The age-herald., 1898-12-06
PRESIDENT MKINLEYS MESSAGE TO THE
 SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Continued From Third Page.)

|
 more salient features is apropos. The first | encounter of the war in point Of date LOOK
 place April 27 when a detachment or the 1 blockading squadron made reconnoisahce | in force at Matanzas, shelled the harDor
 forts, and demolished several new Works
 in construction.
 The next engagement was destined to
 mark memorable epoch in maritime war
 fare The Pacific fleet under Commodore
 George Dewey had lain for some weeks at
 Hong Kong. Upon the colonial proclama-
 ton of neutrality being issued and the cus-
 tomary twenty-four hours notice being
 given 1t repaired to Mfrs Bay, near Hong | Kong, whence it proceeded to the Philip
 pine islands under telegraphic orders to | capture or destroy the form dable Spanish
 fleet then assembled at Manila At day
 break on the 1st of May the American force
 entered Manila bay and after few hours l engagement affected the total destruction l of the Spanish fleet, consisting of ten war
 ships and transport, besides capturing the 1 naval station and forts at Cavite, thus an-
 initiating the Spanish naval power in the
 Pacific ocean and completely controlling the
 bay of Manila, with the ability to take the
 city at will Not life was lost on our l ships the wounded only numbering seven
 while not vessel was materially injured | For this gallant achievement. the congress | upon my recommendation, fitly bestowed
 
 | reward
 | The effect of this remarkable victory upon | the spirit of our people and upon the for
 tunes of the war was instant. prestige | of invincibility there attached to our arms | which continued throughout the struggle
 Achievements were hurried to Manila un-
 der the command of Major General Merritt
 and firmly established a foothold within
 sight of the capitol which lay helpless be-
 fore our guns. On the 7th day of May the | government was advised officially or the
 victory at Manila and at once inquired of
 the commander of our fleet what troops
 would be required. The information was
 received on the 18th day of May and the first army expedition sailed May 20 and ar
 rived off Manila June 30. Other expedi- | tons soon followed, the total force con- sistng of 641 officers and 15,05S men. Only reluctance to cause needless loss or 1 life and property prevented the early storm
 ing and capture of the city and herewith | the absolute military occupancy Of the 1 whole group. The insurgents meanwhile 1 had resumed the active hostlities suspend I ed by the uncompleted truce of December, | 1897. Their forces invested Manila from | northern and eastern sides, but were con strained by Admiral Dewey and General Merritt from attempting an assault. NoDivided Victory
 | It was fitting that whatever was to be 1 done in the way of decisive operations In | that quarter should be accomplished by the | strong arm of the United States alone. 1 Obeying the stern precept of war which l enioins the defeat of the adversary and the extinction of his powers wherever as- I sailable as the sure means to win peace, | divided victory was not permissible, for no partition of the rights and responsibilities | attending the enforcement of just and l advantageous peace could be thought of. Following the comprehensive scheme of l ott u1 s. | sembled at various points on our coast to | invade Cuba and Porto Rico. Meanwhile 1 naval demonstrations were made at several | exposed points. On May Il the cruiser Will | mington and torpedo boat Winslow were | unsuccessful in an attempt to silence the l batteries at Cardenas, Ensign Worth Bag | ley and four seamen falling. These grievous l fatalities were strangely enough among the | very few which occurred in our naval op- | erations in this war Meanwhile the Spanish naval preparations had been pushed with great vigor.
 A powerful squadron under Admiral Ger vera, which had assembled at the Cape Verde islands before the outbreak of hos tilities crossed the ocean and by its er- ratio cruises in the Caribbean delayed our
 military operations and baffled the pur- suit of our fleets. For time fears were felt lest the Oregon and Marietta, then
 nearing home after their long voyage from San Francisco, or over 15000 miles. might be surprised by Admiral Cervera's fleet, but their fortunate arrival dspelled these ap- prehensions and lent much needed rein forcement. Not until Admiral Cervera took refuge in the harbor of Santiago de Cuba
 about May g, was it practicable to plan systematic military attack upon the An tilean possessions of Spain.
 Several demonstrations occurred on the coasts of Cuba and Porto Rico in prepara- ton for the larger event. On May 13 the North Atlantic SOnadrnu Shpl1a6 San de Porto Rico. On May 30 Commodore | Schley's squadron bombarded the forts | guarding the mouth of Santiago harbor. l Neither attack had any material result It was evident that well ordered land opera | tions were indispensable to achieve a de- l cisive advantage.
 Brave Hobson's Heroic Decd The next acts of the war thrilled not only the hearts of our countrymen, but the world by it's heroism. On the night of June 3, Lieutenant Hobson, aided by seven. l devoted volunteers, blocked the narrow out | let at Santiago harbor by sinking the collier l Merrimac in the channel. under fierce | fire from the shore batteries escaping with their lives as by miracle. but falling into | the hands of the Spaniards. It is a most l gratifying incident of the war that the I bravery of this little band of heroes was | cordially appreciated by the Spaniards who | sent a flag of truce to notify Admiral Samp- | Soii ol tHeir Sdlety ana to cOmpi ment them upon their daring act They were sub- l seuuently exchanged July '.
 By June the cutting of the last Cuban | cable isolated the island. Thereafter the l invasion was vigorously prosecuted. On l June TO- under heavy protracted fire a l landing of 600 marines from the Oregon, Marblehead and Yankee was effected in l Guantanamo bay, where it had been deter | mined to establish a naval station This 1 important and essential port was taken 1 from the enemy after severe fighting by the l marines who were the first organized force | of the United States to land in Cuba The position so won was held despite des- | perate attempts to dslodge our forces. By | June 16 additional forces were landed there | and strongly entrenched. On June 22 the | advance of the invading army under Gen. | eral Shafter landed at Daiquiri, about fif- 1 teen miles east of Santiago This was accomplished under great difficulties but l with marvellous dispatch. On June 23 the | movement against Santiago was begun. On 1 the 24th the first serious engagement took