Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1898-05-07

O1ecCeQ TO SLICE tlle -ueStiliCblOu VI
the armada nearly 400 years ago.
Engaged in naval warfare with the
United States her navy was at the
beginning greatly inferior to ours.
The loss of a dozen war vessels at the
outbreak OF hostilities increases the
odds against her fearfully. The SUI
periority of our Asiatic squadron at
Manila was so manifest that our
government felt justified in detach-
ing the only battleship, the Oregon,
from the squadron and ordering her
home.
THE SAILING OF THE FLEET.
When hostilities began the Asiatic
SQUADRON, under the command of
Commodore George Dewey, was as
sembled at Hong Kong, British
possession on the south east coast oil
China immediately upon the dec.
laration of neutrality by Great Brit
ain. Commodore Dewey was notified
that his fleet must leave Hong Kong.
He accordingly fell down to Mrs
Bay, in Chinese territory, a short
distance away on the coast, April
~. the fleet sailed for Manila. The
fleet consisted of six steel ships, the
storeship Narstan and the collier
Zafiro. The warships are the pro-
tected cruisers olympia, Capt.
Charles V. Gridley; Boston, Capt.
Frank Wildes; Raleigh, Capt. Joseph
&. Goelau, and Baltimore, Capt.
Nehemiah Nj. Dyer, and the gunboats
Concord. Commander Asa Walker
and Petrol, Commander Edward P.
Wood. The Concord joined the
soadron in January, and the fleet
Baltimore, which has been Rear Ad
miral Joseph n. Miller's flagship at
the Pacific station, join the squadron
few days ago.
The distance from Mrs Bay to Ma
Mia, on the Island of Luzon, the lar
gest of the Philippine group, is
about Cos miles. The fleet proceeded
at low rate of speed, in order to
economic coal. As the speed of YES
sci increases, the consumption of
coal increases IN far greater pro-
portion. For this reason and be-
cause the United States have no
coaling station in these waters TO
renew the supply a low speed was
maintained. AS passenger on one
Of the ships there was a general OF
the insurgent forces OF the Philippine
Islands, with whom it was intended
to open communication.
On Saturday the American fleet
was sighted off Cape Bolinao, the
western point of the Island of Luzon,
about a hundred miles north of the
entrance of Manila bay. 1t was sup
posed that at this place representa-
lives of the insurgents would be met,
bur no meeting took place, in conse.
oueuce. it was said, of storm which
prevented boats of the war vessels
from landing.
1t had been announced that the
Spanish fleet had put to sea, and was
cruising in search of the Americans,
near Subik. with the design of offer
ing battle upon the high sea. The
cable by which this announcement
came was, of course, in the hands of
the Spanish, and if it was true the
Spanish admiral thought better Of
it, for when Commodore Dewey
reached Manila bay the Spanish fleet
was anchored under the guns OF the
forts in the harbor.
PASSES THE FORTS.
At o'clock Sunday morning the
American fleet passed the forts at the
entrance to Manila bay and entered
the harbor. At o'clock A. III. in the
tropics it is quite dark and the en-
trance was made under cover OF dark
ness. Manila is about midway be
tween the equator and the troplc OF
Cancer The sun rises and sets about
6 o'clock every day in the year. The
twilight is short and it is dark almost
UP to sunrise.
ABoLD MOVEMENT.
The dash of the fleet into the har-
Dor of Manila was one of the boldest
achievements OF modern naval war
fare. Commodore Dewey staked all
upon success. 1t is true he might
count with confidence upon defeating
the Spanish fleet. But he gave bat
tie to the fleet under the guns OF a
fort and fought ships and fort at the
same time He ran the risk of torpe-
does and submarine mines, OF shoals
and hidden rocks in strange waters.
If he had failed he would have been
bottled up and escape would have
been impossible When we take all
these matters into consideration we
find that while the American fleet
was superior in weight of metal and
in the size of ships, the Spaniards
having more ships and more men,
being familiar with the water and
being reinforced by the forts, the
conditions were not so unequal. In
deed it is believed that the Spanish
considered that they had the advan-
tage and the Americans would not
venture to attack.
MANILA BAY.
Manila bay, where the great battle
took place. is one of the most magni-
ficept harbors in the world. The en-
trance from the China sea is twelve
miles wide and is guarded by two
islands. The northern island is called
Corregidor, and the channel between
it and the point on the mainland is
two miles wide. Nearly south from
Corregidor, and close to it, is the
smaller island of Caballo,so called by
its shape, which is something like
horse. The south channel is five
miles wide. On each of these islands
there is a fort. The city of Manila
lies on the east side of the bay, facing
the entrance, from which 1t is twenty,
five miles distant. The city is divided
into two parts by the Pasig river: In
the southern part of the city there
are stroug Notifications. On an
island, behind a prominent point
jutting out into the bay between
Manila and the entrance to the mar
Dor, stands the city Of Cavite. 1t Is
place of about 5000 inhabitants
and is fortified. 1t was under the
guns of the Cavite Notifications thaG
the Spanish fleet was anchored, and
it was there that Dewey attacked
them, fighting fleet and fort at once,
the fort keeping up an energetic lire
during the engagement. Cavlte is
seven miles from Manila. Between
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