The record-union., 1898-05-04
SUNDAYS BATTLE AT MANILA.
No Official Word Has Yet Been Re
ceived From Dewey.


WASHINGTON, May 3.-Secretary
Long announced to-day that as soon
as the department received any official
word from Commodore Dewey confirm
ing the press accounts of his victory in
the battle of Manila a telegram would
be sent to the officer congratuIating
him upon the splendid performance of
the American fleet under his direction
Moreover, said the Secretary, as SOON
as the necessary confirmation is at
hand, Commodore Dewey will be made
an Admiral in recognition of his valor
This viii be accomplished immediate
~ by an executive order designating
him as acting Admiral, just as was
( done in the case of Captain Sampson.
Later he probably will be nominated to
the Senate in the usual course for pro-
motion 10 the rank of Admiral.
There was no word from either diplo-
matte or naval sources at the beginning
of business at the departments to-day
concerning the engagement of Commo-
dOre Dewey last Sunday This is no
matter CT surprise to the naval officers,
for they realize that Commodore Dewey
cannot spare one of his small feet to
use as dispatch boat in cOmmunicat-
ing with the Government at Hongkong.
and the main dependence is upon some
merchant vessel which may be coming
from the islands. 1t is hoped, however,
that the State Department might be
able to secure some information that
would allay the growing anxiety as to
the extent of the losses suffered by
the American fleet. 1t is believed that
several of the European Governments
beside Great Britain received a great
deal of information from their Con-
suls at Manila respecting the battle be-
fore cable communication was broken
off, but so far as known none of them
save the British, have shown a dispo-
sition to meet the desire of the Ameri-
can Government for news of an Off
cial character.
A most emphatic denial is given at
the Navy Department to published
statements that the department has
declined to spare couple of naval yes
sells to convoy the transports which will
carry the troops from Florida to the
Cuban ports selected as the place for
beginning the offensive campaign. On
the contrary, it is said that the Navy
Department has done it's full share 50
far in the execution of the plans of
campaign, and stands ready to do
whatever it is called upon to do, as
soon as the military authorities notify
the Navy Department of their plans
1 and the extent to which the navy is
expected to cooperate. It is believed
that the true explanation of the delay
in sending out the advance military
expedition is to be found in the letter
of General Miles, read in the Senate
yesterday, in which he declared that
all the S50,000000 war fund appro-
propriated having been expended or
allotted. there was absolutely no money
at the disposal of the War Department
to pay. the necessary expense of the ex-
pedition. In the expectation that
/ Congress will relieve the situation by
promptly passing the necessary ap-
preparation. the War Department Off
cials are now calculating upon the de-
parture of the expedition within a very
few days.
None of the stories coming from
Spanish sources as to the battle of
Manila appears quite SO ridiculous to
naval eyes as the solemn statement
that Commodore Dewey fired Manila
and the Spanish ships by the use of
petroleum bombs. AS a matter Of fact,
there is no such weapon Of warfare in
the American navy. The ordinary serv-
ice shell is very much more destructive
and quite as capable of causing a fire
among combustible material as any
contrivance based upon the use of pc
! troleum. This is plainly shown by the
destruction of ships through fires
caused by service shells during the
Japanese Chinese war It was a dis
closure of the great danger to men-of-
war thus brought that led Secretary
Herbert to order reduced to a minimum
all the woodwork on American ships,
and to have all of this wood fireproof.
One of the first results of the battle Of
Manila therefore. is likely to be the
cessation of the efforts which had been
making for some time past to abandon
the fire-proofing treatment of wood
work because of certain minor incon-
veniences from the use Of wood SO
treated