Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1898-06-30
SPANISH STORY OF MANILA
Admiral Montejo's Account Of His Defeat
BY Dewey.


Manila. which was not sent By cable
1t seems that the Spanish we're In
tenseiy disgusted that Admiral Dewey
should not have given formal warning
that he was going to enter Manila har-
Dor and that he should have entered
1t BY the broad channel instead of by
the narrow channel, which had been
mined. The few shots which Admiral
Dewey's ships fired at the CorreGidor
forts on the night they entered tho
harbor killed forty-two men. although
the only target the American gunners
had were the flashes Of the Spanish
cannon
The correspondent Of the Hong Kong
China Mail, who went 10 Manila on the
British steamer Esmsralda. arrived on
the day after the battle. On May 3 he
had an interview with the Spanish Ad-
miral, Montojo. and obtained his ver-
sion Of the battle. 1t contains somo
novel and interesting facts. The cor
respondent describes the Admiral as
"an old man about S5 years Of age,
slight In stature, and in appearance
everything but warlike. He realised
my ideal of an old Spanish grandee,
was cordialitv itself. and talked with
frankness of Sundays conflict" Ad-
mfral Monto3o said his intention was
to go to Sublg Bay and fortify 1t, but
he found that it would require at least
month. So after spending a week
there he returned to Manila on April
SO. Had Dewey started one day earlier
he would thus have caught the Span
ish fleet outside Manila harbor.
Admiral Montojo said he had re-
Questioned Madrid for ships and tor
pedoes. but had received neither, SO
he laid the blame of his defeat on the
Spanish Governmeht. In describing
the fight Admiral Montojo said:
The Reina Cristna and Don Juan
dAustria. as you know, were old cruis-
ers; the Castella was a wooden cruiser,
but was unable to steam owing to the
breaking down OF her engines. The
Don Antonio d'Ulloa and the Velasco
were helpless and were undergoing re-
pairs off the arsenal. The Olympia,
Baltimore. Raleigh and Boston en-
saged my flagship In turn about $50,
attracted by my flag. l recognized the
necessity OF getting under way and
slipped both anchors, ordering the
other ships to follow my example. AL
though We recognized the hopelessness
OF fighting the American ships we were
buoy returning tneiT nTe. Inc H6lna
Cristina was hit repeatedly.
Shortly after $3.50 / observed fire on
my ship forward and our steering gear
was damaged. rendering the vessel un-
manageable. We were subjected to 4
terrific hall Of shell and shot. The en-
gfnes were struck and We estimated we
had seventy hits about our hull and
superstructure. The boilers were not
a nj tpn 20 no
destroyed. A few moments later 1 OBJ
served that the after part Of the ship
was on fire. shell from an American
ship had penetrated and burst with
deadly effect, killing many Of our men.
My Flag Lieutenant said to me:
THE ship Is in flames. 1t Is i'm
possible to stay on the Cristina any
longer
"He signalled to the gunboat Isia
de Cuba and I and my staff were
transferred to her and my flag was
hoisted. Before leaving the Crlstina
my flag was hauled down. My flagship
was now one mass OF flames. I ordered
away all boats l could to save the
crew. Many of the men Jumped over
board without clothing and succeeded
In reaching shore. several hundred
yards away. Only a few men were
drowned. the majority being picked UP
by the boats.
Before jumping overheard Capt.
Cadarse's son, a Lieutenant on board
the Cristina, saw his father alive on
deck, but others say that as the Cap
tain was about to leave a shell burst
over the ship and killed him. We es-
Innate that So men were killed on
board the Cristina and about l50
wounded. The chaplain was killed aad
the assistant physician. the chief en-
gineer and three officers were wound
ed. The boatswaln and chief gunner
were both killed. In the Castella only
about 10 men were killed, but there
were many wounded both on the Cas-
tella and the Don Juan d'Austria, on
which Is men were killed. Altogether.
20 FAR as we know at present, 400 men
were killed and wounded on our shirs
AS soon as 1 translated myself from
the Reina Cristina to the Isla de Cuba
all the American shots were directed
upon the 1sla de Cuba, following my
flag. We sought shelter behind the
pier at Cavite. and. recognizing the
futility Of fighting more. prepared to
disembark. and gave orders for the
evacuation Of the remainder of the
ships. The Castella had been on fire
from end to end for some time, and
was OF course. already abandoned. The
Ulloa was also burning. My last sig
nal to the captains of all the vessels
was Scuttle aRd abandon your Ships"
He said: 1.-The Captain of the Boston
said to my chief of stan, Capt. Boado,
You have combatted with us four very
bad ships. not warships. There was
never seen braver fighting under such
unequal conditions. II Is a great pity
you exposed your lives In vessels not
Mt for lighting Commodore Dewey
also sent me message by the Eng.
lish consul yesterday. saying that.
peace or war, he would have great
pleasure In clasping me by the hana
and congratulating me on the gallant
manner in which we fought"
Conditions Of Peace.
Berlin, June 30.-The Lokal Anzeiper
publishes a despatch from Madrid sav-