The record-union., 1898-05-10
DEWEY'S VICTORY.
Message Sent to Congress by Pres
ident Mckinley.

1uenC Mch1nley.
WASHINGTON, May 9.-The Presi-
dent to-day sent the following message
to Congress:
ITO the Congress of the United
States: On the Oath of April 1 directed
the Secretary of the Navy to telegraph
orders to Commodore George Dewey of
the United States navy, commanding
the Asiatic squadron then lying in the
port of Hongkong, to proceed forthwith
to the Philippine Islands, there to COM
mence operations and engage the Span
ish fleet
Promptly obeying the order, the
United States squadron, consisting Of
the flagship Olympia, Baltimore, Ra-
leigh, Boston, Concord and Petrol, with
the revenue cutter Hugh McCulloch as
an auxiliary dispatch boat, entered the
harbor of Manila at daybreak on the
1st 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 suffered great
loss, these vessels We're destroyed or
completely disabled, and the water bat
terry at Cavite silenced. OF our brave
officers and men not one was lost ana
only eight injured, and those slightly
All of our ships escaped any serious
damage
by the 4th of May Commodore Dew
ey had taken possession of the naval
station at Cavite, destroying the forti-
fications there and at the entrance of
the bay and paroling their garrisons.
The waters of the bay are under his
complete control. He has established
hospitals within the American lines,
where 30 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
Boosting 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 wishedfor peace To those whose
SKILL courage and devotion have won
the fight, to the gallant commander
and the brave officers and men vino
aided him, our country owes an meal
culable debt.
Feeling as our people feel, and
speaking in their name, at once sent
a message to Commodore Dewey thank
ing him and his officers and men for
their splendid achievement and over
whelming victory, and informing him
that I had appointed him an acting
Rear-Admiral
Il now recommend that following our
national presidents, and expressing the
fervent gratitude of every patriotic
heart, the thanks of Congress be given
Acting Rear-Admiral George Dewey Of
the United States navy for highly dis
tinguished conduct in conflict with the
enemy, and to the officers and men I'M
der his command for their gallantry
in the destruction of the enemy's fleet
and the capture of the enemy's fortifi :
cations in the bay of Manila
WILLIAM M'KINLEY.
Executive Mansion, May g. 1885,
RESOLUTIONS OF THANKS.
WASHINGTON, May "a special
Cabinet meeting was held at 10 O'Clock
to consider the situation generally and
gress recommending a tender of thanks
of Congress to Admiral Dewey 1t was
sent in shortly after Congress opened
Senator Hale and Representative
Hull, Chairmen, respectively, of the
Senate and House Committees on Ma
val Affairs, were called to the White
House during the Cabinet session to
consider a resolution of thanks recon-
~, 4
| They spent but a few minutes there
and the two Chairmen subsequently
met at the Capitol and decided upon
the form of legislation for appointing
| Commodore Dewey a Rear Admiral to
be introduced. ThefCongressional res
| olution is as follows:
Joint resolution rendering the thanks
of Congress to Commodore George
| Dewey, U. S. N, and to the officers and
men of the squadron under his COM
mand:
Resolved, BY the Senate and the
House of Representatives of America
| in Congress assembled, that in pursu-
ance of the recommendation of the
President made in accordance with Sec
ton 1908 of the Revised Statutes, the
thanks of Congress and of the Ameri-
can people are hereby rendered to Com
modore George Dewey, L. S. N, COM
mander-in-Ch of the Asiatic station
for highly distinguished conduct in con-
/ ffict with the enemy as displayed by
| him in the destruction of the Spanish
| fleet and batteries in the harbor OF
! Manila Philippine Islands, May 1. 1898
Section 2-That the thanks of Con
gress and of the American people are
hereby extended through Commodore
| Dewey to the officers and men under his
command, for the gallantry and skill
exhibited by them on that occasion.
Section 3-Be it further resolved
that the President of the United States
| be requested to cause this resolution
| to be communicated to Commodore
Dewey. and through him to the officers
and men under his command
BILL TO MAKE DEWEY A REAR
ADMIRAL.
WASHINGTON, May 9.-The follow
| ing is the bill passed by Congress rails
| ing the number of Rear Admirals from
| six to seven TO provide for Commodore
Dewey's promotion:
Section THAT the number of Rear
| Admirals in the United States navy
now allowed by law be and hereby is in
/ creased from six to seven. and this Act
shall be construed and taken as vail
dating and making in force and effec,
any promotion to said rank of Rear
| Admiral in the United States navy
| made heretofore or hereafter and dur