The San Francisco call., 1898-06-19
THe auAkEN RElklAE DE CHRloTIr4A

this shell had burst among the Span ish gunners, killing several, and if this report was true it was a marvel ous shot. At any rate, there were no more shots from shore, and, as the commodore did not wish to waste time on the batteries, the squadron kept on its course.
 Speed was now reduced to less than three knots, as there was no haste The commodore wished to arrive off Manila at the first peep of dawn but not earlier. The men were allowed to lie down beside their guns to get what sleep they could, but the very strictest lockout was kept for the enemy's ships and torpedo boats.
 At o'clock coffee and hardtack were served out to the men and the officers were glad to get the same frugal prov ender.
 The lights of the city of Manila had loES been in sight, and Lieutenant Calkins, the navigator, knew his posi- tion to nicety. Indeed, much of the success of this bold entry into Manila Bay by night was due to the skill and Judgment of the navigator, who contin- ued his patient and harasSing laborS all through the battle with never fail ing accuracy and success. It should be remembered that navigating a harbor that is well lighted and buoyed is not always the easiest thing in the world, and in this case Lieutenant Calkins had no lights nor range marks to guide him. l am informed that special mention of this officer was made in the official dis patches, and he certainly deserved it.
 The dawn began about 4:30 o'clock, a mi Manila. AS the sun came up exactly behind the city, the shadow cast by the land obscured the harbor fore ground. Finally we made out the pres ence of group of vessels in the port, but before o'clock we were able to recognize them as merchant ships
 Our cruisers were now in close battle order, the flagship leading, followed by the Baltimore, the Raleigh, the Petrel, the Concord and the Boston. We had passed to the northward of Manila and were heading to the south when we sighted the Spanish squadron in the little bay of Cavite At this point, we knew, the Spaniards had we'll equipped navy yard, which they called Cavite Arsenal.
 The Velasco was also in the harbor, but she was undergoing repairs, and her guns, three 5.9-inch and two 2.7- inch rapid fire guns, were mounted in earthworkS on shore. There were sev- eral torpedo-bo two of which were sunk during the action, and two fine transports, the Manila and the Isla de Mindanao, one of which was captured and the other sunk.
 It will be seen that the Spanish squadron was inferior In every way to the attacking fleet. If 1t had .been obliged to come out into the open sea to fight us it would not have had the | ghost of a chance. But that which gave the Spaniards an equalizing ele- ment was the position they had taken under protection of the shore batteries. It Is estimated by all experts that one gun mounted on shore Is worth sev- eral aboard ship. It has a fixed plat form, and is therefore able to fire with much greater accuracy. Another great l advantage our enemy had was the knowledge of the exact distance of our ships at all times during the action. Having no range marks to go by and receiving no aid from the few range | finders installed in our vessels 1t was | an exceedingly difficult matter for our officers to determine the proper eleva- tion to be given to our sights.
 We were constantly moving-some- times in and sometimes across the line of fire-so that even when one shell was seen to strike in the right spot it was no guide for the next one.
 At distance of 4000 yards or less the Spaniards ought not to have missed