The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-05-08
TRANSMITTING DEWEYS REPORT


has been in momentary expectation Of
cable advices from Commodore Dewey,
the town was thrown into the widest ex-
ritement at breakfast time this morning
by the issue of extra papers announcing
the arrival of the McCulloch at Hong
Kong with dispatches for the government
from Commodore Dewey. The publication
of newspaper dispatches telling of terri
bic mortality among the Spanish and the
escape of the American forces. men and
ships, from serious injury added to the ex-
citement and to 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 lock-
ed their doors against invasion. One Of
the officers of the bureau had been on
duty every moment of the twenty-four
for several weeks past, waiting to receive
cablegrams Of Importance.
similar state Of affairs has prevailed
at the state department, where one of the
assistant secretaries and the chief clerk
have divided up the watches of the night.
sleeping on temporary cots set in the ante
room.
The state department had the honor of
receiving the first news. 1t came in the
shape of cablegram of three words
from United States Consul WiIdman at
Hong Kong, and was as follows:
Hong cCulloch.-Wildman."
That is the usual form in which naval
movements are reported by cable. This
dispatch was received by Third Assistant
Secretary Gridler. who was turned out of
his cot by messenger boy at 4:4O 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.
At half past Manager Marean OF the
Western Union Telegraph company ap
peared at the department bringing with
him a sheet comprising four lines of the
mysterious jargon which makes up the
naval cipher He handed this directly to
Secretary Long who gazed at it for
moment and then turned it over to Lieu
tenant Whittlessey. one Of the cipher ex-
perts of the navigation bureau, for trans
Iation into English Then the secretary
made pretense of sitting down at his
desk to transact other business. but it was
plain to be seen that in spirit he had
Joined the anxious throng of newspaper
men and officials who thronged the recep-
lion room and the corridors waiting for
the news.
The naval cipher is one Of the most COM
pick in the world. The messages come
in words Of strange forma ton. taken from
I'll languages. These words are turned by
the translating clerk into groups of fig
ures. and these in turn are resolved into
their equivalent words in English. All
this takes time.
Meanwhile Secretary Alger, hearing Of
the receipt of news, hsA come over from
the war department, but he was obliged to
wait patiently for the translation. Sena-
tor Hoar. a member of the foreign rela-
tons committee, also joined Secretary
Long and waited upon the experts. About
j. o'clock a prominent officer gave the
newspaper men brief abstract of the
cablegram as far as received. This only
whetted the interest Of the crowd in wait
ing Half an hour later Secretary Long
appeared with copy of the translated
cipher in hand. There was a great rush
toward him. but the secretary good nat
rredly made allowance for the excitement
Of the crowd and smilingly read from the
rorner Of the room into which he had
been forced the following cablegram:
MANILA. MAY L-SQUADRON AR
RIVED AT MANILA AT DAYBREAK
THIS MORNING. IMMEDIATELY EN-
GAGGED THE ENEMY AND DESTROY
ED THE FOLLOWING SPANISH YES
SELLS: REINA CHRISTINA. CASTILLO,
bon ANTONIO DE UBLOA. ISLA DE
ITZON. ISLA DE CUBA. GENERAL
LEO. MARQUES DE DUERO, COR
REQ. VELASCO. ISLA DE MINDANAO.
a TRANSPORT. AND WATER BAT
TERY. AT CAVTTE. THE SQUADRON
Is I7NTNJURED. AND ONLY A FEW
MEN ARE SLIGHTLY WOUNDED.
ONLY MEANS OF TELEGRAPIING Is
TO AMERICAN CONSUL AT HONG
KONG. SHALL COMMUNICATE
WITH HIM.
CsIGNEDl DEWEY"
1t was Immediately noticed that the ca
blegram as officially translated did not
entirely agree with the brief summary of
its points which had been previously given
out. and the immediate presumption was
that i'm the short time accorded for cOnsid-
Grafton the officials had concluded that it
was public policy TO eNpurgate the dis
patch. Thus, as made public. It con-
tanned no reference to the cutting of the
cable by Commodore Dewey; to the fact
that he lacked men to take possession of
the pIace. 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 nrst Of two more that had been
brought over to Hong Kong by the Nc
CuUoch. In other words, Commodore
Dewey had written Sunday. stating in his
message the brief account of the days
work. Instead OF sending il Immediately
the McCulloch TO Hons Kong, he had
DELAYED that vessel for two or three days
at least. probably TO use her in the sub
seouent Commandment of the town and
forts. The events of these last few days
without doubt were made the subject OF
one or more official dispatches which were
10 follow the original message
The department at 10 o'clock, after the
first message was translated. was still re-
ceivinr sheets Of the cipher code from the
telegraph company. while the cipher eX'
merits were sim a work behind the heavy
closed doors of the navigation bureau
shortly before noon Secretary Long LETT
.be navy department for the White House