The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-05-03

y - - !
Spanish ministry Of marine saying that
the American fleet was obliged 10 re-
treat after a terrible engagement off
Manila. The dispatch says the Span
ish losses are heavy and that the
American ships were severely dam
aged
Washington, May The following is
a list Of the two fleets engaged:
UNITED STATES SHIPS.
Olympia, First class; Protected
cruiser, $500 tons; launched 1892; speed
n knots, battery, four inch rifles, ten
8 inch rapid-fire guns, fourteen 6 pound
ers, six l FOUNDER and four machine
guns.
Baltimore, second rate 1900 tons;
speed, 206 knots; battery four 8 inch
six 6 inch rifles, four 6 FOUNDER rapid
fire, two 2 pF Aders, two 1 Founders;
two Is incha 80 IA inch and two ma
chine guns.
Boston, second rate, 3189 tons:
speed Is knots; battery two inch, six
6 inch rifles, two pounder rapid fire,
two Founders, TWO l pounder, two l
point eight inch, two one point four
inch and two machine guns.
Raleigh, second class; speed 19 knots;
battery, one inch and ten inch
rapid-fire rifles, eight s Founders, four
! Founders and two machine guns.
Concord, third rate, 100 tons; speed
II knots, battery six 6 inch two 6
FOUNDER rapid-fire, two Founders,
one l FOUNDER and four machine guns.
Petrol, fourth rate, $50 tons; speed
13 knots; battery, four inch guns,
two 3 FOUNDER rapid-fire, one FOUNDER
and our machine guns.
Mccullough, revenue cutter.
ZafirO, supply vessel.
THE SPANISH FLEET
Rena Marie Christina, $500 tons;
built 1856; speed II knots; battery six
6.2 inch HOntOria guns; two 81 inch
and three % inch rapid-fire rifles; six
Ainch and two machine guns.
Castillo, 3,342 tons; built 1881; battery
four SO inch Krupp rifles, two Al inch,
two 3.3 inch, four 2.5 inch rapid-fire
and TWO machine guns.
Velasco. 1852 tons; battery; three 5.S
inch Armstrong rifles, two 2.7 inch
Hontorias, and two machine guns.
Don Antonio de Ulloa and Don Juan
de Austria, each 1,130 tons speed IA
knots, battery four Al inch Hontorias;
two % inch rapid-fire, two Us inch
and two machine guns.
General Lezo and Ell Cano gun ves-
sells 524 tons; built 1885; speed lis
knots. The General Lezo has two Hon
toria rifles of Al inch calibre, one 3.5
inch, two small rapid-fire and one ma
chine gun; the Ell Cano, three At inch
guns, two small rapid-fire and two
machine guns.
Marques Del Duero, dispatch boat,
500 tons; one smooth bore 6.3 inch cal
ibre, two Al inch and one machine
gun.
Isla de Mindaro, Compania Trans
are both small gun'boats. They are of
1,03O tons displacement and carry four
Al inch HOntOrias. The small guns
and two machine guns.
Isa de Mindarao. compania Trans
Atlantic, of Cadiz, armed as cruiser,
length 376.5; beam 42.3; gross tons
4,195; speed 13.5.
London, May 2.-The Madrid corre
graphing this mornings, says: The
Spanish ministry of marine claims a
victory for Spain, because the Ameri-
cans were forced to retire behind the
merchantmen. Captain Cadalso Cor
Cadarso) in command of the Reina Ma
ria, went down with the ship. The
Spaniards fought splendiGly, the sail
ors refusing to leave the burning and
sinking Don Juan de Austria. There is
the greatest anxiety for further de-
tails.
Madrid, via Paris, May 2-The time
of the retreat of the American squad
ron behind the merchantmen was
80 o'clock a. m. The naval bureau
at Manila sends the following report,
signed "MontajO, Admiral
I'm the middle of the night the Amer
lean squadron forced the forts and be-
fore day break appeared off Cavite.
The night was completely dark. At
1880 o'clock the bow of the Reina Maria
Christiana took fire and soon after the
poop also was burned. At 8 o'clock
with my staff I went on board the Isla
of Cuba The Reina Maria Christiana
and the Castillo were then entirely en-
velOpend in flames. The other ships
having been damaged retired into Ba-
ker bay. Some had to be sunk to
prevent their falling into the hands Of
the enemy. The losses are numerous,
notably Captain Cadarso, and a priest.
Madrid, May 1. Noon.-All is quiet
here; but, the festival organized for to-
morrow promises to be an unusual dem
onstration, being the anniversary both
of the liberation of Spain and France,
and of the naval victory" of Spain
at Callao, Peru. in 1866, while interest
in the event is heightened by the nope
of the Spaniards that the Spanish
fleet will be victorious over the United
States fleet, commanded 10y Comno-
Gore Dewey, thus giving them a triple
celebration. The mayor of Madrid has
issued a manifesto, inviting all the in
habitants of this city to participate in
the celebration. He says: Spain is
engaged in a struggle to Tepea the JUS
tfiable attempts Of the yankees TO rob
her OF her rights in Cuba, but the
yankees will not find it an easy task
to conquer a race whose history dur
ing twenty centuries has been notable
only for warlike exploits.
ANOTHER PRIZE CAPTURED.
The government has received a cable
gram from General Blanco saying that
the American warships blockading
CienfuegoE have captured a Spanish
merchant steamer. A colonel, a sur
geon, six officers and three noncomm1s-
stoned officers who were on board the
steamer were detained as passengers
Of war, but the civilian passengers were
liberated.
London May 2.-The Madrid corre-
spondent OF The Daily Mail telegraph |