The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1898-06-17
STORY OF BATTLE
TOLD ONCE MORE
Consul Williams Gives Account
of Fight in Manila Harbor.
WITH GOODNESS AND ORDER
Our Ships in Battle Array Answered the
Spanish Attack.
THE SPANISH FORCES OUTCLAsSED
Showed Great Bravery and Put Up a
Stubborn Resistance.
NO COUPLET TO FORM COMPARISON
Only Finish Fight of Modern Ironclads of
Civilized Nations Has Proven the Prow-
ess of American Naval Men
and Methods.
Showed Great Bravery and Put Up a
Stubborn Resistance.
NO oourLEr TO FORM COMPARISON

Washington, Jun 16t-The story of the
battle of Manila has been retold officially
by Consul o. F. Williams, in a letter to the
department of state, dated on board the
United States steamer Baltimore, on May
4. Mr.. Williams begins by telling how the
American ships slipped into the harbor
and lined up for battle off Cavite. He
adds:
"At about $50 a. m. Sunday, May l, the
the Spanish guns opened fire. With mag
nificent GOODNESS and order, but with the
greatest promptness our fleet, in battle
array, headed by the flagship, answered
the Spanish attack and for about two and
a half hours a most terrific fire ensued.
1.-THE method of our operations could
have not shown greater system, our guns
greater effectiveness or our officers and
crews crater bravery, and while Spanish
resistance was stubborn and the bravery
of Spanish forces such as to challenge
admiration, yet they were outclasseo,
weighed in the balance of war against the
methods and after less than three hours
perilous and intense combat, one OF
Spain's warships was sinking, two others
were burning and all others with land
defenses had severely suffered when our
squadron, with no harm done it's ships,
retired for breakfast.
At about 10 o'clock Commodore Dewey re-
newed the battle and with effects most IA
tai with each evolution.
Evidence of Spanish Bravery.
mo better evidence of Spanish bravery
need be sought than that the castigation
of our first engagement here, her ships and
forts should again answer our fire. But
Spanish efforts were futile, ship after ship
and battery after battery went to destruc-
ton before the onslaught OF American en-
ergy and training, and one hour and half
of our second engagement wrought the an
limitation of the Spanish fleet and forts,
with several hundred Spaniards killed and
wounded, and millions in value OF their
property destroyed. While amazing, al
most unbelievable, as it seems, not snip
or gun Of our feeta had been disabled, ana,
excepting on the Baltimore, no one had
been hurt.
"But in the battle of Manila the United
States souadron of warships totally des-
troyed the Spanish fleet of eight warships,
many forts and batteries, and accomplished
this work without the loss of a man.
History has only contrasts There is no
couplet to form comparison. The only
finish fight between the modern warships
of civilized nations has proven the prowess
of American naval men and methods, and
the glory is legacy for the whole people.
every
praise should be given. AS Victoria was
answered years ago:
"There Is No Second"
"Your majesty, there is no second so
NAV report to your department as to our
warships conquering the Spanish fleet In
the battle of Manila bay, there is no nrst,
"there is no second" The cool bravery and
efficiency of the commodore was echoed by
every captain and commander and down
through the lines by every officer and man
and naval history of the dawning century
will be rich If 1t furnishes to the world SO
glorious a display of intelligent command
and successful service as must be placed to
tbe credit of the United States Asiatic
squadron under date of May /, 1893.
.'It was my lot to stand on the bridge and
TO be called to the flagship Olympia, by the
Commodore at whose side on the bridge
stood during the second engagement, and
when the clouds roll by and have again
a settled habitation 1t will be my honor and
pleasure to transmit report showing SER
vice somewhat in detail
"Meanwhile our commodore will ofhcfally
inform you of events which will rival in
American history the exploits Of Paul
jones'