Middletown transcript., 1898-05-14
REAR ADMIRAL DEwEY's VIC
TORY.

The country anxiously awaited f0l
the details of the great naval victory
In Manila for nearly week and when
the first dispatches came SO snail waf
the American loss and SO complete was
the defeat of the Spaniards that only
the official reports from the new Rear
Admiral of our navy would be accepted
as finally settling the matter, and then
it was better than the most sanguiEf
could have prophesied. The "Mc-
Culloughn brought the news from the
Philippines reaching Hong Kong on
Saturday, the later editions of the
morning papers Of that day contained
brief though accurate accounts more
than confning the first news sent be-
fore the Manila cable was cut. So
great was the victory that carefully
prepared synopsis will not be without
interest here:
The .Commodore's orders were to
capture or destroy the Spanish fleet,
and never were instructions executed
more thoroughly. Fuller details show
that the fleet after leaving Mrs Bay
touched first near Bolinao. where the
Commodore wished the insurgent
agents to disembark in order to open
Communications with their forces.
They however refused. The feet then
arrived at Subig Bay, about thirty
miles north Of Manila Bay, on Satur-
day, and the baltimore and the
Concord" were sent to reconnoiter.
No Spanish ships were in sight, and
the Commodore decided to risk the
mines and proceed that same night at
dark into the bay. This was accom-
plished with ease. There was no patrol,
and there was no search lights. The
1ieet took the southern course which
was free from rocks, and might have
passed unchallenged but for some
sparks that few up from the Nc
Culloch's 81 funnel. This brought a
few shots from the batteries on Cor
regidor Island. Little attention was
paid to these and the feet kept on. AS
soon as it was light the feet advanced
near the Manila Notifications, and
then turned toward the Spanish feet,
which was at anchor. A couple Of
mines were exploded just In advance of
the "Olympia" which led the way; but
no harm was done. The Spanish flag
ship advanced to meet the American
feet and fire was opened at 6, 600 yards;
but it was not returned until the dis
tance was reduced to 4, 900 yards. when
the battle commenced,
The American ships passed back
ward and forward six times across the
front Of the Spanish, and every shot
seemed to tell, while scarcely single
Spanish shot reached its mark, and
none did serious injury. The guns of
the feet were enforced by the guns at
Cavite, and the cannonading was ter
rife. A single shot from the 'sOlym-
pia" raked the Spanish flagship
throughout her length, caused her
boiler to explode, and killed her cap
tain and sixty men. She then drifted
away on fire, the admiral transferring
his flag to the "Castills," which was
sunk shortly afterward by storm of
shot. The ''Don Antonio" finding that
she was sinking, nailed her flag to the
masthead and went down with all on
board. Some torpedo-boats tried an
attack, but were driven back and sunk.
The battle started about half-past five
in the morning, and at half-past eight
was suspended for few hours to give
time for breakfast and rest, much to
the disgust Of some Of the men who
wanted to finish the job at once. At
noon it commenced again, but there
was very little opposition. heSpanish
ships were almost all silent, and the
Cavite batteries were in ruins, the
finishing touch being given by the ex-
ploding of the magazine. The only
casualties on the American ships were
the injuries Of a few of the men on
the 6 Baltimore,n from the explosion
OF some ammunition near one of the
guns, occasioned by Spanish shot.
Several shots. 1t is said, passed dam
gerously near Commodore Dewey, but
almost no damage was done on the
flagship. After the battle was over
the Commodore sent notice to the city
battery, ordering it to cease firing or he
would lombard, but made no effort to
occupy the city, inasmuch as he had no
troops. He, however, informed the
Governor that IL the local batteries
continued to fire he would lombard
the city. The latest telegram from
Commodore Dewey is to the effect that
be has destroyed the entire Notifications
at the mouth of the harbor and at
Cavite and holds Manila absolutely in
his hands.
The cable was cut by the American
authorities in consequence OF the re-
fusal of the Spanish authorities to al
low them to use it. The Spanish Ad-
miral, it is said, advised the Governor
to surrender the city in the interest OF
humanity, as successful resistance was
impossible, and there are rnmors COM
ing from other sources that this has
been done, that the Spanish troops
have retired from the city, taking with
them their arms and supplies, and that
the situation in the city is one Of terror
and great scarcity of food. On Mon.
day there was white Gag over the
arsenal at Cavite, and officers were
sent ashore to accept the surrender.
There was some delay, and the sol.
diers took advantage of it to withdraw
with their arms. The entire Spanish
4 A