Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1898-05-12
TO CLOSE THE WAR
GOVERNMENT HOPES TO END IT
IN SIX WEEKS.
SINK THE SPANISH NAVY
Dewey's Advantage Will Be Clinched
by Sending the Pacific Coast Troops
to Manila-No Insurgent Govern
ment to Rule-Dewey Protects
Foreigners.

Washington, May S.-The Post to-
day prints the following: All day yes
terday following the receipt of the ad-
vices from Dowey important confer
ences were in progress at the white
house, the war, and navy departments
As a result of these conferences, plans
have been perfected for the retention
of the Philippines, the immediate in
vasion of Cuba, and the occupation OF
Porto Rico. kilograms have been
sent in all directions advising the mil
itary and navy commanders Of adop-
ton of an aggressive policy. In six
weeks the war ought to be at an end.
In the meantime, SPANS fleet on the
Atlantic will be sent to the bottom OF
the ocean. 1t is to be no silken glove
the United States is to stretch out. 1t
will be a hand Of mail. Armed men
are to be sent, guns, bayonets and
light artillery and the expedition is to
be no summer picnic. The military
governor of the the islands will prob
ably be Henry C. Merriam. There Is
to be no turning OF the islands over to
O provisional or experimental govern
ment Of insurgents, as will be the case
in Cuba Such a step waald ehaahger
the lives of the Bpaniards as well as
Europeans, and would lose to the
United States all the fruits of Dewey's
victory. The flag of the United States
is to float over the islands in fact as
well as In name. There is to be new
power in the Pacific, all the rest OF the
world to the contrary Notwithstanding.
Details for the proposed expedition
to the Philippines have been advanced
materially as result of the confer
ences between Secretary Alger, Cen
eral Miles and other officers of the
army The expedition will carry in
all, 5000 men and start from San
! Francisco as soon as arrangements
can be perfected. 1t is not yet finally
determined whether all troops will go
at once. The statement was made
that in addition to the regular soldiers,
quotas of the national guard from the
states of California, Idaho, Oregon and
| Washington will be detailed to 60 AS
for the regular army troops there are
two regiments of cavalry, four COM
panies of the fourteenth infantry and
a regiment of artillery readily acces-
sible to San Francisco. For transpor-
tatlon purposes the war department
ofhcials say that there is no lack of
available vessels on the coast.
Hong Kong, May THE order of
the battle assumed by the Spanish was
with all of the small craft inside of the
Cavlte harbor, stone and timber
breakwaters and the larger ships
cruising off Cavite and Manila. No
patrol was established nor was any
searchlight placed at the entrance to
the bay. On Saturday night the
American ships crept inside the bay
without being seen until the McCul-
loch's funnel emitted some sparks.
Then few shots were exchanged with
| Corrigedor island, but the fleet never
| stopped nor slowed down until oppo-
site the city at dawn. The Spanish
ships then opened fire, supported by
the Cavite forts. The McCulloch re-
NAMED at some distance and the enc
my's shells passed, but did not touch
her. The cruiser Baltimore suffered the
most of any Of the American ships.
Five or ten shots took effect on her.
but none of her officers or crew were
seriously hurt. Only few slight in
juries were suffered by the American
fleet, the worst of which resulted from
an explosion of some ammunition on
the deck Of the Baltimore. The other
ships Of the feet were practically I'M
hurt. One hundred and fifty Spaniards
were killed and many wounded. The
cruiser Reina Christina was the worst
damaged of the Spanish ships and it
is believed that she was sunk. The
other ships Of the Spaniards were
quickly riddled by the Americans fire.
Two torpedo boats from Cavite were
quickly forced to return to that place
for shelter. The Cavite arsenal was
exploded and 40 Spaniards were killed |
The forts made a nominal resistance |
The battery was not o2pitulated and !
the Spaniards ashore are still defiant. |