Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1898-05-12
A REPORT FROM DEWEY.
Washington in a State of Wild Elk
element Over Dispatches Re-
ceived from the Commodore.
The ACCOUNT OF HIS GREAT VICTORY.
Commodore Dewey Has Taken Possession
of CavIte. Destroyed tho Qualifications
at the BAY Entrance and Is Protecting
tho Spanish Observation-Disclosures OF
His appointment as Acting Admiral


at the Bay Entrance and Is Protecting
tho Spanish Observation-Disclosures OF
His appointment AS Acting Admiral
WASHINGTON, May 7.-Notwithstand-
ing the fact that everybody for sew
eral days past has been in momentary
expectation of cable advices from Com
modore Dewey, the town was thrown
into the widest excitement at break
fast time this morning by the issue Of
extra papers announcing the arrival
of the McCulloch at Hong Kong with
dispatches for the government from
Commodore Dewey. The publication
of newspaper dispatches telling of ter
rible mortality among the Spanish and
the escape of the American forces,
men and ships from serious injury,
added to the excitement and to the in
tense satisfaction with which the
long-expected news was received.
The state department had the honor
of receiving the first news. 1t came in
the shape of cablegram of three
word from United States Consul Wild
man at Hong Kong and was as follows:
"Hong Kong. McCulloch. Wildman."
That is the usual form in which naval
movements are reported by cable. This
dispatch was received by Third AS
sistant Secretary Cridler, who was
turned out of his cot by messenger
boy at 4:40 o'clock in the morning.
upbo rovo1 oH9o;o1 s xyara ,,rOn, ytl " n oti-
fed and awaited with intense inter-
est the dispatch which was expected
to surely follow from Commodore
Dewey. About $3.50 Manager Ma
rean, of the Western Union Tele-
graph company, appeared at the
department bringing with him sheet
comprising four lines of the mysteri'
GUS iargon which makes up the naval
cipher He handed this directly to
Secretary Long, who gazed at it for a
moment and turned it over to Lieut..
Whittlesey, one of the cipher experts
of the navigation bureau, for transla-
ton into English. Meanwhile Secre-
tary Alger, hearing of the receipt OF
news, had come over from the war de-
partment to see his colleague, but he
was obliged to wait patiently
for the translation. Senator Hoar,
member of the foreign relations
committee, also joined Secretary Long
and waited upon the cable experts.
About ten o'clock a prominent officer
gave the newspaper men brief alb
stract of the cablegram so far as re-
ceived. This only whetted the inter-
est of the crowd in waiting. Half an
hour later Secretary Long appeard
with copy of the translated cipher
in his hand. There was great rush
towards him, but the secretary, good"
naturally, made allowance for the ex-
citement of the crowd and smilingly
read from the corner of the room into
which he had been forced the following
cablegram:
MANILA May 1.-Squadron arrived at Man
lin at day break this morning Immediately
| engaged the enemy and destroyed the fol-
lowing Spanish vessels: Relna Christina
| Castillo, Don Antonio de Ulloa Isla de Luzon
| Isla de Cuba General Leo, Marques de Duero,
| Correo Velasca, Isla de Mindanao, transport
and water battery at Cavite The squadron is
uninjured and only few men are slightly
wounded Only means of telegra phing is to
| American consul at Hong Kong l shall COM
municate with him DEWEY
1t was Immediately noticed that the
cablegram, as officially promulgated,
did not entirely agree with the brief
summary of it's points which had been
previously given out, and the immedi-
ate presumption was that in the short
time accorded for consideration the
officials had concluded that it was
public policy to expurgate the dis
patch. Thus, as made public, it con-
tanned no reference to the cutting of
the cable by Adm. Dewey, to the fact
that he lacked men to take possession
of the place, and, finally, that he had
the entire bay of Manila at his mercy.
1t was also noticed that the dis
patch bore date of May l..
The McCulloch could not have
occupied more than six days in
making the short run across to Hong
Kong, therefore it was Immediately
assumed that the above dispatch was
only the first of two more that had
been brought over to Hong Kong by
the McCulloch. In other words, Com
modore Dewey had written Sunday
night, stating in his message the brief
account of the days work. Instead of
sending it Immediately by the McCul-
loch to Hong Kong, he had delayed
that vessel for two or three days at
least, probably to use her in the subse"
auent bombardment of the town and
forts.
At 1890 p. m. Secretary Long came
from the presidents private room car
rying the copy of the second message
from Commodore Dewey, but, in order to
give equal facilities to the great crowd
Of people waiting to gain information,
4 he held it until he reached his private
Office 1t was as follows:
CAvITE, May Al have taken possession Of
the naval station at Cavite on the Philippine
islands Have destroyed the Notifications al
bay entrance, paroling garrison. control the
bay completely and can take the city ut any
time. The squadron is in excellent health and
spirits. Spanish loss not fully known but
very heavy-l5O killed including the captain
OF Relna Christina / am assisting in protect
ing Spanish sick and wounded. Two hundred
and fifty sick and wounded in hospital within
our lines Much excitement ut Manila. viii
protect foreign residents DEWEY
Following this Secretary Long gave
h tnh hnc