Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1898-05-04

| spanish naval reserve.
FRIDAY, APRIL 20.
The Spanish fleet sailed from Cape
Verde this morning; destination un-
known. An unofficial report says the
fleet divided, a portion sailing north.
presumably for the Canary Islands, and a
portion west, presumably for Cuba, or
possibly merely for a blind. Later the
fleet which sailed north returned,
two torpedo boats having been
damaged by collision. 1t will be i'm
possible for the United States to obtain
reliable jnfermat,"n ot tHe arrival of ali
or part of the f. ,rt ut the Canary
Islands, as the cable is controlled by
Spain.
The war revenue bill passed the House
to-day by vote of 1sl to 1923.
The regu'Ht troops began to move to
the front, going to the Florida rendezvous
at Tampa, which will be the point of en-
barkston for Cuba.
The gunboat "Nashviile", one of the
three ships bloekading he port of Glen
fuegos, on the south coast OF Cuba, cap
tured valuable prize to-dsy-the large
| Spanish steamer "Argonauts", from Spain
for Cienfuegos. On board were Col.
Corijo, Of the third Spanish cavalry; his
lieutenant, surgeon major, seven other
| lieutenants, privates and nom commits
stoned officers. All were held as prison
ers of war.
The "Nashville' also reports brush
between the blockading fleet at Cienfue-
Cos and two torpedo boats and torpedo
boat destroyer, in which the Spanish
boats were compelled to retreat.
SATURDAY, APRIL 30.
The remainder of the Spanish fleet,
which returned to st. Vincent, Cape
Verde Islands, after sailing yesterday,
sailed again this morning.
SUNDAY, MAY l.
The first naval engagement
A Naral of the war took place Sun
Victory day at Manila, Philippine
at Manila. Islands. Though official re-
ports of the battle have not
been received here, 1t is safe to say that it
resulted in decisive victory for the
American fleet. under Commodore Dewey.
1t is safe to say this, because the only
news received, which is through Spanish
sources, admits Spanish defeat, with the
loss of the best ships of the fleet but does
not mention the loss OF a single American
ship, dsmissing the point with the mere
statement that they suffered severely"
Familiarity with Spanish press cen
sorship, and Spanish reluctance to admit
defeat, gives reason to believe that when
official news of the battle is received
here it will record crushing defeat OF
the Spanish fleet 1t is not reasonable
to suppose that the unarmored or slightly
protected vessels of the American fleet
escaped without considerable damage in
an engagement lasting several hours,
but the failure of the Spanish dispatches
to report serious loss to our fleet is
significant.
For lack OF more reliable information
concerning the battle, the official report
of the governor OF the Philippine Islands
to the Spanish minister of war is here
given
Last night. April 80, the batteries at the en-
trance to the port announced the arrival of the
enemy's squadron which was forcing a passage
under the obscurities of night. At aybreak
the enemy took positions, opening strong fire
against the fort at Cavite and the arsenal.
"Our fleet engaged the enemy in a brilliant
combat, protected by the forts at Cavite and
Manila, and obliged the enemy with heavy loss
to change their position and manGuvre re
peaiedly.
AT O'Clock the American squadron took
refuge behind the foreign merchant shipping
on the east side of the bay.
Our fleet, considering the superiority of the
enemy, naturally suffered severe loss. The
Maria Christina Is afire. Another ship, sup
posed to be the Don Juan de Austria, was
blown up. There was considerable loss of life.
capt. Cadarso, commanding the Maria Chris
tina, is among the killed"
Later reports were received to the effect
that Admiral Dewey followed up his ad-
vantage Monday, and succeeded in occu-
plying Manila, but these reports lack con-
tirmation.
The American fleet at the Philippines
consisted Of the protected cruisers
"Olympis", $50 tons; baltimore"
i,413 tons; "Raleigh," 3,213 tons; "Bos-
ton," 5000 tons; the gunboats Soon
cord'', LILO tons; "Petrel," S92 tons. The
exact number and names Of the Spanish
feet are not known, but the best fighting
ships of the fleet were the "Reina
Christina, $500 tons; "Castilla," 3342
tons; "Don Juan de Austria, "Neasco,"
"Don Antonio de Ulloa," each of 1852
tons. Besides these there were numer-
Gus gun boats.
The Spanish fleet at Manila probably
outnumbered the American fleet two
or perhaps three to one, but was not equal
to it in armament.
The Philippine Islands is a colony in
the Malay archipelago, 600 miles from the
coast of China. 1t is composed of POO
islands, aggregating 1895 square miles,
or nearly twice the area of the New Eng