The Hawaiian gazette., 1899-10-27
Talks on Matters in the
Philippines.
Mestojo Not N Eatre o. Nsasi a. lasut.
gests 10 TIE E Extsemlty-
Persssa Otservs hes.
(From Wednesdays Daily.)


route to the Norfolk navy yard, to
which he has recently been attached.
He left Manila in June last In COM
mand of the Boston. but obtained per-
mission to detain the ship at Hong
kong, as his wife was quite i'll at that
port. Mrs. Writings health not show
ing signs of improvement, he applied
for and obtained three months leave,
and is now proceeding home to report
for duty, as before stated.
A reporter from the Advertiser wait
ed upon Captain Whiting at the Along
residence on Nuuanu avenue last eve
ming and obtained some very interest
ing matter from the Captains own OBJ
servation of affairs in the Philippines.
Starting from the commencement of
hOstilities In Manila bay, 1t would
seem that the Wanted bravery Of the
Spanish fleet was rather exaggerated,
for upon raising the sunken vessels the
damage inflicted by the American fire
was not sufficient to warrant the ex-
IRENE action taken by the Spaniards in
scuttling their ships. Take for in
stance the Isla de Cuba. Upon raising
her the only damage apparent from
shot or shell was one 6-inch shot right
squarely in the center Of the coming
tower. one smaller shell on her port
quarter and another square in the
stern, while in her bows she had two
torpedoes with war-heads complete all
ready for action. 1t would appear from
this that the one shot in the coming
tower had taken all the fight out OF her
and In turning tail for shallow water
she received her other injuries. or
course no estimate of damage to her
light upper-wOrk, beats. ETC., could be
made. as after the action the Petrol
and Concord set fire to her. Much the
same state Of affairs exists in the Isla
de Luzon and Don Juan de Austria.
AS is well known, Dewey's orders
were only to capture or destroy the
heet wherever found. and he destroyed
1t effectively. 1t Is probable he would
have contented himself with the cap
ture only of those vessels afterwards
OuA ~. nc, III idCt, cApTcbScu TeSIeL
that he had not done SO. but he was
not aware at the time that the whole
fleet was In Manila bay and assumed
that he would have to follow stray YES
sells around the various ISLANDS. The
Spaniards, too. probably thought he
would be content when their vessels
were sunk and take his leave, and this
idea Is the more reasonable when 1t Is
StQfnd That nrovtn,uo m tina oil
cocks and valves In order to scuttle the
ships they had carefully coated the
machinery with white lead and tallow
to preserve 1t from the salt water, evil
IDENTIFY intending to raise the vessels
and refit them after the departure of
the American fleet.
A peculiar rumor is still current
throughout Manila and it is that Ad-
miral MontOjO took no actual part in |
the battle. 1t Is said that on the night |
previous to the fight he entertained |
friends at his house in the city of Ma |
Mia till midnight. and also that at |
o'clock on the morning of the event. |
full day he was seen by many members |
of the English Club still in the city but |
driving towards Cavite, twenty miles |
away, and yet again at II o'clock of the |
same morning he was again in Manila.
Now II these statements are facts. he |
was not In battle. since the fight began |
at daybreak ana was over when he re- |
turned. The rumor further suggests |
tnat ON MS drive out to Cavite he saw |
Inc state OF anairs, gave orders tc his
captains 10 scutt'e their ships and then
returned to the city.
when the raised Juan de Austria
was placed upon the slip at Cavite to
ne patched up. her old captain, who
SPOKE Engiish nuently, came down to
look at her. ana returned to the city IN
company Win captain whiting. VINO
s 90, ..va. having seen MN at the YES,
De- s, saIu ner captain, ana
s.", hi.a ..T. "e 20 ma. ~" Maue 30
INV. mus n"' &c. said whilng.
snch rn"r .h"".,rs s '"" away 'ro"
'" Sn.a p ' ~ .ha ,,s,,,u.,,. c..,.
vbt.,rm sevs .hov a.u s .', Sap.n
,na,r JUS, says $500 ,ney a'e anna, manu,actur,ns
sawar on ~ ,Sasa anu n,.ns oia smells.
49, v, s"ese NUNS "aue prouucts
wcsc ih uib pobbcbbtou anu Cdubeu