Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1898-05-12
"A COMPLETE VICTORY
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS of Dewey's Bat
tie in Manila Bay.
AnnihiIates Spanish Fleet and FOrtf-
acations without the Loss of a
Man. and with But Six wound
cd-Spanish Loss 61s.

Hong-Kong, May e-Among naval men,
military men and civilians, Europeans and
natives here ce-day there is only one sub
feet of discussion, the brilliant, dashing.
annihilating victory of the American fleet
under Commodore Dewey over the Span
fish feet commanded by Admiral Montejo in
Manila bay, on Sunday last. Owing to the
fact that the cable between this port and
the Philippine islands was not in work
ing order, having been cut, 1t Is said, some
distance from the capital of the islands,
there has been delay in obtaining a de-
tailed account of the battle, and the facts
In the case were only available when the
United States .gunboat Hugh McCulloch
arrived here Saturday, and even then the
tremendous pressure of business suddenly
thrown upon the cable company necessarily
made the earlier accounts of the engage
znent somewhat brief
True to His Trust.
Commodore Deweys orders were to cap
ture or destroy the Spanish fleet, and never
were instructions executed in so complete
n fashion. At the end of seven hours there
was absolutely nothing left of the Span
Ash fleet but few relics The American
commander had most skiIlfu,ly arranged
every detail of the action, and even the
apparently most insignificant features were
carried out with perfect punctuality.
AT the end of the action Commodore
Dewey anchored his fleet in the bay be-
fore Manila and sent message to Govern
or-General August announcing tho in
auguration of the blockade, and adding that
IL a shot was fired against his ships he
would destroy every battery about Manila.
A Wonderful Achievement.
The position occupied by the Spaniards,
ahe 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 consid-
In killed and wounded, that all of their
ships 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 the history Of naval war
fare.
Not a man on board the American fleet
was killed, not a ship was damaged to any
extent, and only six men We're injured
slightly on board the Baltimore.
This grand achievement is quite a much
due to the generalship of Commodore Dew
ey as TO the fact that American gunners,
ships and guns are superior to anything
in the same line afloat anywhere. Credit
must also be given to the fullest extent
to the officers under Commodore Dewey,
for, to man, they seconded their gallant
commander in every way possible, and thus
helped him win the laurels which are just
iy his.
The terms of the capitulation were still
unsettled when the McCulloch left Manila,
and il was said Commodore Dewey feared
riotlng upon the part of the insurgents if
ne attempted a bombardment of the re-
manning Notifications of Manila. The forts
at the entrance of the bay were disman-
tied on Wednesday, after they had capitu-
lated. It is said the American commodore
ordered the cable to be cut, because the
Spaniards refused to permit him to use it,
pending the complete surrender of the city.