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

the recommendation OF the president.
| receive the thanks Of congress may be
| advanced one grade. The president
will do this in Dewey's case, which will
put 1000 additional in his pocket and
jump him over three comnodores, as
well as over Acting Admiral Sampson.
ANOTHER BOAT BOUGHT.
The navy department today bought
another boat, the big steam yacht Dor
oFhy, now at Cramps yard a. Phila-
de!phia and built for Mexican. She
| will be sent to Admiral SIMPSONS
| squadron OF to HayanA on blockade
| duty.
At the embassies and legations Com
| modore Dewey's reports were read
with great interest and served 70 re-
| new the high tributes Of the foreign
| authorities to the gallant American
commander. The remarkable dispar-
| ity probably was without a parallel in
history. How the Spaniards could
| have lost $50 killed and $50 wounded.
while the American loss was confined
TO few men slightly injured is re-
garded by the foreign observers as
| clearly disclosing the utter worthless
ness OF Spanish arms. The ambassa-
| dor Of one Of the great powers said it
| showed that the guns OF the Spanish
| lorts, as we'll as those on their ships
| were worthless, otherwise they would
| nave inflicted at least some mortality
| upon the American sailors. 1T recalls
Solferino," said he ''At that time
| France and Austria were at war The
range of the French guns was longer
| than that of the Austrians. That
| brought them together on unequal term
and the simple difference in the length
Of range Of the French guns determin-
/ ed the outcome of that battle. SO it
was with Dewey. He not only had the
hut In +I.
! and deStructiveness while the Spanish
| guns evidently were antiQuated and
| guns only in name. 1t serves 20 show
| that in the warfare Of today a nation
, must have weapons of the most mod
! ern pattern, else it is at a terrible dis
| advantage and its men eTe left prac-
tically at the mercy of an enemy hav-
| ing all the latest appliances of destruc-
tive warfare. 1t is the lesson of Sol
! ferinO over again and this time Spain
| learns it,
1t was thought that the British en-
| bassy would receive direct advices but
| none came. The French, German and
other foreign establishments We're also
| lacking in direct advices.
| In all foreign quarters much concern
was shown as to the effect of these
reports upon the temper of the people
| of Madrid. 1t was believed it would
add fuel to the flames already existing
| there and that little more was needed
| to overthrow the government.
Sir Julian Paunceforte called at the
state department. during the day, but
| it was not in connection with the war.
| He came as dean of the diplomatic
| corps to meet Secretary Day on his
| return. Official notice was sent by the
| state department today to the ambas-
| sadors and ministers that Judge Day
had assumed the duties of secretary of
ct a ha off oia 10
| early occasion to pay a formal call of
| respect to the new secretary.
PRESIDENTS CONGRATULATIONS
TO DEWEY.
| Formal announcement of the bril-
| liant achievement at Manila was made
| to the president at IL o'clock today by
| Secretary of the Navy Long. There
| was a large number of visitors during
| the day and to all the president either
| read or announced the substance Of the
| cablegrams. There was mutual con-
| gratulations in the great victory which
| all declared the most remarkable in
| the history Of naval warfare.
| Secretary Long by direction Of the
! president sent the following reply to
Dewey.
Washington, May 7th, 1898.
Dewey, Manila.
| American people, thank you and your
| officers and men for your splendid
| achievement and Overwhelming vic
| tory. In recognition he has appointed
you acting admiral, and will recon-
mend vote of thanks to you by con-
| gress. LONG"
Chicago, May THE Chronicle has
| the following:
Hong Kong, May 7.-Commodore
| Dewey's flag lieutenant, Thomas M.
Brumby arrived at Hong Kong this
| morning on the United States revenue
| cutter Hugh McCulloch, with the first
official news of the greatest naval bat
| tie of modern times, hat OF Manila
harbor. The official dispatches We're
at once forwarded by cable to the Unit
| ed States government at Washington.
The first connected story of the en-
gagernent was told by the officers Of
! the McCulloch, who saw it and parti
| cipated in it. They said that Spain's
| fleet of ten vessels was wholly de-
stroyed. The Reina Maria Christina
| flagship of the Spanish squadron, was
the centre of attack at the beginning
Of the action and under the hot fire
| poured in on her from the American
| ships, she was soon burning from stem
| to stern.
| Admiral Montejo, the Spanish ad-
| miral was compelled to escape in
| S1Ifdil DOdl UO lIic 1Sid uc NUlsd, dLOtilCi
Of the Spanish vessels, and as soon as
his flag was hoisted the guns of the
| American fleet were turned on 1t and
| in few minutes it was destroyed. The
| admiral was again forced to escape in
a small boat.
The defenses of Manila and its bat
| teries, as we'll as those at Cavite, were
| silenced and beaten to the ground by'
the rain of shot and shell.
The American battle line was led by
| the flagship Olympia and the cruiser
| Raleigh. The Boston, Baltimore, Con-
cord and Petrol and the revenue cutter
| McCulloch followed. The American
fleet in easy speed approached the
Spanish ships, which were drawn out
in two lines, the Reina Maria Chris
! tina, the flagship, in the center.
| As the dawn broke and the position
| of the American squadron was dis
covered the Spanish fleet Immediately
opened fire supported 10y the Cavite