The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-01-24
SAN DEWEY At WORK
First Ship to Return That Was
at Manila, May |.
ENGLISH BARK AUSTRIA
Brings the Story and Some
Experiences of Its Own.
ENGLISH BARK AUSTRIA

Experiences OF lis UWIl'
Boston, Jan. 23-The Globe says: Flying
the English Jack at her Mizzen, the Brit
ish bark Austria, of St. John, y. B. Capt.
lies anchored in the inner Boston hsrbor'
just off DrlscolTs wharf.
In the simple statement of facts thert Is
little of interest, but when it is apprecia;-
ed that the Austria was in Manila harbor
from April u to July "A last, that Spanish
shells whizzed ovevr her topmasts in a
vain attempt TO reach Admiral Dewey S
victorious squadron, and that her oftlctrs
and crew were eye witnesses Of the most
notable naval battle Of modern times, the
Britisher becomes an object of interest i'm
mediattly to every American. 1t is not
necessary to add that the trim English
craft has aboard two Filipinos, that in her
hold yet is stone ballasts from the fortffi-
cations at Cavite, that her officers have
many relics from the destroyed Spanish
ships. and Notifications at CCorregidor and
CCavite-for all this is a side issue.
ne ordinary AHLIICdI 10 ilOL a iCAAN
fiend, but he Is decidedly patriotic, and
even were TIT Austria the forth or fifth
ship that has reached the United States,
or even Boston. bearing word Of mouth
of the battle of Manila, interest would still
attach to the event. and the Amtrican
would gladly hear anew the story of May
l in far-of Luzon. But the Austria is not
the fourth or fifth; she is the first vessel
reaching American shores that was privi-
legged to be in Manila bay May 1. She
has rtached port ahead Of the Raleigh and
the McCulloch.
To have been aboard the Austria May !
could have been bettered in just one re-
spect-namely to have been aboard one Of
the ships of the American squadron and
to have had a personal share in the
American victory.
SPANIARDS HAD NO SHOW.
The Austria reached port yesterday af-
ternoon, and soon thereafter a Globe re-
porter was rowed out to her First officer
]. H. Dunbar was found to have be an ex-
ceedingly conservative conversationalist.
He has the sailor trait of doing much and
talking little, yet bit by bit. protesting all
the while that it was not so much after
all. he answered queries until at length he
was the sole talker and the reporter the
intent listener.
1--WE arrivevd at Manila r. 'Maroden
Eve arrived at Manila April 12." said
Mr.. Dunbar, with cargo of coal from
Newcastle. Australia, and before the car
go had been discharged the first of May
had come and gone and our plans were
completely altered Everyone in Manila
appreciated that trouble was at hand even
before the declaration of war. The Span
ish forces were aware Of Commodore
Dewey's squadron being at Hong Kong
and looked for an early investment of Ma
Mia, yet I can hardly say, despite the pre-
parations that we could see daily aboard
the Spanish ships and in the Spanish forts
that they were prepared for such a quick
stroke or such bold one on the part oil
the Americans.
1.-The Spanish neglected to mine the har.
Dor. You ask why2 Well this was not SC
much because of the suddenness of Dew
eys coming as the fact that the Spaniards
were without adequate mines, and to a
great extent believe they were unskilled
in the laying Of mines, and that the pro-
btCbiOll Nubiu dNG csAliOAAlIQ " LlUG4l lld<l
it been tried.
Admiral Montejo of course, was aware
Of the American squadron's departure
from Hongkong, but considered It best not
| to atntempt to waylay Dewey, but rather
allow him to force the entrance of the har-
Dor, while the SpaniardS combined their
naval and land battery strength in oppo-
sitlou.
The American ships were not large
| the Olympia is a fine boat and so is the
| Baltimore but the Spanish boats were
much smaller than the Americans"
The reporter was interrupteda siLmscit
The reporter here interrupted Mr. Dun.
bar to remind him that Dewey's squadron
consisted of cruisers and gunboats and
| that We had more formidable vessels like
| the Oregon.
Yes yes know" he said. ''You peo.
PIE Of course cannot bear that anything
wrong should be said to take away the
credit of the victory, and, mind you.
don't say that. Ii was great work, but the
! Spanish ships had no show. They did tn,
| best they could. but IL was an even thinl
| only when YOU consider that the Spaniard!
! had the aid of the land batteries.
SHELLS FIRED OVER THEM
"Weu. a 81 was saying. We expecting I,
| see the Americans show up soon, anC
! about on the morning Of May I heart
the boom of gun. and jumped up from
the deck, where 1 had been sleeping.
d" They're at it called to the captain
and in a minute every one on board tn,
/ Austria was on deck. There was thicl
I