Evening journal., 1898-05-09
FIRST
BATTLE
The Story Of the
Great Manila
Fight.
NOT One SHIP LOST.
DeWey'S victory DID MOI
Cost an American Life.
MANILA AT OUR MERCY
Eleven Spanish Ships Sunk and Six
Hundred Sailors Dead.
MANILA AT OUR MERCY
Eleven Spanish Ships Sunk and Six
Hundred Sailors Dead.
THE ENEMY'S FORTS DESTROYED
The vaunted Defensos of Manila Foil an
Easy Prey 60 the American Squadron.
Two Submarine Mines Were Ex-
ploded, but Did No Damage.

HONGKONG, May 9.-Among naval
men, military men and civilians, Eu-
ropeans and natives here yesterday
there was only one topic OF discussion
the brilliant. dashing, annihilaUng VIC
tory Of the American fleet under Com
nodore Dewey over the Spanish fleet
commanded by Admiral Montojo In Ma
nilla hay on Sunday last.
Owing to the fact that the cable be-
tween this port and the Philippine is
lands was not In working order, having
been cut, Il is said, some distance from
the capital OF the islands, there has
been delay In obtaining a detailed ac-
count OF the battle, and facts In the
case were only available when the Unit
eo States gunboat Hugh McCulloch ar
rived here Saturday, and even then the
tremendous pressure OF business sud
denly thrown upon the cable company
necessarily made the earlier accounts
Of the engagement somewhat brief,
Commodore Dewey's orders were to
capture or destroy the Spanish feet
and never We're Instructions executed
In so complete fashion, At the end
OF seven hours there was absolutely
nothing left Of the Spanish fleet but a
few relics.
The American commander had most
skillfully arranged every detail OF the
action, and even the apparently most
insignificant features were carried out
with perfect pupctuality and railroad
time table order.
At the end of the action Commodore
Dewey anchored his fleet In the bay be-
fore Manila and sent a message TO the
governor general, General August an
bouncing the Inauguration of the block
ade and adding that II a shot was fired
against his ships he would destroy evT
cry battery about Manila.
The position occupied by the Span
ards, the support which their ships re-
ceived from the land batteries, and the
big guns they had ashore gave them an
enormous advantage. Therefore when
Il is considered that the Spaniards lost
over 600 men In killed and wounded,
that all their ships, IA In number We're
destroyed and that their naval arsenal
ne Cavite was also destroyed with its
defenaes IL viii become apparent that
the victory of the American commodore
Is one Of the most complete and Won
derful In the history of naval warfare.
Not man on board the American
fleet was killed, not a ship was dam
aged to any extent, and only six men
were injured slightly-on board the pal
tlmore
This grand achievement is quite as
much due TO the generalship of Com.
modore Dewey as 10 the fact that thC
American gUnners. ships and guns az,
superior 20 anything In the same lin,
Rhoat anywhere. Credit must also b,
given TO the fullest extent 20 the OH
GERS under Commodore Dewey. for to
man they seconded their gallant com
mander In every way possible and thu,
helped him earn the laurels which ar,
80 Justly his
The order of battle taken up by tn,
spaniards was with all the small Graf
Inside the stone and timber breakwater
--pf Cavite harbor. The larger ships o
Spain cruised of Cavite and Manila.
The American fleet entered Manlui
bay on Saturday night with the great
est Of ease The Spaniards had not es
tablished a patrol and there were n
Bearchlights at the entrance of the BAY
In fact. the American ships would prob
ably have passed inside the bay with
out any challenge had Il not been tina
some sparks flew up from the McCul
lochs funnel. whereupon a few shot
were exchanged with the batteries o.
CorregidOr island. But the fleet al
not slow down and soon took up a pc
sition near Cavite awaiting dawn {
order 20 commence hostilities.
The early hours of the morning re
vealed the opposing ships to each othel
and the Spanish flagship opened fir,
Her action was followed by some OF IN
larger Spanish warships. and then IN
cavite forts opened up and the smane
Spanish vessels brought their guns fnt
play
The American squadron. which ha
been led into the bay and through III
channel by the flagship Olympia. di
not reply. though the shells Of the Spar
iards began to strike the water aroun
them. put moved majestically onwarl
When nearing Baker bay. a sudden NJ
heaval of water a short distance ahea
Of the Olympia showed that the Spar
iards had exploded a mine or a to
pedo. This was followed by a secor
and similar explosion. They were bot
utterly unsuccessful.
The American fleet was then DRAWN
nearer and nearer to the spaniard