The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-05-02
SPANISH STATEMENT.
An Effort to Extract Comfort From
.,.s.,. a Signal Defeat. uz1u.a,
AMERICAN SHIPS RETREATED,"

.na.,. q Signal Defeat. Hxsn.n,
AMERICAN SHIPS RETREATED."
According to the Official Report They "Took
Refuge Behind the Merchant Ships in the
Harbor"--Two Spanish Vessels Sunk and
Spanish Commanders Killed.
Madrid, May 2.-Advlces from Manila
say that the American squadron under
Commodore Dewey appeared off the
Bay OF Manila at o'clock Saturday
morning and opened a strong cannon
ade against the Spanish squadron and
forts protecting the harbor. The Span
ish second class cruiser Don Juan de
Austria was severely damaged and her
commander killed. Tho American
squadron retired, having also sustained
severe damage. A second naval en-
gagement followed, In which the Amer
lean squadron again suffered consider
able loss and the Spanish warship
Mindano and Ulloa were slightly dam
aged.
The following Is the text Of the Of
f1cial dispatch from the governor gem
eral of the Philippines to the minister
of war. Lieutenant General Correa, as
to the engagement off Manila:
Saturday night. April 80. the bat.
teries at the entrance to the fort an
nounced the arrival Of the enemy's
squadron. forcing O passage in the
of lrl H.
the enemy took up positions. opening
with strong fire against Fort Cavits
and the arsenal.
"Our fleet engaged the enemy in
brilliant combat. protected by the
Cavite and Manila forts. They obliged
the enemy. with heavy loss. to man
euver repeatedly. At Q o'clock the
American squadron took refuge behind
the foreign merchant shipping on the
east side Of the bay.
"Our fleet, considering the enemy's
superiority, naturally suffered a Sc
we're loss. The cruiser Reina Maria
Christina was destroyed by fire. as was
the cruiser Castillo. The other ships
retired from the combat. some being
sunk to avoid their falling into the
enemy's hands.
There was considerable loss of life.
Captain Cadasso. commanding tho
Maria Christiana. Is among the killed.
I cannot now give further details. The
spirit of the army, navy and volunteers
is excellent"
III Hersldo de Madrid says that Ad-
mral Montojo changed his flagship to
the gunboat Isla de Cuba during The en-
bnk tu-n
In order to better direct the maneuvers
In this way he escaped the fate OF the
commander Of the Rcina Maria Chris.
tina,
The second engagement. according to
I'll Heraldo. was apparently begun by
the Americans, after landing their
wounded on the west side of the bay.
In the latter engagement the Spanish
warships Mindanao and Ulloa suffered
heavily.
During the second engagement the
Cavite forts maintained a steadier and
stronger fire upon the American
squadron than in the first engagement.
Admiral Bermejo the minister Of
marine, has expressed himself as
highly pleased with the heroism Of the
Bpanish marines, and has telegraphcd
congratulations to Admiral Montejo
rad the valorous crews OF the Spanish
squadron under fire of superior ships.
Notwithstanding the severe damage
the Spanish ships sustained, naval of.
Fcers here consider that further opera
tions by the American squadron will
be conducted with great difficulty,
owing to their having no base where
they could repair and re-coal or obtain
fresh supplies Of ammunition.
The United States vessels engaged
were: Olympia. first class. protected
cruiser. $500 tons; Baltimore. second
rate. $500 tons: Boston. second rate,
s,189 tons; Raleigh, second class; Con-
cord. third rate. LOO tons; Petrol.
fourth rate. 800 tons; McCulloch. reve-
nue. cutter: Nashan, collier; Zafiro
supply vessel.
The Spanish ships: Rcina Marie
Christina, $3.50 tons; Castillo. 3.Si2 tons;
Yelasco. 1,1b2 tons; Don Antonio de
Ulloa and Don Juan de Austria, each
l,l3O tons: General Lezo and El Cano,
gun vessels, 524 tons: Marques Del
Duero, dispatch boat, 500 tons. Isla
de Cuba and the Isla de Luzon, both
small gunboats of 1.030 tons displace-
ment: lsla dc Mindarao, Compania !
Transatlantiea Of Cadz, armed as |
cruiser. gross tons Abs.
Another Little Prize Brought In. !