The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-05-05

Washington, May A sensation was
caused throughout the city by the news
that came this morning of the arrival
of a vessel supposed to be the dispatch
boat McCulloch at Mrs bay, 40 miles
from Hong Kong. the cable terminus.
The officials Immediately fell into an
air of expectancy waiting for some word
from Admiral Dewey that would not
only confirm officially the stirring news
Of the battle of Manila as reported by
the press, but tell what had hap
pened since the cable was interrupted.
Up to the close Of Office hours no word
had come from Hong Kong. and the
officials who believe that the McCulloch
was really in Mrs bay. were put to de-
visng ingenious explanations of the de-
lay in the receipt of kilograms.
These touched upon the II hours diff
ference in time, the distance from Mrs
bay to Hong Kong, which had to be
overcome by messenger, and the slow
ness of cable communication owing to
the number of relays on the enormous
ly long circuit from Hong Kong to New
York. Some of the other naval Off
cials. however. who steadfastly con-
tended that Admiral Dewey would not
have sent away his dispatch boat until
he had completed his dispatch and re-
ceived the surrender of Manila, pointed
out that IL they were right in that as
sumption, IL would not be possible for
the McCulloch to reach Hong Kong be-
fore tomorrow evening.
Great interest is felt in the reported
returning of the Spanish Cape Verde
fleet to Cadiz, but. while admitting the
T.. II - fzlx
flying squadron making the passage i'm
the five days they have been out from
St. Vincent, the naval officers were dis
posed to regard with great suspicion
news of this kind emanating from Por-
tugal, because of the recognized SYM
pathy Of the Portuguese with the Span
ish side. 1t would be worth a good
deal to the Spanish admiral command
ing the flying squadron. supposing he
were on his way across the Atlantic. to
throw us off our guard by having us
believe that he had returned to Spain.
The navy department has now Sc
cured two vessels i'm San Francisco.
the Australia and City of Pekin. which
will be loaded with coal and supplies
Dewey's fleet. Whether or not they
will carry troops will be determined
positively when the commodore is
heard from upon this matter.
The navy department is hurrying to-
gether an exceedingly large stock of
ammunition to go forward by the City
of Pekin to recruit the ammunition of
Commodore Deweys fleet. The first
shipment of projectiles left New York
yesterday and additional shipments
will be made until the full quota of
powder and shot win be in San Fran
cisco within the next few days. There
will be a total of more than 10000 pro-
jectiles of various caliber and weight
For the four big eight-inch guns of
the Olympia there will be 500 light steel
armor piercing shells, weighing about
800 pounds each. For the six-inch guns
of the Olympia. Baltimore and Boston
and other ships there will be 1000 steel
projectiles.
The other shipments will include
about 10000 six-pound rife balls; 1000
fve-inch shells: 1000 three-pound
balls and 1000 one-pound balls.
The navy department is fortunate In
having laid in an ample stock OF pro-
jectiles of all weights and sizes. so that
there will be no delay in getting a full
supply ready for shippent to Commo-
dore Dewey. The supply OF powder is
not so readily obtained. as powder has
been distributed to the several fleets
and ships as fast as II has come from
the powder mills. But owing 10 the