Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-05-10
THANKS TO DEWEY.
PRESIDENT RECOMMENDS THAI
CONGRESS- PRESENT THEM.
MAGNITUDE OF HIS VICTORY.
IL Can Hardly He Measured by Ordi-
: nary Standnrds--It IL an Effective
Step Toward the Attainment Of
Peace.

WASHINGTON, May s--The President
to-day sent the following message 10
Congress:
''To the Congress of the United States:
ION the oath OF April l directed the
Secretary of the Navy to telegraph or
ders to Commodore George Dewey. OF
the United States navy. commanding the
Asiatic squadron. then lying in the port
OF Hongkong. TO proceed forthwith to the
Philippine Islands, and there to COM
mence operations and engage the assem-
bled Spanish fleet.
promptly obeylng the order. the
United States squadron, consisting OF the
Olympia, Baltimore, Raleigh, Boston.
Concord and Petrol. with the revenue
cutter McCulloch as an auxiliary dis
patch-boat, entered the harbor of Manila
at daybreak on the lst of May. and i'm
mediately engaged the entire Spanish
fleet of eleven ships. which were under
the protection OF the fire OF the island
forts After a stubborn fight, in which
the enemy suffered great loss. these ves-
sells were destroyed or completely dis
abled. and the water battery at Cavite
silenced. or our brave officers and men
not one was lost and only eight were in
jured, and these slightly. All OF our
ships, moreover, escaped any serious
damage.
'By the ith Of May Commodore Dewey
had taken possession OF the naval sta
ton at Cayite, destroying the fortifca.
tons there and at the entrance of the
bay and paroling their garrlsons The
waters of the bay are under his complete
control. He has established hospitals
within the American lines, where go of
the Spanish sick and wounded are as.
sisted and protected.
STEP TOWARD PEACE.
"The magnitude Of this victory can
hardly be measured by the ordinary
standards of naval warfare. Outweigh
ing any material advantage is the moral
effect OF this initial success. At this un-
surpassed achievement the great heart
OF our nation throbs, not with boasting
or with greed Of conquest, but with deep
gratitude that this triumph has come in
just cause, and that, by the grace OF
God, an effective step has thus been
taken toward the attainment OF the
wshed-for peace. To those whose skill.
courage. and devotion have won the
fight, to the gallant comma nder and the
brave officers and men who aided him,
our country owes an incalculable debt
Feeling as our people feel, and speak
ing I'm their name. / at once sent a mes
sage to Commodore Dewey. thanking him
and his officers and men for their splendid
achievement and overwhelming victory.
and informing him that / had appointed
| him an Acting Rear-Admiral.
Il now recommend that, following our
national precedents, and expressing the
! fervent gratitude of every patriotic heart.
the thanks OF Congress be given Acting
| Rear-Admiral George Dewey Of the
United States navy, for highly distn-
| guished conduct in conflict with the
| enemy, and to the officers and men un-
der his command for their gallantry in
! the destruction of the enemy's hees and
| the capture OF the enemys fortihcations
| in the bay OF Manila.
(SigneD WILLIAM M'KINLEY.
Executive Mansion, May 3. 1895"