The herald., 1898-05-08
THAN THE MOST SANGUINE HAD
DARED TO HOPE
NOT A YANKEE SAILOR KILLED
The Spanish Squadron Simply Swept
From the Seas, Leaving Dewey
in Full Control
Associated Press Special Wire

ing the fact that everybody for several
days past has been in momentary expecta-
ton of cable advices from Commodore
Dewey, the town was thrown into the
widest excitement at breakfast time this
morning by the issue of extra papers an
nouncing the arrival of the McCulloch at
Hong Kong with dispatches for the gov
ernment from Dewey.
The publication of newspaper dispatches
telling of the terrible mortality among the
Spanish and the escape of the American
forces, men and ships, from serious injury
added to the excitement and the intense
satisfaction with which the long-expected
news was received.
There was an instant rush of newspaper
men to the Navy Department to secure
further information from official sources,
and perhaps dismayed by the number and
impetuosity of the newspaper contingent
the officials of the Navigation Bureau,
where cipher dispatches are transcribed
and translated, promptly closed and
locked their doors against invasion. One
of the officers of the bureau had been on
duty every moment of the twenty-four
hours for several weeks past waiting to
receive cablegrams of Importance. A SIM
liar condition has prevailed at the State
Department, where one of the assistant
secretaries and the chief clerk have divided
up the watch of the nights, sleeping on
temporary cots set up in the anteroom.
The State Department has the honor of
receiving the first news. 1t came in the
shape of a. cablegram of three words from
United States Consul Wildman at Hong
Kong, and was as follows:
'Hong Kong. McCuloch. Wildman."
That is the usual form in which naval
movements are reported by cable. This
dispatch was received by Third Assistant
Secretary Cridler, who was turned out of
his cot by a messenger boy at 4:40 o'clock
this morning. The naval officials were
promptly notified and awaited with in
tense interest the dispatch which was ex-
pected to surely follow from Commodore
Dewey.
About half past nine Manager Marean of
the Western Union Telegraph Company ap-
peared at the department, bringing sheet
comprising four lines of the mysterious
iargon which makes up the naval cipher.
He handed this directly to Secretary Long,
who gazed at 1t for moment and turned
II over to Lieutenant Whittlesey, one Of
the cipher experts of the Navigation Bu-
reau, for translation.
Then the Secretary made pretense of
sitting down at his desk to transact other
business, but 1t was plain to be seen that
in spirit he had Joined the anxious throng of
newspaper men and officials who thronged
the reception room and the corridors wait
ing for the news. The naval cipher is one
of the most complex in the world. The mes
sages come in words of strange formation
taken from all languages. These words are
turned by the translating clerks into groups
of figures, and these in turn are resolved in
to their equivalent words in English. All
this takes time.
Meanwhile Secretary Alger hearing of
the receipt of news, had come over from
the War Department to see his colleague
and he waited patiently for the translation
Senator Hoar, member of the Foreign Re-
lations Committee, also Joined Secretary
Long and waited upon the cipher experts
About ten o'clock prominent officer gave
the newspaper men short abstract of the
cablegram so far as received. This only
whetted the interest of the crowd in wait
ing. Half an hour later Secretary Long
appeared with a copy of the translated
cipher in his hand. There was great rush
toward him, but the Secretary good
naturedly made allowance for the excite
ment of the crowd and smilngly read from
the corner of the ROOM into which he had
been forced. the following cablegram:
Dewey's Cablegram
''MANILA, May 1.-Squadron arrived at
Manila at daybreak this morning and i'm
mediately engaged the enemy and de-
stroyed the following Spanish vessels:
Reina Christina Castillo, Don Antonio de
Ulloa, Isla de Luzon, Isla de Cuba, General
Lezo, Marques de Duero Correo, Velasco,
Isla de Mindanao, a transport and water
battery at Cavite. The squadron is un-
injured and only few men are slightly
wounded.
"Only means of telegraphing is to the
American consul at Hong Kong shall
communicate with him. DEWEY"
Dubious as to Detail
It was Immediately noticed that the
cablegram, as officially promulgated, did
not entirely agree with the brief summary
Of its points which had been previously
given out, and the immediate presumption
was that in tho short time accorded for
consideration, the officials had concluded
that it was public policy to expurgate the
dispatch. Thus, as made public, 1t con-
tanned no reference to the cutting of the
cable by Admiral Dewey, to the fact that
he lacked men to take possession of the
place, and finally that he had the entire
Bay of Manila at his mercy.
1t was also noticed that the dispatch
bore date Of May l. The McCulloch could
not have occupied more than six days
In making the short run across to Hong
Kong. Therefore, it was Immediately as
sumed that the above dispatch was only
the first of two or more that had been
brought over to Hong Kong by the Nc
Culloch In other words, Commodore
! Dewey had written Sunday night, stating
in his message the brief account of the
days work. Instead Of sending it imme-
diately by the McCulloch to Hong Kong
he had delayed that vessel for two or
three days at least. probably to use her
in the subsequent bombardment of the
town and Notifications. The events of
these last two days We're without doubt
made the subject of one or more official
dispatches. which are to follow the orig
NAL message
The Department at 10 o'clock, after the