The record-union., 1898-05-08
MORTALITY OF SPANISH.
Creates Amazement Among Off
ciaIs in Navy Department.

| c1als In Navy department.
| WASHINGTON, May THE officials
of the Navy Department, as well as all
the army officers who were on duty
at the War Department, were simply
amazed at the extent of the mortality
inflicted upon the Spanish by Admiral
Dewey, for from the moment when Sec
retary Long sent his dispatch of con-
graduation the Commodore became an
Admiral.
Officers scratched their heads in vain
to think of any genuine hostile engage
ment between armed forces that had
been so one-sided in its results as the
battle of Manila and the subsequent
engagements. Never before save where
some terrible accident, such as the
| blowing up of a ship has occurred, was
there any record of such a result. The
opinion was expressed by strategists
that with superb judgment Dewey alb
solutely smothered the fire of the Span
! ish batteries and ships under the weight
of his metal before they had opportuni-
ty to make any effective response. AS
for the forts, it is likely that he took
up his position at a distance that placed
| his ships beyond the range of the old
fashioned ordnance that formed nine
tenths or more of the defensive power
| of the works and shelled them into 81
| lence, succeeding in escaping in the
meantime the few pieces of modern
| ordnance that could be trained upon
him. Of course, this opinion is specu-
| lative, but it represents the views of
some of the ablest strategists in the
Navy Department.
| Admiral Dewey speaks of the Span
ish sick and wounded in hospital with
| in our lines" There can be but one
Interpretation placed upon this namely,
that the Admiral has occupied Cavite,
considerable town, about seven miles
| toward the mouth of the bay from
| Manila. He has thus, supposing he
goes no farther, secured base for the
naval fleet which will serve through
| the remainder of the war at least.
Cavite, it is said outside of the fortifi-
cations. possessed already many of the
essentials of a naval station, among
them marine railway, capable of lift
l. ing out of the water vessels up to 1000
tons displacement, and hence of great
service in repairing and cleaning
the smaller vessels of the American
| fleet.
Deweys cablegram is the statement
that he destroyed the Notifications ar
the entrance This refers to the strong
forts at Corrigidor Island. lying at the
entrance to the bay, and insures the
Admiral against any interruption in
the line of communication with the
outside world
AS soon as the news in the cable
| ,.I,r hvyt Ia
officials. they turned their attention to
the future It was already in contem
plation to send some troops to relieve
the squadron of the necessity of occu-
pying Manila and the forts if Adj
miral Dewey should call for them. AL
though he made no such request in his
cablegram to-day, the officials gather
from its text that he was not in COM
plete possession of the city, and they
tascribed it to the lack of men to oc-
cupy it. Therefore, without waiting
further advices, this Government will
send troops to reinforce Admiral Dewey
with all promptitude. Secretary Alger
and General Miles were communicated
with on the subject, and they immedi-
| ately planned all the necessary arrange
ments for the sending of an expedition
| from San Francisco. These plans will
be put into immediate execution. The
| City of Peking is expected at San Fran
! cisco to-day, and the Mare Island Navy
Yard people promised to have her in
condition to receive troops and sup
plies by next Thursday. Meanwhile the
navy pay officer, Pay Director Griffin,
will make every effort to get together
some more swift merchant steamers to
serve as transports. 1t is not doubted
that a sufficient number of these can
| be readily secured from among the
swift and powerful steamers of the
great ocean lines starting from San
Francisco.
! General Miles thought that about s.
| 600 troops would suffice to reinforce
! Dewey. With vessels like the City
/ of Peking, no trouble would be found
! in carrying these to the Philippines
| in six ships within three weeks. 1t is
the purpose to start the expedition en-
the 10Th, week from tomorrow The
| troops will be taken from the West
mainly.
! Senator Shoup was the first in the
| field with bid for his people for the
| Philippine campaign. The War De-
partment promised to take one of the
infantry companies from Idaho. other
troops will be drawn from Washington
CeSBd ulueAeII no penuuuool