The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-05-09

United States squadron, consisting Of
the flagship Olympia, Baltimore, Ra-
leigh, Boston, Concord, and Petrol, with
the revenue cutter McCulloch, as an
auxiliary dispatch boat entered the
harbor Of Manila at daybreak on the
first of May and Immediately engaged
the entire Spanish fleet of eleven
ships, which were under the protection
of the fire of the land forts. After a
stubborn fight, in which the enemy Suf-
fered great loss, these vessels were de-
stroyed, or completely disabled and the
water battery at Cavite silenced. Of
our brave officers and men not one was
lost and only eight injured and those
slightly. All OF our ships escaped any
serious damage.
By the fourth of May Commodore
Dewey had taken possession of the
naval station at Cavite, destroying the
fortifications there and at the entrance
of the bay and parOlling their garr1
sons. The waters of the bay are under
his complete control He has establish
ed hospitals within the American lines,
where $50 of the Spanish sick and
wounded are assisted and protected.
The magnitude of this victory can
hardly be measured by the ordinary
standards of naval warfare. Outweigh
ing any material advantage is the NOR
al effect of this initial success At this
unsurpassed achievement the great
heart of our nation throbS, not with
boasting or with greed of conquest but
with deep gratitude that this triumph
has come in a just cause and that by the
grace of God an effective step has thus
been taken toward the attainment of
the wished for peace. To those whose
skill courage and devotion have won
the fight; to the gallant commander and
the brave officers and men who aided
him, our country owes an incalculable
debt.
Feeling as our people feel and speak
ing in their name, at once sent mes
sage to Commodore Dewey, thanking
him and his officers and men for their
splendid achievement and overwhelm-
ing victory and Informing him that I
had appointed him an acting rear ad-
miral.
I now recommend that following our
national precedents, and expressing the
fervent gratitude of every patriotic
heart the thanks of congress be given
Rear Admiral George Dewey of the
United States navy for highly distin-
guished conduct in conflict with the en-
emy and to the officers and men under
his command for their gallantry in the
destruction of the enemy'S fleet and the
capture of the enemy'S fortifications in
@-- WILLIAM MCKINLEY.
Executive Mansion, May 8, 1898.
Washington, May 9.-The following is
the Joint resolution offering the thanks
| of congress to Admiral Dewey, intro
duced in the house:
| Joint resolution rendering the thanks OF
congress to Commodore Dewey, U. S.
N, and to the officers and men OF
the squadron under his command.
Resolved, BY the senate and the
| house of Representatives of the United
| States of America, in congress assem-
\ bIed, that in pursuance of the recon-
mendation of the president, made in ac-
cordance with the provisions of section
| 1908 of the revised statutes, the thanks
| of congress and the American people
are hereby rendered to Commodore
- T
chief of the Asiatic station, for highly
distinguished conduct in conflict with
| the enemy as displayed by him in the
! 1c,ontin11ed on, E,irhth Parel