The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1898-05-06
DEWEY TO Be PROMOTED.
The Commodore Will Soon Be Made
an Admiral in Recognition of
His Victory at Manila.
FUNDS FOR TRANSPORTING TROOPS.
No Money at the Disposal of the War De-
partment for the Expedition to Cuba
Until Congress ApprOpriates Some
Ridiculous Story of the spaniards About
Petroleum Bombs.

Petroleum Bombs.
WASHINGTON, May 4. = Secretary
Long announced to-day that as soon
as the department received any official
report from Commodore Dewey, con-
hrming the press accounts of his vic
tory in the battle of Manila, cable
gram would be sent to the officer con-
graduating him upon the splendid
performance of the American fleet
under his direction. Moreover, said
the secretary, as soon as the necessary
confirmation is at hand, Commodore
Dewey will be made an admiral in
recognition of his valor. This will be
accomplished Immediately by an exec
utive order designing him acting ad
miral, just as was done in the case OF
Capt. Sampson. Later on he proba bly,
will be nominated to the senate in the
usual course for promotion to the rank
of admiral.
There was no word from either diplo-
matte or naval sources at the begin
ming of business at the departments
to-day concerning the engagement of
Commodore Dewey last Sunday. This
is no matter of surprise to the naval
officers, for they realize that Commo-
iore Dewey cannot spare one of his
small fleet to use as dispatch boat in
communicating with the government
At Hong Kong and their main depend
ence is upon some merchant vessel
which may be incoming from the
island. 1t was hoped, however,
that the state department might
be able to secure some information
that would allay the growing anxiety
as to the extent of the losses suffered
by the American fleet. 1t is believed
that several of the European govern
ments besides Great Britain received a
good deal of information from their
consuls at Manila respecting the bat
tie before cable connection was broken
off, but so far as known none of them,
save the British, have shown a DISPOSE
ton to meet the desire of the Ameri-
can government for news of an official
character.
most emphatic denial is given at
the navy department to published
statements that the department has
declined to spare couple of naval YES
sells to convey the transports which
will carry the troops from Florida to
the Cuban port selected as the place
for beginning the offensive campaign.
On the contrary, it is said, that the
navy has done its full share so far in
the execution of the plans of the cam
paign and stands ready to do what
ever it is called upon to do, as soon as
the military authorities notify the
navy department of their plans and the
extent to which the navy is expected
to cooperate. 1t is believed that the
true explanation of the delay in send
ing out the advance military expedi.
ton is to be found in the letter of Gen.
Miles read in the senate yesterday, in
which he declared that all the $50, OOO,-
600 war fund appropriation having
been expended or allotted, there was
absolutely no money at the disposal
of the war department to pay the nee.
essary expense of the expedition. In
the expectation that congress will re.
lieve the situation by promptly pass
ing the necessary appropriation, the
war department officials are now cal
culating on the departure of the expe-
dition within very few days.
None of the stories coming from
Spanish sources dS TO CQo battle OF
Manila appear quite so ridiculous to
naval eyes as the solemn statement that
Commodore Dewey fred Manila by the
use of petroleum bombs. AS matter
of fact there is no such weapon of war
fare in the American navy. The ordi-
nary service shell is very much more
destructive and quite as capable of
causing fire among combustible mate
rial as any con trivance based upon the
use of petroleum This is plainly shown
by the destruction of ships through
fires caused by service shells during the
Japap-Chinese war. 1t was a disclO-
sure of the great danger to men-of-war
thus brought prominently forward
that led Secretary Her bert to order
reduced to a minimum all the wood
work on American warships and to
have all of this wood fireproof. One
of the first results of the battle of
Manila, therefore, is likely to be the
cessation of the efforts which had
been making for some time past tc
abandon the fireproofing treatment of
woodwork because of certain minor
Inconvenience from the use of wood
so treated.