The herald., 1898-05-09
OBfYfD INSTRUCTIONS
WITH THoRoUoHNEsS ALMOST
UNPRECEDENTED
THE sKILLFuL COMMANDER
Was Backed by Loyal Crews Using
Ships and Guns Having No Su-
periors on Earth
Associated Press Special Wire

Associated Press Special Wire
HONG KONG. May S.--(Copyright' 1855,
by the Associated Press.)-Among naval
men, military men and civilians, Europeans
and natives here today the only subject OF
discussion is the brilliant, dashing, ami
hi,ating victory of the American fleet,
under Commodore Dewey, over the SPAN
ish fleet by Admiral Montijo In Manila bay
OH Sunday last.
Owing to the fact that the cable between
this port and the Philippine Islands was
not In working order, having been cut IL
Is said. some distance from the capital OF
the islands, there has been delay in OBJ
tanning a detailed account of the battle and
facts in the case were only available when
the United States gunboat Hugh McCui-
loch arrived here yesterday, and even then
the tremendous pressure of business sud-
denly thrown upon the cable company
necessarily made the earlier account Oh
the engagement somewhat brief
Commodore Dewey's orders were to cap
ture or destroy the Spanish fleet. and
never were instructions executed In so
complete fashion. At the end of seven
hours there was absolutely nothing left
Of the Spanish fleet but few relics.
The American commander had most skill
fully arranged every detail of the action.
and even the apparently most insignificant
features were carried out with perfect
punctuality and on railroad timetable
prder
At the end of the action Commodore
Dewey anchored his fleet in the bay before
Manila and sent a message to Governor
General August, announcing the Inaugural
tien sof the blockade, and adding that If Il
shot was fired against his ships he would
destroy every battery about Manila.
The position occupied by the Spaniards,
the support which their ships received from
the land batteries, and the big guns they
had ashore gave them an enormous advan-
tagc. Therefore, when it is considered tha;
the Spaniards lost over six hundred men in
killed and, wounded; that all their ships.
amounting to about fourteen, were de.
ftroyed. and their naval arsenal at Cavi.e
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 warfare.
Not a man on beard the American flee.
was killed, not ship was damaged to any
extent, and only six men were injured
slightly on board the Baltimore.
This grand achievement is quite as much
due to the gcneralship of Commodore
Dewey as to the fact that the American
sunncrs, ships and guns are superior to
any afIoat anywhere. Credit must also be
given to the fullest extent to the officers
under Commodore Dewey, for to man
they seconded their gallant commander
N every way possible. and thus helped hir
win the laurels viii, h are Justly his.
When the squadron left Hongkong ii
touched first at a point in the Philippine
aear Bolinao, as Commodore Dewey
Wished the insurgents agents to disem-
bark there to ascertain the strength and
disposition of the insurgent forces, arrange
10 prevent needless bloodshed and inform
the insurgents of his intention to change
the government Of the Philippine Islands
Tho commodore strongly objected to CIV
Mg the rebels a chance to commit ex-
,esses The insurgent leaders refused to
aisembark under any consideration, and
the American ships coasted in search of
The Spanish ships, but failed to find them
Commodore Dewey arrived at Subig bay
thirty miles north of Manila bay, on Sat-
urday. April Both, and sent the Baltimore
and Concord to reconnoiter the enemy.
They found no Spanish ships at the bay.
Ind so Commodore Dewey decided to risk
he mines and proceed that same night
litter dark, into the bay of Manila which
he did.
The order of battle taken up by the Span
iards was with all the small craft inside the
stone and timber breakwater of Cavite
harbor. The larger ships of Spain cruised
off Cavite and Manila.
The American fleet entered Manila bay
On Saturday night with the greatest pf
ease. The Spaniards had not established
i patrol and there were no searchlights at
he entrance of the bay. In fact, the Ameri-
can ships would probably have passed in
side the bay without any challenge had ii
not been that some sparks flew up from tho
McCulloch's tunnels Thereupon a few
shots were exchanged.
A few shots were exchanged with the
batteries on Corregidor Island but the
neet did not slow down and soon took ND
= position near Cavite. awaiting dawn in
order to commence hostilities.
The early hours of the morning revealed
the opposing ships to each other and the
followed by some Of the larger Spanish
warships and then the Cavite forts opened
up and the smaller Spanish ships brought
their guns into play.
The American squadron, which had been
led into the bay through the channel by
the flagship Olympic did not reply, though
the shells of the Spaniards began to strike
the water around them, but moved ma
onward When nearing Baker
bay O sudden upheaval of water a short
distance ahead of the Olympia showed that
the Spaniards had exploded a mine or
torpedo. This was followed by second ex-
Dlosion. They were both utterly unsuccess-
Ful.
The American feet was then drawing
nearer and nearer TO the Spaniards, whose
gunnery was very poor the shots from the
Cavite batteries and from the Spanish ships
being equally badly aimed. either falling
short or going wide of the mark.
When the American fleet entered the bay.
coming through the southern channel be-
tween Caballo and Frile inlets, the follow.
Ing was their order: The flagship Oiym-
pia. the Baltimore. the Raleigh, the Con-
sord, the Boston. the Petrol and the Nc.
ts'slIoch. with he two store ships. tn,
lpa4shau and the zafiro bringing up the