Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1898-05-09
b I | N DETAIL.
Different Accounts of the
Fight at Manila.
STOPPED FOR BREAKFAST
]: After. AFTER Pouring Shells Into the Enemy.,
Ships the Americans Go to .'a,ess.''
Work Finished Before
,-le Noon.

asNopeanS and natives here today there. is;
81 only one subject of discussion the brill
ss3lia.:nt,# dashlng annihilat!ng victory of
ss:sSoIllmodore Dewey over the Spanish
3sFSa1eet commanded by Admiral Montcin
LII Manila Bay on last Sunday
S$fss owing to the fact that the cable be-
ss sWeen TINS point and the Philippine Is
was not in working order. hay
.Sfsrs neen cut, 1t is said. some distance
sSG1 rom the capital of the islands thor.
mas been delay in obtaining. a detiI.a
S5sSssa account of the battle. and facts in
Inc case were only available when the
states dispatch boat Hugh Nc
ss5Colloch arrived here Yesterday .,,d
n even then the tremendous prcss,,r. IF
business suddenly thrown upon ,ht. "a :
n PIE company necessarily mad. tho
S t.aler accounts of the engagement
somewhat brief.
saapsuFe or destroy the Spanish fleet.
lana never were orders executed in s,,r n
ssSi 80 - handsome fashion. AT the end of
ss%seVen hours there was absolutely moth
I leE isfs Of the Spanish feet but q few
So The American commander had most
ss5ss'iSiiEuiiy arranged every detail of the
Is action and even the apparently most
features We're acrrie,i ou.
with perfect punctuality ana in r;lil
s5road timetable order
;aE. AT the end of the action Commodore
dewey anchored his fleet in tn bay be-
Tore Manila and sent Z; message to the
'sSSEGovernor General General Al,.r,,sti
IS announcing the Inauguration of tho
* blockade and adding that if a shot was
l$551lred against his ships he would destroy
every battery about Manila The 20
sa5slllon occupied by the Spanar,ls. the
upportl which they received from the
sAiand batteries and the big guns they
sShad ashore gave them an enormous adj
vantage Tehereforn, when it is con-
n sssiuered that the Spanarls lost over,
:ssiS hundred men in killed and wounded.
SsLnat all their ships. amounting to ahput
4 fourteen. We're destroyed ana that their
ssMaval arsenal at Cavite was also de-
S@stroyed with it's defenses it will become
apparent that the victory of the Amer
q lean commodore is one of the mos,
N complete and Wonderful achievements
"a athe history of naval warfare Not 9:
Imam on board the American fleet was
not q ship was damaged to any
extent, and only six men We're injured
III SiaShtsy on board the Baltimore This
mi grand achievement is quits as much
s.Adue 20 the Seneralship OF Commodore.
as to the fact that the Amer
lean gunners, ships and guns are SUI
s3#per1or to anything in the same line
s%aHoat anywhere. Credit mus, ,lso IN.
$sgiven to the fullest extent to the OIL
t1cers under Commodore Dewey, for to a
man they seconded their gallant com
sl:1nander in every w;,q possible. and thus
ssjustily are his.
When the squadron left here is
sss;sto uched first at point in the Philip
pine Islands near i3olinao as Commo-
AT core aDewey wished the insurgent
agents to disembark there ascertain
the strength and disposition of the in
II surgent forces, arrange to prevent
needles bloodshed and inform the IN
sSsurgents of his intention to form n
In the Philippines. The in
81 surgent leaders, however. refused to
Ss1he american ships coasted in search
Ssofhthe Spanish ships but failed to find
them. Commodore Dewey arrived at
s Subig Bay. about thirty miles north
sol Manila Bayu, on Saturday, April 30
SSSand sent the Baltimore and Concord
ITO Ereconnioter their enemy They found
sSnD Spanish ships at the entrance Of the
ebay, and SO the commodore decided
993;sfo! fisk the mines and proceed that same
might after dark into the bay If Manila.
WhfcIl he did.
sssssThe4 order of battle taken up by the
n Spaniards was with all the small craft
inside the stone and timber brenkwatc:.
SSsof 55Cayite harbor, and the larger ships
S$S%sO Spain cruisers off Cavite and Ma
mia. The Americans entered the Ma
ssnila Bay on Saturday night With the
sSgreatest Of ease. The Spaniards had
mot established a patrol and there was
RI no search lights al the entrance Of the
81 bay. In fact, the American ships would
probably have passed inside the bay
without any challenge had it not been
SIhat some sparks flew from the Nc
funnel. Thereupon IL few
ssahotS were exchanged With the batter
ss1esEon Corregidor Island. but the lleet
ssftid not slow down and soon took up II
EXPOSITION near Cavite. awaiting dawn to
sSenmmence hostilities.
THE. early hours of the morning re
Ssyeaied the opposing ships to each other
the Spanish flagship opened fire
ssaaIfu her action was followed by some
asofSthe larger Spanish warships, and Ca
sSyite battery opened up and then the
& smaller vessels brought their guns into
s@ptay. The American squadron, which
ssfad been led into the bay and through
thee shannel by the flagship Olympia,
HS::did not reply, though the shells of the
IS pan1ards began to strike the water
hi arond her. The ships moved majeSti-
sssally onward. When nearing Baker
a sudden upheavel Of water a short
Substance ahead of the Olympia showed
the Spaniards had exploded a
ssS1n1neS or torpedo. This was followed by
sssa#second or similar explosion. They
SgNere both utterly unsuccessful.
Ene American fleet was then drawing
sSsSsearer and nearer to the Spaniards
WHOSE gunnery was very poor, the shots
ss1rom the Cavite batteries and from the
ssSpan.sh ships being equally badly
fHSNaimed, either falling short or going
u sssHadegof the mark. When the Ameri-
ssslcans Heet entered the bay coming
sSsa IhIough the southern channel between
ss;G ,aballo Frile Islets. the following was
their order: -g
flagship Olympia, Baltimore, RAJ
sgEelgh, Concord, Boston, Petrol and Nc
ssssEss sulioch, with the TWO store ships the
SsssSss Nhnshana and tLafiro. bringing up the
ss@Tear. and that order they swept
sisrandly before the city and faced the
ssanemy in column line. Though The
EE|sspaniards had opened fire at Six thous-
eSand yards. the. Americans reserved
ttaair fire until within four thousand
wards OF the enemy. when the real bat
ssgst1e. began.
s he Reina Maria Christina, Castillo
RIG 9pn Antonio de Ulloa, Isla dc Cuba
ssd lsla5de Zuan and Mindano. We're in line
III efsbaItie outside of Cavite at that time
four Gunbcats and the torpedo
b1ats INSIDE the harbor
The american ships then passed back
sas ssaa forward six times across the front
2 ssiss the Spaniards, pouring in upon the
SSsaAs latter q perfect hail of shot and shell
ssas every American SHOT seemed to toll