Evening star., 1898-12-31

wounded. Only means of telegra phing is
American consul at Hong Kong. I shall
communicate with him.
tSgned) "DEWFy
a second dispatch was received in Wash
1ngton on May I, and was as follows
'CAElTE, May Al have taken possess
sion of naval station at Cavite on Philip
pine Islands. Have destroyed the fortifica-
tons at bay entrance, paroling the garri-
SON l control bay completely and can take
city at any time. The squadron is in excel
lent health and spirits Spanish loss not
fully known, but very heavy. One hundred
and fifty killed. including captain of Reina
Cristina. am assisting in protecting Span
ish sick and wounded; 80 sick and wound
ed in hospital within our lines. Much ex-
element at Manila. VIII protect foreign
residents.
(Signed) .DEWEY."
Surprise to the World.
The news of this splendid victory was a
surprise to the world. Nothing like it had
ever been accomplished before. 1t at once
established the superiority of the American
arms and had wide-reaching effect in
changing the attitude of some of the Euro
pean powers whose sympathy for Spain
had almost taken the form of aggressive
interference.
The Secretary of the Navy expressed to
Commodore Dewey, his officers and his
men the thanks of President Mckinley on
behalf of the American people for the sp,en-
y,
and added:
In recognition he has appointed you
acting admiral and will recommend vote
of thanks to you by Congress-
Interest Reverts to Cuba.
Interest was again turned toward Cuba
in the latter days of May. On May - a
Spanish squadron, under the command of
Admiral Cervera, entered the harbor of
Santiago. This squadron had lain for sew
eral weeks at the Cape de Verde Islands,
and the continued reports of its sailing and
rumorS of its having been sighted al a
number of points along the coast served TO
keep up considerable excitement in cities
along the coast and the keenest interest
on the part of Admiral SIMPSONS fleet,
which was watching for its arrival.
About this time the whole world was
again astOnished at the splendid perform
ance of an American Warship. On March
l. Captain Clark left the Mare Island navy
yard with the battle ship Oregon, under
orders to proceed by way of Cape Horn
and join Admiral Sampson in the West In
dies. He reached the Straits of Magellan
April Il, and at Punta Areas picked up
the United States gunboat Marietta, the
two vessels arriving at Rio de Janeiro de
Brazil April 80.
AT Rio he picked up the Nictheroy a
cruiser lately purchased from Brazil In
the run from Rio to Barbados in the West
Indies the battle ship made some remark
able records. on the way to Bahia the
Oregon made ;'75 miles in twenty-four
hours, the greatest speed ever attained by
any Warship for so great d distance The
run from Bahia to Barbados, West Indies,
2,5iS miles, was made in nine days, an
other unmatched record. On May "a Cap
tain Clark reported TO the Secretary of the
Navy at Washington from Jupiter Inlet,
on the Florida coast. that he was ready for
duty and awaited orders
On May % Commodore Schley, who was
patrolling the southern coast of Cuba with
~ \ IIr1ir
discovered the lattcr's fleet in the harbor
OF Santiago and Immediately established
Il close blockade of that port. The govern
ment at once bent all its energies TO the
capture or destruction of that fleet In
pursuance of this object it was decided to
land force in the vicinity Of Santiago and
attack the Notifications there from the land
side. y corps comprising about 20UU men,
OF all arms was organized and placed un-
der the command of Major General William
X. Shafter, al Tampa, Fla. This force was
successfully landed at Baiquiri. Il point on
the Cuban coast about twenty miles eas
OF Santiago, on June ~ Almost imme-
diateiy an advance was begun in the di-
rection of Santiago. Several minor skir-
misheS TOOK place in the next ten days be-
tween the invading army and the Spanish
troops.
The Battle of Santiago
On July l, the Spanish forces were found
intrenched in a strong position on the hills
north of the city of Santiago and battle
was Immediately given to the enemy all
along his lines, the heaviest fighting oc-
curing at the little town of Ell Caney and
strong redOubt known as San Juan HILL
As result of the first days fight the Span
ish forces were driven back from the outer
trenches, which We're occupied by the
American troops Heavy fighting continued
all next day between the opposing forces
in trenches, and continued until noon of
July 3, when General Shafter made a de-
m on hn 1piSh I
surrender.
Negotiations for capitulation continued
until July IA. during which time no further
serious fighting occurred, and on that date
the Spanish commander signed an agree
ment TO surrender his forces to the United
States. In this surrender he included all
the troops in Santiago province west of q
line running north and south through a
point a little west of the city of Santiago
1t was stipulated that the Spanish troops
so surrendered. should be deported to Spain
at the expense of the United States govern
ment.
While these operations were going on on
land the naval forces under Admirals
sampson and Schley, achieved second
naval victory quite equal in brilliancy to
that secured by Dewey at Manila.
On Sunday morning. July 3. Admiral Ger
vera attempted to escape from the harbor
of Santiago with his fleet. In space of
about three hours this entire fleet was de-
stroyed by the American warships on the
outside. The wrecks of the flower of the
Spanish navy were Strewn along the coast
for distance of sixty miles and their
crews after being terribly decimated by the
fire of the American ships We're all sur
rendered This victory, also like that at
Manila, was won with a mraculously small
loss of life on the part of any of the Ameri-
can warships, and little or no damage TO
the ships themselves.
The formal surrender of the Soanish
troops at Santiago took place at noon ON
Sunday. July II. and this practically ended
the war so far as Cuba was concerned
The Porto Rican Expedition.
On July Is 6,OOO troops embarked at
Tampa for Porto Rico. They were Joined
at sea by General Miles on the auxiliary
cruiser Yale, and seven days later a de-
tachment was landed at Puerto de Guam
lea, near Ponce. where a skIrmish took
place between the Spanish troops and the
landing party. Three days later General
Miles telegraphed that the subsection of