Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-05-09
DeWeYS FAMOUS MESSAGES.
They Tell OF One OF the Greatest Naval Vic
tories Ever Won.

WaShington May S.-The state de-
partment had the honor of receiving
the first news, Saturday 1t came in
the shape of cabIegram of three
words, from United States Consul Wild
man at Hong Kong, and was as fol
lows:
Hong Kong cCullcch. Wildman."
This is the usual form in which naval
movements are reported by cable. This
patch was received by Assistant Secre-
tary Cridler. who was turned out of his
cot by a messenger boy at 4. 40 4. NJ.
! The naval officials were promptly
| notified and awaited with intense inter
est the dispatch which was expected TO
surely follow from Com. Dewey.
About $50 \. NJ. Manager Marean Of
/ the Western Union Telegraph Co. APP
| peared Al the department. bringing
with him a sheet comprising four lines
Of the mysterious jargon which makes
up TIE naval cipher.
He handed this directly 10 See Long.
who trazcd at it for moment and
turned ii over to Lieut. Whittlesey. one
of the cipher experts Of the navigation
bureau. for translation into English
Then the secretary made pretense
of sitting down al his desk 10 transact
other business. but IL was plainly seen
that in spirit he mad joined the anxious
throne Of newspaper men ana officials
who Ihronged the reception room and
the corridors waiting Tor the news.
The naval cipher Is one Of the most
complex in the world The messages
came in words ~ strange formation.
taken from ali languages These words
arr turned hy the TRANSMITTING clerka
into groups ~ figures, ana these III
turn Are received into their equivalent
words IN English
All this takes tine. Mean~ hile See.
Alger hearing II The receipt % news
had ccme over from the war depart
ment to see his colleague, but he also
was R"llEtH I" N'tAt patiently luF inc
translation.
senator IIoar. q member of the for
eign relations committee. also joined
Secretary Long and waited upon the
cable experts. About 10 o'clock Assist
ami Secretary Roosevelt, in the kind
ness of his heart. and, as he expressed !
il. as perhaps the last favor he would
be able to bestow on the news aper
men, came to their relief ana gave
them a short abstract Of the cablegram
50 far as unravelIed,
This only whetted the interest of til
crowd In waiting When. an hour
later. Secretary Long appeared with a
copy of the translated cipher in his
hand there vas great rush toward
him, but the secretary good-naturedly
made allowance for the excitement Of
the crowd and smllingly read frcm
the corner Of the room into which n
had been forced. the following cahl
message:
Manila. May
Squadron arrived at Manila at day
break. this morning. Immediately en-
gagged the enemy, and disabled the fol!
lowing Spanish vessels: Reina Chris
tina. Castillo, Don Antonio Dc Tlloa,
lsla dc Luzon lsla Dc Cuba Gen Leo.
Marques de Duero. Correo. Nelasco.
lsla de Mindanao. a transport ana
! water battery at Cayita
..,,,, . J., - l.; ,.,, i,,4 ILL.,, 1
" IS" '''S' ~ 'i'iS ""'i'''"' '''S
/ means Of telegraphlns IS 70 American
consul at Hong Kong. | shall commu-
/ nfcata with him
..<o,;l> D,,0-,,x-.,
Hh"'p S "ei"i' i'ooiI 8"'ie'd l-'iI@
! left the navy department for the White
| House and an official confirmation was
n,oda +ba+ . eacond disra+cb frn,,
! ne secretary tar'leo II WIN h''h 10 tiIt
I