The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1898-05-11

EiEht men signify wounded.
One thousand dollars damage.
Those are the figures of victory. The
story of the battle will live forever. The
names OF its heroes can never die.
The fighting bryan at 5 o'clock in the
morning.
The spaDiards surrendered at 1910 In
the afternoon.
HoNGKosG, May 9.-Among naval
men, military men and civilians, Eu.
ropeans and natives here there is only
one subject OF di1cussion, the brilliant,
dashing. annihilating victory of the
American aeet under Commodore
Dewey over the Spanish fleet COM
manded by Admiral Men ejo in Manila
bay on Sun 1av last.
Owing to tn fact that the cable be-
tween this port and the Philippine
islands was not in working order, hav-
ing been cut, there has been delay in
obtaining a detailed account of the bat.
tie and facts in the case were only avail
able when tie United States gunboat
Hugh McCulloch arrived here on Sat
urday and even then the tremendous
Dlt5SdAC VI ttte4hSocf ouobtilAA iilOW1
upon the cable company, necessarily
made the earlier accounts of the en-
gagements somewhat brief.
Commodore Dewey's orders were to
capture or destroy the Spanish feet and
never were instructions executed in SO
complete fashion. At the end of
seven hours there was absolutely moth
ing left of the Spanish feet but few
relics
At the END of the action Commodore
Dewey anchored his fleet in the bay be-
fore Manila and sent message to Gov
ernor General August announcing the
Inauguration of the blockade, and add
ing that if shot was fired against his
ships he would destroy every battery
about Manila.
The position occupied by the Span
iards, the support which their ships re-
ceiyed from the land batteries and the
big guns they had ashore gave them an
enormous advantage. Therefore, when
it is considered that the Spaniards lost
over 800 men in killed aud wounded,
that all their ships, amounting to about
IA, were destroyed and that their ma
val arsenal at Cavite was also dt stroyed,
with its defenses, it will become appar-
ent that the victory of the American
commodore is one of the most comple to
and wonderful achievements in the his
tory of naval warfare.
Not man on board the American
fleet was killed, not shipwas damaged
to any extent and only six men were in
jured slightly on board the Baltimore
The American fleet entered Manila
bay on Saturday night with the great
est of ease. intact the American ships
would probably have passed inside the
bay without any challenge had it not
been that some sparks flew up from the
shots were exchanged with the bate
ries on Corregidor island, but the fleet
did not slow down and soon took up a
position near Cavite, awaiting dawn in
order to commence hostilities.
The early hours of the morning re-
vealed the opposing ships to each other
and the Spanish flagship opened fire.
Her action was followed by some of the
larger Spanish warships, and then the
Cavite forts onened IN and the srnalla-
spanish vessels brought their guns into
play.
The American squadron, which had
been led into the bay and through the
channel by the flagship Olympia, did
not reply, though the shells of the
Spanlards began 10 striKe inc water
around them, but moved ma1ostlcally
onward When nearing Baker bay
sudden upheavai OF water snort dls-
lance ahead OF the Olympia showed that
the Spaniards had exploded mine OF q
torpedo. This was followed by second
and similar explosion. They were both
utterly unsuccessful.
The American meet was then drawing
nearer and nearer to the Spaniards,
whose gunnery was very poor: The
American fleet entered the bay in the
following order: The hagshlp olympia,
the Baltimore, the Raleigh, concord,
Boston, Petrol and McCulloch. with the
two store ships. the Nanshan and "a
fro, bringing up the rear.
Though the Spaniards had opened fire
at G, 900 yards the Americans reserved
their fire until within 1000 yards of the
enemy, when the real battle began.
The Reina Christina, Castillo. Don
Antonio de Ulloa. Isla de Cuba. Isla de
Luzon and the Mindanao were in line
of battle outside of Cavite at tina time
with four punboats and the termed ,hoats
inside the harbor.
The American shins then nassed hack.
ward and forward six times across the
front of the Snanish wards morning mon
the latter a perfect hail Of shot and
shell. Every American shot seemed to
tell, while almost every Spanish shot
missed the mark. After having TINS
scattered death and demoraiizat;on
among the Spanish fleet and in the
Spanish batteries the American fleet re-
tired for breakfast and. ineidentallv.
council Of war was held on hoard the
OLYMPIA.
By this time the SPANISH shins were
in a desperate Condition The Fagsh,n
Reina Christina was riddled with shot
and shell. one of her steam mines had 4
burst and She was believed TO he on fire.
The Castillo was Certainly on fire and
soon Afterwards their condition became
worse and worse. until they were
eventually burned to the water's edge.
During the engagement 4 Suanish
torpedoboat crept along the shore and
round the ofing in an attempt to at