The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-06-04

President Mckinley on May sent the
following message 20 congress:
To the Congress OF the United States:
ON the 24th Of April directed the sacre-
tary OF the navy to telegraph orders 10
Commodore George Dewey. of tae United
States navy. commanding tha Asiatgc
squadron, then lying in the port II Hong
kong. 10 proceed forthwith 10 the Psilip-
pine islands, there 10 commence opera
tioas and engage the Spanisa fleet.
Promptly oheying that order. the United
States squadron, consisting Of TIE flagship
Olympia. the Baltimore. the Raleigh. the
Boston, the Concord and the Petrei. with
the revenue cutter Hugh Mes,u,loeh as an
auxiliary dispatch boat, entered the har-
hor Of Manila AZ dayhreak on she Let of
May and Immediately engaged the eatire
Spanish feet Of eleven ships. which were
under the protection Of the fire of tho land
forts After ii stubborn figat. In wlleh the
enemy suffered great losA these vessels
were destroyed or completed disabled and
the water battery at Cavi!e sslsnced. or
our brave officers and men not one VAS
lost and only eght injured. and those
slightly. All OF our ships escaped any
serious damage.
by the 4th of May Commodore Dewey
had taken possession of the naval station
a; Cavite. destroying the Notifications
thero and az the entrance Of the bay and
paroling the garTisans. The waters Of the
bay are under his complete control. He
has established hospitals within she Amer
lean lines, where 80 Of the Spanish sick
and wounded are assisted and protected.
THE magnitude Of this viciory can
hardly be measured by the ordinary stand
ards Of naval warfare. OntweghsnE any
material advantage TX the moral effect OF
this initial success. At this unsurpassed
throhs not with hoastIng er With greed
of conquest, but with deep gratitude that
this triumph has come In n just cause, and
that by the grace of God an effective step
has thus heesi taken toward the attain~
ment OF the wsshe,i-fos peace. To those
whose skin, courage and devotion have
won tae fight 10 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 II mes-
sage 10 Commander Dewey thanking him
and his officers and men for their spsen-
df achievemens aud overwhelming vic
tory, and informing him that ! had APP
pointed him an acting rear admiral. l
now recommend that. following our ma
tionai precedents and expressing the fer
vent gr1titas;le Of every patriotic heart.
the thanks Of congress he given Acting
Rear Admiral Dewey or the United States
navy for aishty distinguished conduct in
conflict with the enemy. and TO the OIL
GERS and men under his command, for
their gallantry in the destruction of the
enemy's fleet and the capture OF the en-
emy's fort!ncatlons in the Bay of Manila,
WILLIAM M'KINLEi.
Executive Mansion, May q. isss.
The following is the biz passed by con-
.a.s DF.,e~f fef
from six 10 seven 20 provide for Commo-
dore Drwey's promotion:
Section J. That the number or rear ad-
nirals I'm the United States navy now al
lowed by law he and hereby is Increased
from six ID seven. and this act shail be
construed and taken as validating and
making in force and effect any promotion
10 said rank OF rear sdmira. I'm the United
States navy made heretofore or hereafter
and during the existing war. and based
on the thanks OF congress
The congressional resolution passed was
as follows:
Joint resolution rendering the thanks OF
congress 10 Commodore George Dewey,
United States navy. and sc the oiiiee's
and men Of the squadron under MS COM
mand.
Resolved, by the senate and the house
OF representatives. Of the United States
pursuance Of the recomme ndatlon 81 the
president made in accordance with the
provisions Of section i'0s Of the Revised
Statutes the thanks Of congress and of
the American people ate hereby tender
cd 10 Commodore George Dewey, United
States navy. commander of the
Asiatic squadron. for highly distinguish
cd conduct In conflict with the enemy. Al
displayed BY him in the destruction Of the
Spanish fleet ard batteries ia the harhor
81 Manila. Philippine islands on May l.
isas
section 2 That the tAsnks Of congress
and the American people arc hereby ex-
tended through Commodore Dewey. n
the oificegs and men under his command
fer tbs gaIlaHtry ard skin exhibited by
theFn an that occasion.
Sector 2 Be 4 further resolved, that
she president OF the United States he re-
aussied 30 cause ta!s resolution 10 fe com
municated 20 Commodore Dewey. ard
through h-m % the officers and men under
his command.
DEWEY THANKS CONGRESS-.