The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1898-05-06
GLORIOUS VICTORY.
Oommod ore Dewey Sinksand Burns
Spanish Fleet OFF tho
Philippines.
.sPAlN's CRUSHING DEFEAT.
Loss Of Life Heavy on tho Spanish.
e.. side-spectacular Naval
j ] Battle. >

"a Washington. D. O., May 2.-The first
naval battle of the war has been fought
and it is an overwhelming victory for the
Stars and Stripes. ; !,
Acting Rear Admiral Dewey, in COM
mand of the Pacific squadron, has admins
istered crushing blow to the Spanish.
feet defending Manila and it is probably
annihilated. = =. =:
The news reports are solely from Span
ish sources, and are doubtless made as
favorable as possible to the enemy. But
even their reports admit that the largest
Spanish warship, the Reina .Christina,
has been completely burned, as was also
the Castillo, the next in Importance of
the Spanish fleet: that several other YES
sells in the Spanish squadron We're sunk
to prevent them falling into Commander
the fReina Christina was Killed and that
the Spanish Admiral Montejo only es-
capped the same fate by the lucky trans
fer of his flag to another Ship before the
Christina went down.
Spanish Loss Very Heavy. -,
Under these circumstances the Spanish
must have suffered very great loss of life,
but the details are withheld. Spain con-,
trolling the only cable, we have received
only such information as she is reluctant
ly willing to dole out in the face of such
4 disaster. 81. - -. -.
Not an American ship was lost, but
some of them, it is reported, suffered
The United States fleet has effected a
landing on the west side of the bay.
1t issprobable Commander Dewey will
now make a combined attack on Manila
by land and sea, having effected juno
ture with the insurgents.
/ He has probably already sent dispatch
boat to Hong Kong with news of the
battle, and the first details will probably
come from that point. 5
Spanish Commander Killed.
Madrid, May 1.-Advices from Manila
say that the American squadron under
Commodore Dewey appeared off the Bay
of Manila at 5 o'clock last nighttsand
opened a strong cannonade against the
Spanish squadron and forts protecting the
harbor. 49, -: -. IL;
The Spanish second-class cruiser Don
Juan de Austria was severely damaged
and her commander was killed. Another
Spanish vessel was burned.
The American squadron retired, having
also sustained severe damage.
A second naval engagement followed in
which the American squadron again suf-
fered considera BILE loss and the Spanish
warships Mindanao and Ulloa were
slightly damaged. 80
The Omcial Dispatch.
The following is the text of the official
dispatch from the governor~general of the
Philippines to the minister of war, Lieut.
Gen. Correa, as to the engagement. off
Manila:
Last night, April 80, the batteries at
the entrance to the fort announced the
arrival of the enemy's squadron, forcing
a passage under the obscurity of the
night At daybreak the enemy took up
positions. opening with a strong fire
against Fort Cayite and the; arsenal Nm IS
* ''Our fleet engaged the enemy in q bril-
liant combat, protected bysthe Cavite and
Manila forts. They obliged the enemy
with heavy loss to maneuveF repeatedly.
refuge behind the foreign merchant ship
ping on the east side of the bay.
Spain's Ships Burn.
"Our fleet. considering the enemy's SUI
periority, naturally suffered "a severe loss
The Maria Christina is on fire and an
other ship, i elieved to be the Don Juan
de AUSTRIA was blown up. -:
'eThere was considerable loss of life.
Capt. Cadarzo, commanding the. Maria
Christina, is among the killed. I cannot
now give further details. The spirit of
the army, navy and volunteers is excel
lent"
Sunk to Escape tho Enemy.
Midnight-An official telegram received
at late hour from the encouragement
of the Philippines says: "Admiral
Montejo has. transferred his flag to the
cruiser Isla de Cuba from the cruiser
Reina~ Maria Christina The Christina
was completely burned, as was also the
cruiser Castillo. the other ships having to
retire from the combat and some being
sunk to avoid their falling into the hands
of the enemy" -. .-,..- u.s. ..
FL Heraldo says Montejo changed his
flagship during the engagement or be-
tween the two encounters the better to;
direct the maneuvers. Thus he escaped
the fate of Christmas commander