The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-05-10
SPANISH LOSSES.


On the other hand. about $50 mem
are said 10 have been killed on board
the Reina Christina, which was total
ly destroyed. Admiral Montejo thu
Spanish commander. transferred his
flag TO the Isla de Cuba, when his shfT,
caught fire. but the latter was destroy
ed also In due course OF time. The
Reina Christina lost her captain "a
lieutenant, her chaplain and a mid
shipman by one shot which struck her
bridge. About 100 men were killed and
sixty wounded on board the Castillo
Indeed, some estimates place the mum
ber Of Spanish wounded during the en-
gagement at over 1,000
Although the krupp guns on the cs-
planade of Manila were fired continu-
ously during the engagement Commn-
dore Dewey did not reply TO them and
the battery afterward hoisted a white
nag in token OF surrender. The terms
of the capitulation were still unsettled
when the McCulloch left Manila and
! il was said Commodore Dewey feared
rioting upon the part OF the insurgents
II he attempted a bombardment of the.
remaining fortifications at Manila.
The forts at the entrance OF the bay
were dismantled on Wednesday, aftcr
they had capitulated.
IL is said the American commodore
ordered the cable cut because the
Spaniards refused to permit him TO usc.
1T pending the complete surrender OF
the city.
1t is said that the Spanish ships did
not get under steam until after the
alarm was given. 1t is said also that
the Spanish commander informed the
governor general that IL was advisab
to surrender in the interests of hu-
manity. it was impossible to resist
successfully. but that he and his men
were willing enough to fight and die.
Even when the Spanish flagship was
shot half away her commander, though
wounded, refused to leave the bridge
till the ship was burning and sink
ing, her stern shattered by common
shell and her steam pipe burst
AS yet, there are no further details
of the fighting. After II was over, Com
modore Dewey sent an ultimatum TO-
the city battery, ordering IL to cease,
firing or he would lombard
SPANISH GOODNESS.
The Petrol chased a gunboat Nh ,b,.
river Pasg, and the Spanish captain
came in boat to negotiate conditiuup
of surrender The American captaszs
replied: Unconditional surrender u9
fight"
To this the Spaniard answered: We
are willing to fight. Please allow IT'S
TO send for ammunition, because our
store is exhausted"
ON proposal to the existing au-
thorities to continue temporarily un-
der the American flag, pending the ter
mination Of the war the SpaniartRss
delayed their decision and kept wiring
to Madrid. The Americans requcst.cz
the privilege Of using the wire auGf
when this was refused they cut the
cable.
The Esmeralda, from Hong Kong ar
rived right in the middle OF the baths.
During the adjournment for breakfast
American az Tsp
meet her, as IL was believed she might
be Spaniard. When II was found
that the new arrival was a British-es-
sci, she was warned to keep awaT The
Esmeralda, therefore, moved up the
bay ten or fifteen miles.
There are still two or three Spanish
gunboats about the Philippines. but
no resistance from them is probable
One recently captured an American
bark. a.
MANILA EVACUATED. u
Madrid. May Sill a. NIT is claim
ed that message has been received
here from Manila, announcing that thS
Spanish troops have retired from Ma
Mia. taking with them alr Il -rIs-
ammunition and stores.
London, May 9.-The Hong Kong coz
| respondent Of The Daily Mail gives the
following additional details:
There was an act OF treachery on
the part OF a Spanish ship which low
cred her flag and then fired at a boats
crew sent to take possession Of her
She did not hit the boat, but our guns
were turned on her and tore her tD
pieces. She went to the bottom with all
on board. Several vessels close I'm shore
behaved in the same way and shared
her fate.
The Spaniards had fought to their
last gasp and now surrendered They
had been announcing that the Amerf-
cans would kill every one in Cavfte and
when we landed a long procession az
priests and sisters OF mercy met tEe
boat from the Petrol and begged our
rnen not TO injure the wounded i'm the
hospitals. AS a matter OF fact the
Americans rescued some 200 Spaniards-
and sent them ashore.
All the Spanish vessels are des troy
ed, with 2,000 men. The Spanish ezti-
mate gives their loss at 900 killed AMI
wounded. In the Reina Maria Christina
200 men are believed to have been kIa-
ed or drowned.
The officers OF the McCulloch, With
| whom / conversed today. bear testf-
| mony TO the bravery OF the Spaniards-
| They particularly praised the gallant
| crew of the Castillo, whom they DE-
] scribe as the bravest men ever sack
| ed in battle They consider the resuzx
| Of the fight a remarkable instance CT
| the advantage of long range firing tn
, the side which Is better in artiIIerr
| and craftsmanship.
| Private papers captured at Cavfte
Continued on Eighth Page) =.