insurgents at Ma
Mia and Cavite. where the hospital
has been plundered for food. The
Americans landed supplies for the
Spanish wounded. The Olympia was
hit thirteen times during the engage
ment.'
The Hong Kong correspondent Of
The Times. describing the Tight At
Manila, says:
The cable from the bay TO Manila
having been cut by the rebels. the city
was taken by surprise by the appear
ance of the American fleet. The Span
ish flagship. having got up steam. ad-
| vanced out of line to meet the Olym-
Il Bld >olIitiotloIS DC"Vy hoa aA
order for his fleet TO its
| guns on the Spanish flagship and the
| signal was obeyed with telling effect.
The flagship retired. The Olympia fired
an S-inch shell which raked the Reina
Maria Christina throughout her length
and caused her boilers to explode, kill
ing her captain and sixty men. She
drifted away on fire.
Altogether, 40 men were Killed, and
| about the same number were
mira Montejo transferred his flag
to the Castillo, which was sunk short
ly afterward by a storm OF shot. At
7:45 O'Clock the Olympia signalled to
| cease firing. The Americans were ex-
hausted, having been at quarters since
10 o'clock on the previous night.
"A conference of captains was held
and it was found that not one had
been killed, but that several had been
slightly wounded by splinters. Two
torpedo launches attacked the Olym-
pia. The shells from her big guns were
unable to strike so small an object, but
a hail or 6-pound shells sank the lead
ing launch. all on board being killed.
The other launch was beached, with
twelve shot holes, and the boat was
covered with blood.
Half an hour after noon, a white
flag was hoisted at Cavite and the
Spanish crews deserted their ships, TAX
ing away their dead. Admiral Montejo
fled to Manila with his two aides de
camp"
London, May 9.-Further particu-
lars cleaned from the special dis
patches from Hong Kong, show that
the Spanish vessels, not having got up
steam, fought at a great disadvantage,
compared with the great mobility of
Commodore Dewey's squadron. The
latter arrived at the entrance of the
bay in bright moonlight, and the at
l. 60 r~--
hours till the conditions were more
favorabl-. One American cruiser re-
turned the fire from the fort on en-
tering, but was ordered to desiSt by the
flagship, Commodore Dewey having
the weightier business of finding the
Spanish fleet on hand
In the absence of a breeze when the
battle began, the ships were soon
shrouded in smoke, making it momen
tarily harder to judge exactly how the
fight was going When it was over,
the surviving Spaniards lost no time
in removing themselves and their dead
from the rapidly burning hulks, leav
ing behind all their personal prop
erty m valuables.
MANILA HELPLESS.
The Hong Kong correspondent of
The Daily Chronicle says: Manila is
| helpless and surrounded by the insur-
gents. The blockade is effective. The
Americans have occupied Corregidor
island, and Commodore Dewey has ex-
erciSed cOnSummate judgment and
rare ability in maintaining a distance at
once safe for his fleet, and deadly to
the Spaniards."
The only loss on the American YES
| sells was of Chief Engineer Randall
of the McCulloch, who died of heat and
~appoplexy, as the squadron was enter
\ ing the harbor. He was buried at sea.