The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-05-08
BATTLE OF MANILA BAY


the factors that won the day in such an
astounding fashion in the opinion of one OF
the brightest of our young naval officers. An
older head and a man of higher grade, a
strategist, thought that Dewey had taken
the Spaniards unawares in every respect.
erede, and at daybreak was pouring broad
side after broadsde into the Spanish fleet
which was taken unawares, with nobody
at quarters, with most of the crew asleep
and generally in a state of utter UMPIRE
paredness to resist an attack. One officer
thought that the Spaniards had even failed
steam on and could not move, lying helpless
while Dewey's ships circled around them,
firing first from reside and then another.
Probably the true explanation will not be
Forthcoming until advices are at hand, but
the Spanish naval prestige has received a
blow from the battle of Manila from which
it cannot recover in very many years.
Admiral Dewey cut the cable himself, and
though he offers no explanation for so doing
it is believed that his purpose was not only
to prevent the Spanish Governor General
from communicating with his own govern
ment, but also to prevent the foreign con-
suls at Manila from interfering with his
plan by cabling protests to their govern
ments. He made it impossible for them to
summon any war vessels to enforce the
protest they were expected to make against
the siege of Manila
A closer examination of the two cable
grams shows that in the news originally
given out the names of two Spanish vessels
had been omitted from the list of those de-
stroyed. They were the Don Juan de Aus
tria and the Isla de Luzon. The Austria
was a 1.1SO-ton vessel IA knots, carrying Az
inch guns and also machine guns. The Lu-
armed That makes eleven Spanish ships
destroyed by Dewey in the short space of
two hours.
AS he left the Navy Department this
afternoon Secretary Long said, in answer to
a question, that he had nothing further to
communicate to the public; he had given al
ready all of the news that the McCulloch
had brought, save a triling detail not OF
general interest and of Importance only to
the department. The receipt of advices at
the State Department, however, from COM
mercial sources indicates that further news
may be coming by commercial steamers.
If Congress does not prematurely act, as
it did in the case of Worden, when he
achieved his famous victory over the Mer-
rimac. Acting Admiral Dewey will become
an actual admiral in few days.
The law of July 10, 1882, provides that
naval officers who, upon the recommends
ton of the President, receive the thanks OF
Congress may be advanced one grade. The
President will DO this in Deweys case
which will put 81 900 additional in his pocket
and Jump him over three commodores, as
well as over Acting Admiral Sampson.
At the embassies and legations Commo-
dore Deweys reports were read with great
interest and served to renew the high trib-
utes of the foreign authorities 70 the gal
liant American commander. The remarkable
disparity between the casualties on the
American and Spanish ships as shown by
the Dewey reports, was a source of special
comment and the military attache of one
of the embassies said such disparity prob
badly was without a parallel in history
How the Spanards could have lost $50 killed
was confined to few men slightly injured
is regarded by the foreign observers as
clearly disclosing the utter worthlessness
of Spanish arms. The ambassador of one
of the great powers said it showed that
the guns of the Spanish forts, as well as
those on their ships, were worthless, other
wise they would have inflicted at least
some mortality upon the American sailors
1T recalls Solferino' said he. "At that
time France and Austria were at war, but
the range of the French guns was longer
than tnat OF the AuStr1anS. That brought
them together on unequal terms, and the
simple difference in the length of range of
the French guns determined the outcome of
that battle. So it was with Dewey. He
not only had the guns, but they had the
modern strength and destructiveness, while
the Spanish guns evidently were ANTICIPATED
and guns only in name. 1t serves to show
that in the warfare of to-day a nation must
have weapons of the most modern pattern,
else it is at a terrible disadvantage and its
men are left practically at the mercy of an
enemy having all the latest appliances of
destructive warfare. 1t is the lesson of
Solferino over again, and this time Spain
learns it,"
It was thought the British embassy would
receive direct advices, but none came. The
French, German and other foreign estab-
lshments were also lacking in direct ad-
vices. In all foreign quarters much con-
Germ was shown as to the effect of these
reports upon the temper of the people of
Madrid. 1t was believed it would add fuel
to the flame already existing there, and that
little more was needed to overthrow the
government. Sir Julian Pauncefote called
at the State Department during the day,