The herald., 1898-05-01
A GREAT NAVAL BATTLE
MAY HAVE BEEN FOUGHT AND
WON ALREADY
ACCURATE NEWS WILL COME
As Soon as Commodore Dewey Secures
Control Of the Cable Line
From Manila
Associated Press Special Wire

Associated Press Special Wire
NEW YORK, April 30.-A dispatch to
the World from Singapore says:
The naval battle between the United
States and Spanish fleets may have been
fought off the Philippine islands. it is
thought here.
The deepest interest in the result Of it
Is felt in this British colony.
Admiral Montijo, the Spanish command
er, has only three effective fighting ships
among the large number under his COM
mand. These are the single screw, second
class cruiser Reina Christina of 5000 tons
and the single screw, third-class unpro-
tected cruisers Don Antonio de Ulloa and
Don Juan de Asturia of 115O tons each.
The rest Of the fleet will be of little fight
ing value in combat with the modern YES
sells of the United States squadron.
The truth regarding the battle Is not
likely to be known until Commodore Dew
ey, the American commander, gets con-
troll of the cables at the Philippine Islands.
All telegraph messages from there now
are vigilantly watched and Vigorously CEN
sored by the Spanish officials.
Commodore Dewey has with him on the
flagship Olympia for consultation a former
Philippine rebel general, Jose Alexandrino.
This officer is the son of wealthy and in
f1uential sugar planter of Arayal, Pam
panga province. The father was taken
from his estate by the Spanish and deported
because he had been denounced by the
priests as a rebel. He died from the ex-
posture and privations to which he was
subjected on the road, having been COM
PEELED to travel while he was critically ILL.
General Alexandrino was educated in
Belgium as a civil engineer and took a
leading part in the late rebellion. He will
be of great assistance to the Commodore
Moreover, the knowledge that he Is with
the American squadron will encourage the
natives ashore to revolt. General Aguin-
aldo, the head of the instruction, whose
name Is a taisman among the natives, will
take an active part himself soon in organ
izing and directing military operations on
the islands. His efforts will tell in aiding
the American commanders operations at
sea and In liberating the Philippines from
Spanish misrule.
1t would be premature for me to tell at
this time what his plans are for future
movements and action in the war.
General Aguinaldo had private, conf
Dental interview short time ago with
the editor of the Singapore Free Press in
the Office of that journal. His disappear
ance from Hong Kong had been reported
to the Spanish Consul here, and efforts
amounting to political espionage were
made to discover the presence and plans of
the Philippine refugee, if in Singapore.
The local police were employed secretly for
this purpose, but the exposure of the Con-
suls action in the Free Press called the
attention of the Governor, Sir Charles
Mitchell, to the improper influence brought
to bear the police. This will not occur
again.
Rumors Of Battle
NEW YORK, April 9O.-The city is on the
tip-toe of expectancy for news of an en-
gagement off the Philippines, which it is
felt cannot be long delayed, AYERS the Ma
drid correspondent of the Herald Indeed
rumors have been current since about 5
o'clock that the fleets have already met
that the Spaniards have defeated the
Americans and three American vessels
have been sunk. No official information
has been received yet, nor can the rumor
be traced to it's foundation.
most notable change has taken place
in public opinion within the last couple Of
days. Before, people were confident that
Spain would fight gallantly; now they are
confident that Spain will win. The Cor
Iespondencia says tonight:
''Spain fears the conflict less and less
every day."
This really epitomizes the state Of the
public mind. 1t is principally due to the ac-
counts received from the American corre-
spondents Of Spanish papers. These pic
ture sort of anarchy as reigning in the
United States. The naval and military
conferences are shown as changing their
ideas about the plan to be followed every
day. They describe American ships as
hopelessly mishandled and the alleged
encounter between the Ligera and the
Gushing becomes great Spanish victory.
How much truth there is in this report it is
impossible to find out as no others are al
lowed to enter.
Not an Easy Task
HONG KONG, April 80, 2:So p. m.-If the
reports which are current here are cor
rect the United States fleet has difficult
task to accomplish. 1t is said that the
entrance of Manila Bay is commanded by
from fifty to sixty heavy guns, we'll
placed, and it is added that it will be i'm
possible for the American warships to en-
ter the bay without battleships or without
the cooperation of a strong land force
Therefore it is believed that Commodore
Dewey will not attempt to force an en-
trance into the harbor, but will blockade
1t until the insurgents move on Manila
Agents of the insurgents here are trying
to charter a steamer in expectation of be-
ing able to transport force of insurgents
to the vicinity of Manila and capture the
strong fortress, of Cavite inside Manila
Bay.
The cable to Manila is still intact, but
the transmission of news regarding mill
tary or naval movements in the Philip
pines is barred.
The British warshps and torpedo boats
at Hong Kong have been forbidden to
commence fresh repairs, which would
seem to indicate the possibility of a move
ment in the near future upon the part of
the British fleet.
German Interests
NAGASAKI, April 30.-The second-class
German cruiser Irene, carrying a crew of
over $50 men, has started for Manila to
protect German interests. She is a steel
vessel of AGO tons displacement and 5000
indicated horse power. She was built in
1887, and capable of steaming about -
knots. Her heaviest guns are four 5-fnch