The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1898-12-28

another destroyed 6ne mlZSeG, oriostpS
down my fag- aud ensign x
another she'll exploded on the poop aud
spus out of action nine men. A fresh
shell exploded 10 the officers cabiD.
covering toe hospital with blood. de-
stroying the wounded who were being
treated there. Another exploded in
the smmunision room |
had to food the magazines when the
cartridges began to explode < x x
oae large she'll penetrated the fire room
putting out Of action master gunner
and twelve men serving tie guns. An.
other rendered useless the starboard
BOW gun, and while the fire increased
astern another FIRE started forward from
ano.he. shell. The bsoadoide guns
continued firing until there was only one
gun and one seaman remsining uohurt
for serving them x The ship
being out Of control. the hall. smoke.
pipe aud mast riddIed With shot, half
of the crew out of action, among whom
we're seven officers. [ gave the order to
sink. and abandon the ship before the
magazines should explode
The story of the loss OF the Castillo
was substantially the story of the loss of
all the other Spanish chips and Admiral
Montejo sums up his action with this
statement:
..The inefieiepcy of the vessels which
composed my little sqsadroo. the lack OF
all classes Of the personnel. especially
master gnuners and seamen gunners
the inap.itude of some ofshe provisional
macbinisss. the scarcity of rapid. fire
cannon, The strong crew Of she enemy.
and sbe unprotected character of the
greater part Of our vessels all contri-
based to make much rose decided the
sacrifice which We made for our country
aud to prevent the possibility of the
horrors Of bombardmens of the city Of
Manila. with the conviction that With
the scarcity Of our force against the su-
peror enemy. we we're going to certain
death and could expect loss of all our
ships Our casualties, including those
of the arsenal amounted to 38l men
killed and wounded"
Apparently the first suggestion of the
flying squadron. which was to divert
Admiral Comars's squsdron from its
voyage to Manila, came from Dewey.
for 10 dispatch of June 27, he says:
..In my judgment. if the coast Of Spain
vas threatened the squadron of the eoe-
my will have to return.
And that was exactly what happened.
A month later the admiral pays bigh
compliment to the British consul at Ma
Mia. Mr.. Rawson Walker, who for
three mouths had been dischsrgiDg the
duties OF United States consul in Manila
and rendering the admiral great sssis-
tsnce.
The admiral's estimate of the import
auee Of the Philippine islands is get out
10 the following telegram sent 10 an-
swer to an inquiry on the subject from
the government
Manila. Aug. 20. 1898.
Secretary of the Navy, Washington
Referring to the departments tel
egram of August 13, important
islands are: Colon. Luzon, Panay.
Cebu, Negros, Leyte Others, owing
to the nature of the inhabitants have
a small amount of civilization, want
of cultivation. They may be neg
lected, especially isles of southern
group. Luzon is in all respects The
most desirable to retain. Contains
most important commercial ports
Manila is far.hest north Produces
all Of the good tobacco. Friendly
natives. Civilization somewhat ad
vanced. Not yet developed Pos.
sibly rich minerals Population,
$4,000 subig bay best harbor for
coaliog purposes and military
Water deep landlocked !; easily de-
Tended Strategically, command of
bay and city of Manila, with arse
nal at Cavite, most valuable Panay,
Cebu, Negros shickly populated F;
most civilized and we'll cultivated
Ililio second commercial port F.; Gen.
tre of sugar trade good harbor
strategically (; in view Of the situa-
ton, good for defense. Cebu third
commercial port !; good harboF,
very desirable. No coal of good
quality can be procured in Philippine
islands. Some has been mined on
Cebu, English company. trust it
may not be necessary to order me to
Washington Should regret very
much to leave here while matters
remain in present critical condition.
Dewey.
Very naturally the report of the
operations of the North Atlantic
feet comprises the larger part of the
printed body. Most ofthe facts have
already appeared, but in the very
beginning there is a most interesting