Owingsville outlook. [volume] (Owingsville, Ky.) 1879-192?, 1898-05-05

feeling that scarcely knew bounds.
Adm. Dewey's name was on every lip
and his praises were sung in the re-
joicings of the PEOPLE.
Thus far no ,tlicial adviccs have
been received 10y the government. The
president in company with several of
his advisers read the bulletins in the
library of the white house early in
the evening but later in the night he
went To his office ON the second floor
of the executive mansion, where until
late hour he continued Ia pcrusc
every dispatch with deepest interest
The news WAS evidently of the most
gratifying character To him. hut no
statement could hc obtained AT the cN-
ecutive mansion concerning the battle
or its possible Consequences.
Officials of the navy department were
rcticcnt in discussing the conflict in
the absence of official information.
hut they made no Prctcnsc of conceal
ing their great qualification. Srcrc-
tary Long declined To comment upon
the subject, but ii was evident that he
felt relieved. II has been known for
days at the navy department that n
conflict at Manila was inevitable. and
while no great fear of the result
MAS expressed. there was vet deep
concern in the heart of every official
sunday nights news removes a grca I
weight from the minds of all
When Secretary Bliss was shown the
first dispatch, briefly rccountiug the
victory Of the American squadron. he
unhe>itatingly expressed his gratifica-
ton at the result and gave uttcrancc
tn the hope that Adm. Dcwey's fleet
had not suffered greatly. senator
Hanna and MIR. Chauncey NJ. nrpcw,
of New York. who were with Srcre-
tary Bliss at the time. were delighted
with the advices and made no conceal
mcnt uf their pleasure.
Secretary Algcr declared that il was
a glorious victory" but, in common
with other officials of the admini>tra-
tion, declined To make extended com
mcnt uron it,
Navy and army circles, after mani
Testing throughout the day the great
est cagerncss for news from the Philip
pines, received with intense joy the
adviccs telling of the victory of Adm.
Dcwey's fleet Their satisfaction that
the defeat of the Spanish had been
overwhelming was strengthened 10y
reason of the news coming first almost
wholly from Madrid. and they were
quickly unrescrvcd in expressing their
qualification upon the signal triumph
of the American forces.
At the Army and Navy club a large
company was gathered and read and
commented upon the story of the en-
gaCemcnts. as il was presents in the
bulletins at the club. Down town at
their homes and wherever seen, the Of
fcers were free in giving vent to the
pleasure they felt at the news and de-
claring the confidence which they had
entertained throughout that the Amer
lean ships. their officers and men would
demonstrate their superiority over the
Spanish fleet in Philippine waters.
The absence of any statement
of specific ia jury To the American YES
sells, in the Madrid adviccs. was con
strucd as convincing indication that
they had not suffered appreciable in
jury. and this was especially pleasing
To the naval students of the news Not
only was the preservation of the
American ships and men considered in
itself happy outcome, but il was
commented upon as indicating clearly
that Adm. Dewey and his associate Of
ficers and the men under their COM
mand had discharged splcndidly their
several duties in directing and exc
cutting the fight. In this connection
it was pointed out as little less than
marvellous that the American squadron
escaped without severe injury, because,
Notwithstanding the disparity in the
naval forces, the Spanish fleet, assisted
by the shore batteries, should have
been able TO infiict severe damage to
its foe before itself being destroyed.
Its failure to do so was applicable only
upon the hypothesis of perfect and
swift work by the Americans. An
opinion freely expressed Sunday night
by naval officers is that the very de-
cisive victory of Adm. Dewey's fleet
will mean probably an early end to
the war, without further naval battles
of Importance. The American fleet, it is
suggested, is now supreme in the wat
ers of SPANS Pacific possession and in
dications were strongly towards the
slipping of the Philippines from her
control. IL was said that only by
quickly yielding to our demands in
Cuba could this loss possibly be avert
ed. Spain, it was argued, was con-
frontcd with situation which prom
ised naught save disaster in case she
elected to force more fighting. The
superiority of superior fleet has been
demonstrated in the Pacific, and the
same, il is cOntended. would be newt
able in the Atlantic in case the clash
comes. From whatever point of
view considered, the policy of more
fighting upon the part of Spain,
promises nothing but more Spanish
misfortune. Navy officers think this
view must prevail with the Spanish
government and believe any end of the
war, upon the basis of Cuban indie
pendence is to-follow soon and that too
without further notable opportunity
for the American navy to prove its
power and distinguish itself.
Judge McComas, senator-elect from
Maryland, after expressing his joy
over the result of the conflict struck a
key note of the expected result of the
cannonading at Manila Sunday, when
he said that it was likely to have a
tremendous effect, not only in Spain.
but throughout Europe. He expressed
the belief that il would turn the tide
of Europen sentiment toward the
United States
The idea advanced by Judge Nc.
Comas was expressed by others Sun
day night 1t is regarded by some as
likely that the decisive victory gained
by Adm. Dewey's squadron may open
the eyes of Spain to the seriousness OF
the conflict upon which she has en-
tered. In official circles it is regarded
as almost certain that trouble of a
most critical kind will confron,
the Sagasta government within SPANS
own borders. 1t is pointed out that
the Spanish people have been led to
believe that their navy was invincible,
and the bitter disappointment that
will ensue over the result of the frs,
engagement of the war is likely to
precipitate internal dissentions il moi