Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-05-09

entered the harbor of Manila at daybreak
on the 1st Of May and Immediately en-
gagged the entire Spanish fleet of eleven
the fire of the land forts. After a Stub
born fight, in which the enemy suffered
great loss, these vessels were destroyed or
completely disabled and the water battery
at Cavite silenced. OF our brave officers
and men not one was lost and only eight
injured. and those slightly. All of our
ships escaped any serious damage.
By the 4th of May Commodore Dewey
had taken possession of the naval station
at Cavite, destroying the Notifications
there and at the entrance of the bay, and
paroling their garrisons. The waters of the
bay are under his complete control. He
has established hospitals within the Ameri-
can lines. where two hundred and fifty of
the Spanish sick and wounded are assisted
and protected.
The magnitude of this victory can hardly
be measured by the ordinary standards of
naval warfare. Outweighing any material
advantage is the moral effect of this initial
success. At this unsurpassed achievement
the great heart of our nation throbs, not
with boasting or with greed of conquest,
but with deep gratitude that this triumph
mas come In just cause and that by the
grace of. God an effective step has thus
been taken toward the attainment of the
Wished-for peace. To those whose skill,
and devotion have won the fight,
officers and men who aided him, our coun-
try owes an incalculable debt.
Feeling as our people feel and speaking
in their name. 1 at once sent a message
to Commodore Dewey, thanking him and
his officers and men for their splendid
achievement and overwhelming victory, and
informing him that 1 had appointed him
an acting rear admiral.
1 now recommend that, following our
national precedents and expressing the fer
vent gratitude of every patriotic heart, the
thanks of Congress be given Acting Rear
Admiral George Dewey of the United
States navy for highly distinguished con-
duct in conflict with the enemy, and to the
officers and men under his command for
their gallantry in the destruction of the
enemy's fleet and the capture of the enc
ny's fortifcations in the Bay of Manila.
WILLIAM MCKINLEY.
Executive Mansion, May 9, 1898.
Senator Hale and Representative Bou-
telle. chairmen, respectively, of the Senate
and House committees on naval affairs
were called to the White House during the
Cabinet session this morning to consider
the resolution of thanks recommended in
the Presidents message. They spent but a
few minutes, and the two chairmen subse-
quently met at the Capitol and decided
upon the form of legislation for making
commodore Dewey rear admiral, to be
introduced simultaneously.
Action of the Senate.
AT the conclusion of the prayer in the
Senate the reading of the journal was dis
pensed with, and the Vice President resog-
nlzed the Presidents executive clerk Mr.
Crook, who presented a message from the
PRESIDENT. The message was laid before
the eSnate. 1t recommended that a vote of
thanks to Commodore Dewey and his men
De extended by Congress in recognition of
his remarkable victory in Manila bay.
As soon as the message had been read
MIR. Hale, chairman of the naval affairs
presented the following resoIu-
tion of thanks, and asked immediate con-
sideratiOn:
That, In pursuance of the recommenda-
tion OF the President, made in accordance
with the provisions of section IJuS of the
Revised Statutes, the thanks of Congress
and OF the American people are hereby ten
dered to Commodore George Dewey, u. s.
NJ commander-in-chiei of the United
states naval 1orce on the ASiatic station
Tor mighty distinguished conduct in conflict
Win the enemy, as displayed by HIM in the
destructioii of the Spanish fleet and bat
teries in the harbor of Manila, Philippine
Islands, May /, 1895.
Section =. That the thanks of Congress
an0 the American people are hereby ex-
tended through Commodore Dewey to the
o1icers and men under his command for
the gaiidntry ami skill exhibited by them
Oil that occasion.
Section ). Be it further resolved thai the
President of the United States be REQUEST
ed 10 cause this resolution 10 be communi-
Gated to Commodore Dewey, and, through
MIN, 10 the officers and men under his COM
nand."
1t seems to me-" said Mr. Quay CPa).
that in view of the wonderful nature OF
the victory of Commodore Dewey the res
o,ution might well go farther l suggest
that provision be added for the presenta-
ton of sword to Commodore Dewey and
medals to his officers and men,"
That is very good suggestion" said
MI Hale. but the matter of the sword and
medals can be taken care of in another
The resolution was then passed by an
aye and no vote, sixty-six senators voting
In favor of it and not one against it,
Mr.. Hale then introduced bill providing
that the number of rear admiraIs of the
United States navy be increased from six
to seven. the purpose of the measure being
to enable the President to nominate Com
modore Dewey as a rear admiral
The bill was passed without a dissenting
voice.
Mr.. Quay's suggestion that a sword be
presented to Admiral Dewey had been an
ticipated. as MIR. Lodge (AIass) offered the
following resolution: That the Secretary