The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-05-08


Put as High as 1000 Men.
HONG KONG, May 7.-Commodore
Dewey's flag lieutenant, T. M. Brum-
by, arrived at Hong Kong this morn
ing on the United States revenue cutter
| Hugh McCulloch with the first official
news of the greatest naval battle Of
modern times, that of Manila harbor.
| The official dispatches were at once
forwarded by cable to the United
| States government at Washington.
| SPANS Fleet Destroyed.
The first connected story Of the en-
gagement was told by the officers Of
the McCulloch. who saw it and par
ticipated in it.
The Olympia Led.
The Olympia led the squadron into
the bay through the channel, and the
| fleet had passed Corregidor island be-
! fore the Spaniards perceived them.
A shot was then fired from the battery,
to which the Raleigh, the Boston and
| the Concord speedily retorted, and the
| battery was almost Immediately reduc-
| ed to silence.
The squadron then slowly proceeded
up the harbor, and when day broke the
town of Manila was seen about five
miles distant. The American ships
steamed deliberately along in front of
Manila, but without opening fire until
the Spanish cannon from the batteries
around the town began firing and shots
began to strike the water around the
squadron. Then the Concord fired a
few shots more or less as she passed,
but the other ships proceeded silently
towards Cavite.
When nearing Baker bay, a sudden
upheaval Of the waters occurred
little distance in front of the leading
ship, and, quickly following this, a
second water spout denoted that the
Spaniards had fired a couple of mines
or torpedOeS, but their efforts to blow
up the ships were absolutely unsuc-
cessful.
Almost Immediately the guns in the
Cavite - battery burst into a heavy
cannonade. The shells fell in the neigh
borhood of the Olympia, but majority
of them fell short and were badly aim
ed. ----.------------
No Fear of Mines.
The American ships entered by the
southern channel between Caballo and
Frile islets, which were fortified. Com
modore Dewey had resolved to risk the
mines which were supposed to block
the channel. The island forts were
fired, but not together. Replying with
a few shells the squadron proceeded
without stopping or changing its
course. The order Of the vessels was
as follows:
The Olympia, Baltimore, Raleigh,
Concord; Boston, Petrol, McCulloch,
Nanshan and .Zafiero, and thus. they
steamed to the center of the bay
They passed before the city seeking
the Spanish ships and found them near
the entrance of Baker bay, backed and
fanked by Cavite forts with two tor
pedo. boats. and four gunboats inside
the Mole, which served as protection,
while the. Reina Christina, Castillo,
Don Antonio de Ullca, Isla de Cuba
Isla de Luzon and the mail boat Nina
mao were drawn up outside.
The Spaniards fired the first shot at
5000 yards, but it was ineffective The
American ships formed in column and
steamed nearer, reserving their fire I'M
til within 1000 yards. They then
passed backwards and forwards six
time across the Spaniards' front, pour
ing in a perfect hail of shot and Shell |
Every shot seemed to tell. Then the
Americans retired for breakfast and a
council Of war.
Spanish Ships Afire
The Spanish ships were already In a
desperate condition. The Reina Chris
tina was riddled, and one of her steam
pipes had burst The Castillo was also
on fire, and both were burned to the
waters edge. The Don Antonio de
Ulloa made magnificent show of des-
perate bravery. With her colors nailed
to her mast, she sank with all hands.
Her hull was riddled, and her upper
vnrAf al l,,4 ~
lower deck were still firing defiantIv as
the vessel sank beneath the waters.
A torpedo boat tried to creep along
the short, round the offing and attack
the non-combatants Zafiro, Nashan
and McCulloch, but was driven ashore
and shot into bits. The Minanao was
run onto the beach and the other small
craft retired behind the Mole.
The fight started at $50. was adj
Journed at $50 and resumed about
noon. The finishing touches were given
to Cavite by the ePtrel and Concord.
The Raleigh grounded twice in shallow
watr during the engagement
Cav1te is in utter ruin and has sur
rendered. The gunboats have been
scuttled and the arsenal was on fire
and exploded, causing great mortality.
The commodore of the fleet on hoard
the Reina Christina was wounded and
her captain, lieutenant, chaplain and
the nAqsnlpman were killed by shell
striking the bridge. Eighty of her crew
were killed and sixty wounded On the
Castlla 100 were killed and 60 were
wounded.
Inc Spanish causalties aggregate
more than thousand. There were no
caasultles among the American crews.
except that six of the Baltimore's men
were slightly wounded by one of the
enemies shells striking another shell
lylng on deck and exploding it. There
were only three shot holes in her nm
per works, live in the upper works of
the Olympia and whaleboat smashed
on the Raleigh. No other damage was
done anywhere. y" "9
Inc disparity between the injury in
nlcted on the Spanish fleet and that
sustained by the Americans is dra NV
the superior guns of the latter and s1.
perlor craftsmanship at longer range
Spanish Loss 1000.
Inc Manila Esplanade's Krupp ten.
men guns were fired continuously. but
Inc Americans avoided replying and tn
Ealtery showed white flag afterwards
Inc terms of capitulation are still I'M.
settled. I'LL
:, Commodore Dewey fears rioting bv
the rebels. If he attempts a bombard,
ment. u
The forts at the entrance 70 tho how
capitulated and were disr antiad oa a.,
Wednesday. The Americans c1,t tho
caole because the Spaniards refnsnd
10 permit them to use it, pending tha
surrender of the city, and it is tbora
FORE. not known what is transnirin,
on shore.
FIshermen's Excursions.
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