The Columbus journal., 1898-05-04

OlSOu VufOIl1CtC. 81
.sssH<s<ss,<ssss<<33<s<s<s<se
I took up the cry and the anxious people
ct Manila. 70 miles mp the bay. poured
into the streets. They Thought the bet.
tie had begun. In reality the Amer.
iran feet had already passed tho en-.
trance and was on its way up the op.
posite side Of the hay.
How the Americans Got past The fuets
h not yet known. 1t is believed they
did not have 10 IRE . gun and it b
said that the location Of tho mines was
known to them and that Admiral
Dewey dafingly resolved to run the
chances Of being misinfoEmed.
When day broke tho tens Of thous-
ands watching on Ill sides Of tho vast
and beautiful harbor saw tho enemy
in line Of battle about 10 miles out, dir.
ectly in front Of Manila.
The sun was hardly clear Of the
horizon before the American 6eet began
to steam slowly and straight in toward
the city. On came the American Aeee
until it was within about three miles Of
Manila. Two Spanish guns on the
battery spoke, but the shells fell short.
Then from tho Spanish 6eet steaming
slowly up from Cavite came several
shots. The American feet turned. The
two duellists weFe face 70 face.
Rattle Bsglss.
OS - -,~0
Spanish feet lay steady, hanked BY tho
batteries ON the south. About 2 30
there was lull in the terrific upEoar,
tho wind blew away the haze and
smoke and ono Of tho American gun.
boats was seen making Oh toward tho
stern part Of the bay, clearly disabled.
The Americans again closed in and the
uproar began with increased fury.
When the ships were again seen the
Christina was wrapped in flames. On
her decks sailors. Spaniards and M.
tives, were rushing frantically about.
The Isle dc Cuba came near and part Of
the Christmas crew, perhaps al there
were still alive. and the Spanish Ad-
miral went aboard her. but hardly
were they aboard when she. too burst
into flames.
Confusion now reigned Throughout
the Spanish feet. On every vessel the
decks were slippery with blood and the
mir was filed with shrieks and groans
of Spaniards. The sailors rushed about
in q frenzy OF rage rather than terror.
The Americans, seemingly calm and
cool and still in good order, pressed
their advantage, in fact they pushed ON
too closely, for they. too. now began to
lose, - fro from the Cavite batteries
became effective.
Austria Blowa Up.
At this juncture the Don Juan de
Austria became the center of Interest.
4 sbot tsow en- A,oe-'caD vessel set Oh
one Of her magazines and the vsssel
was blown up.
The remainder Of the Spanish feet
now turned out and fled down the
long, morrow inlet behind Cavite. Sev.
eral Of the gunb0ats were run ashore.
others fed up small cresk and were
grounded there. The guns Of Cavite
kept ON thundeflng and the Americans,
pressing their advantage no further.
drew of.
This second engagement was short
The last Spanish ship was soon grounded
or sunk. The American guns were
trained on Cavite and one ship after
another steamed along. pouring in
deadly fire.
At IL 80 the batteries ceased to an.
swer and the American feet. with
ringing cheers from exhausted but
triumphant crews. steamed jubilantly
back to its transport ships.
At the present writing the lombard
ment of Manila Is in all probability in
progress or completed, but whatever
may happen. the fame Of Dewey and
his officers and his crews IL secuse.
NO TALK OF INTERVENTION.
European Natss.s Not Iseli.sA q In.
terfsrs to Stop War.
WAsHISdrON, May Sit Is . curious
fact that the nation most interested Of
al the great powers In the combat that |
took place at Manila yesterday should |
be among the last officially to know
Of the result. Up to the close Of ofiice
hours yesterday absolutely the only in
formation that our government hah re.
ceived OF the brilliant victory of Com. |
modore Dewey and the winning Of the
battle Of Manila ON Nay day came to |
the government through the medium of |
the press dispatches. II the report il |
true that Commodore Dewey has begun |
. bombardment and blockade Of the |
city Of Manila it is unlikely that be can
spare vessel from his feet to carry |
the news to Hong Kong. the nearest |
cable station. 20 it Is not known when |
Official advices will come. There was /
some expectation that through the sur.
Fender OF the city, the commodore
might acquire control Of tho cable, but
even then there might b practical diff
cultiee in communicating through it.
The officers Of Commodore Dewey's
Aeet includes at least ono lieutenant
who n practical electrician and tole.
grspher. but II i not known positively
that he il able to work cable Success
fully. Second, . fear - entestained
that before retiring from the city the
Spanish troops win smash the delicate
and complicated electrical apparatus for
the reception and dispatch Of messages
and It is very uncertain whether there
h enough technical skin in the Amee.
ican feet TO repair such damage. The
mere cutting Of the cable - repoeted
BY the Spaniards b not regarded . par
ticularly sesiops, since being hemmed
~ L.