The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-05-09
.DEHEYB ADESTI)RYER
Spain's Ships RiddIGd With
Shot and. Shell.
MARKSMANSHIP SPLENDID.
Americans Naneuvrad As II On
Parade.
TOOK REST FOR BREAKFAST
Grew Of UIIOa HerOiCaIIy Go Down
at Their Guns.

Copyright, 1898 by the Associated Press.
Hong Kong, May S.-Among ma
val men, military men and civil
ians, Europeans and natives here to-
day, there is only one subject of discus
sion, the brilliant, dashing, annihilating
victory Of the American feet under Com
modore Dewey over the Spanish fleet COM
manded by Admiral Montejo in Manila bay
on Sunday last.
Owing to the fact that the cable be-
tween this port and the Philippine Islands
was not in working order, having been
cut, it is said, some distance from the capt.
tai of the islands. there has been delay
in obtaining a detailed account of the
battle, and facts in the case were only
available when the United States gum
boat Hugh McCulloch arrived here yes
terday, and, even then, the tremendous
pressure of business, suddenly thrown
upon the cable company. necessarily made
the earlier accounts of the engagement
somewhat brief.
Commodore Dewey's orders were to cap
ture or destroy the Spanish fleet, and
never were instructions executed in so
complete a fashion. At the end of seven
hours there was absolutely nothing left
of the Spanish fleet but few relics.
The American commander had most
skilfully arranged every detail of the ac-
ton, and even the apparently most inslg-
nihcant features were carried out with
perfect punctuality and railroad time ta-
BILE order.
At the end Of the action Commodore
Dewey anchored his feet in the bay. be-
fore Manila, and sent a message to Gov
ernor General August, announcing the in
auguration of the blockade and adding
that if a shot was fired against his ships
he would destroy every battery about Ma
Mia.
The position occupied by the Spaniards,
the support which their ships received
from the land batteries and the big
guns they had ashore gave them
an enormous advantage. Therefore.
when it is considered that the
spaniards lost over eco men in killed and
wounded, that all their ships, amounting
to about fourteen, were destroyed and
that their naval arsenal at Cavite was
also destroyed with its defenses, it will
become apparent that the victory of the
American commodore is one Of the most
complete and wonderful achievements in
rfa
Not a man on board the American fleet
was killed; not a ship was damaged TO
any extent, and only six men were IN
1ured, slightly, on board the Baltimore.
This grand achievement is quite as
mucn due to the generalship of Commo-
dore Dewey as to the fact that the Amer
lean gunners, ships and guns are superior
to anything in the same line afioat any
where. Credit must also be given TO the
fullest extent to the officers under Com
modore Dewey, for to a man they second
ed their gallant commander in every pos
stble way, and thus helped him earn the
laurels which are so justly his.
When the squadron left here it touched
first at point in the Philippine Islands
near Bolinao, as Commodore Dewey wish
cd the insurgents agents to disembarlS
there ascertain the strength and disposi-
ton of The insurgent forces, arrange to
prevent needless bloodshed and inform the
insurgents of his intention to change the
government Of the Philippine Islands, the
commodore strongly objecting to giving
the rebels a chance to commit excesses.
The insurgent leaders. however, refused
70 discmbark under any consideration,
and the American ships continued in
search Of the Spanish ships, but failed 20
hnd them.
Commodore Dewey arrived at Subig bay,
about thirty miles north Of Manila bay,
on Saturday April 30, and sent the Baln-
more and Concord to reconnoiter the en-
amy. They found no Spanish ships at the
entrance Of the bay, and so The commo.
dore decided TO risk the mines ard pro-
ceed that same night after dark into
the bay of Manila, which he did
The American fleet entered Manila bay
on Saturday night with the greatest ease.
The spanards had not established pa
troll, and there were no searchnghts at the
entrance Of the bay.
In fact, the American ships would prob
ably have passed inside the bay without
any challenge had it not been that some
sparks flew up from the McCulloch's fun
changed with the batteries on Corregidor
Island; but the feet did not slow up, and