Daily new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1897-1906, 1898-05-06


| Commodore Dewey. He added, how
ever, that he felt no apprehension over
/ this lack Of news, because in the first
place reports were not expected with
/ the cable from Manila cut. Further
more. no fears were entertained as to
/ Commodore Dewey's ability to main
1 tain his position. There was no doubt,
4 the secretary said, that Commodore
i Dewey's fleet had annihilated the Span
i ish fleet, and, with this much accom-
+ plished, Dewey was master of the situa-
i ton at Manila. 1t was suggested to Mr..
/ Long that the shore batteries at Cavite
/ and ON the Corrigador Island might
4 be a serious menace to the American
4 fleet, but the secretary did not share
/ this view, holding that the strength OF
the Olympia and other ships in Dewey &
/ Il amand were ample to make him mas
i t,r Of Manila bay and its surrounding.
The department is taking steps to
render effective aid to the commodore
i in the matter Of supplies and a con-
/ structor of high ability is to go out at
once to repair the damages sustained in
I the battle of Manila Preparations for
/ q suitable convoy for the supply ships
was also indicated by the choice of a
j commander and officers for the cruiser
i Charleston, now at Mare Island 1t IS
recalled az the navy department, n this
/ connection, thai having received the
surrender Of Manila, the commodore
/ would be able to secure any quantity of
/ labor and OF such material as maritime
city like Manila affords for the repair
of his ships He also would be able to
/ place his wounded in comfort in some
of the Manila hospitals or other public
buildings. 1t is always the desire of a
prudent naval commander to get his
wounded ashore at the earliest possible
i opportunity, as they stand better chances
I of recovery.
i No news could be cleaned at the navy
department. relative to the movements
of Admiral Simpsons ironclads, but
i from the confident tone of the officials
/ who are acquainted with the policy OF
i the department they are expecting to
hear very soon of news from his squad
ron almost as interesting and important
as that received from the Philippines
last Monday. A high officer of bhe adj
ministration almost demolished the
theory that Admiral Sampson was GO
| ing to succor the Oregon, now on her
way from Brazil to join the North At
lantic squadron. He declared that the
navy department was under no appre-
hension about the Oregan, for the rea-
son that it did not consider that the
Spanish admiral of the Cape Verde
squadron would be willing to risk a
combat with the Oregon even with the
great odds III his favor, as, even if over
whelmned III the end, the Oregon GER
tainly would destroy one of the Spanish
chine and oo1 NO nd ha S71ar ,icb
government could not afford to exchange
pawns at this stage of the war.
That left open as possible points of
operations for Sampson, either Porto
Rico or some port on the Cuban coast,
but just which theory is to be accepted
is not even limited at by the department
officials.
Notice came to the state department
from Brazil that that government had
| declared neutrality. There is now no
cause to regret such action on the part
of Brazil, for however beneficial the de-
lay has been to the United States in
getting it's warships safely along the
Brazilian coast, the issue of the procla-
nation just now is likely to be still
more beneficial in closing Brazilian
ports to the Spanish flying sqadron if it
should be headed in that direction.
1t may be noted, however, that while
the first reports were received with lit
| tie credit, the advices coming to the
navy department, though not conclu-
sive, incline the officers to the belief
that the Spanish flying squadron really
has turned back from Cape Verde to
consolidate width the home squadron
at Cadiz.
Great pressure is being brought to
bear upon the war department to Sc
cure appointments to second ieutenants
authorized by the recently enacted Hull
bill. The list of applicants includes
many bright young men, for the regu-
lations requires them to be under 30.
Among them are former students at
West Point, newspaper men and others
with political influence back of them.
The navy department. will ship 20O,-
600 pounds of powder to Commodore
Dewey to add to the stock he now has
left. This, with the larger number of
eight-inch armor piercing projectiles,
shells and six-inch and fve-1nch rifle
balls, will make the shipment of ammu-
milton very large one. The powder
and shot together will give 500 rounds
for the big guns and several thousand
rounds for the rapid-fre rifles.
ORDERED TO TAMPA.