The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-05-23
RELIEF FOR DEWEY.

| 1t is three weeks yesterday since Rear
Admiral Dewey gained his great VIC
tory over the Spanish fleet at Mania,
and it is just three weeks after that
memorable event that the first supplies
are sent to him; they should have been
there now. Speaking of the delay In
forwarding relief to Dewey, the Phila-
delphia Ledger says:
More than two weeks have passed
since Admiral Dewey gained his Won
derful victory at Manila, and as yet the
government has sent him neither sup
plies nor reinforcements. To circumlo-
cution, indecsion and lack of prepara-
ton must this delay be chargeabie. by
a miracle the Americans lost no men
during the engagement in the Phlllp-
pines, and the damage to the Meet was
triflng; but as the vessels were IN &C
ton for several hours and have Sc
cured no supplies, except, perhaps, coal
at Manila, it is certain that they Will
be in straits for fresh provisions, II not
for ammunition, long before assistance
can go to them. We can understand,
if not entirely approve, the plea put
forth by the United States authorities
for the hardness in concentrating large
armies at Tampa, Chickamauga ana
The plans for the army Of the gulf and
south Atlantic haze been repeatedly
changed. owing to the relation which
the land forces of the United States
bears towards the necessarily shifting
movements of the fleets of Sampson
and Schley and their Spanish adversar-
les. But with respect to the Phinp-
pine islands campaign there was and is
no satisfactory excuse for delay or in
action Shin aftar shin to the required
number, could have been promptly dis
patched to Deweys aid without any
reference to the developments of the
campaign on the Atlantic, as there are
no Spanish boats on the Pacific waters
to intercept American transports, eX-
cept two or three insignificant gunboats
who are hiding for their own safety in
one or more of the innumerable inlets
of the Philippines. In the same
way the departure of the City of Pekin
is delayed. The troops are ready, but
their equipment or rations are not at
hand. The equipment is ready, but the
troops are not prepared. These are the
stories sent over the wires for ten days.
In the meantime Dewey's fleet is i'm
perilled, not from attack by a Spanish
squadron, but from lack of supplies,
and there is danger that the fruits of
his victory may be lost by the arrival
of French, German or Russian ships
that may attempt to tie his hands.
This danger is not imaginary. With
the exception of Great Britain, every
European nation is openly or secretly
hostile to our occupation of the Philip
pines. They made Japan share with
them her spoils wrested from China.
and they resent any encroachment by
the United States upon Asian territory.
We have not determined how long to
hold the Philippines, or what DISPOSE
ton shall be made of them, but they
must be occupied and retained as
hostage so long as Spain shall continue
the war. 1t is, therefore, urgent that
endorsements and supplies-men,
ships, ordnance and subsistence-shal
be sent at once to Admiral Dewey;
that what is ready shall be dispatched
instantly, without waiting for the or
ganization of a squadron, and what is
lacking shall be supplied with celebrity.
We have abundant resources, and that
they have not been supplied demon
strates an incapacity that is discredit-
able to the authorities.
The Charleston has started for Ma
Mia, and the troops now at San Fran
cisco should all be dispatched before
the end of the week. At best it will
take them three weeks to reach their
destination. Further delay in sending
them will be little less than criminal