The times., 1899-07-21

Admiral George Dewey, L. S. N, yes
terday, on behalf OF himself and his
brother officers on the Asiatic station. fled
proceedings in admiralty in the District
Court, libeling the Don Juan de AUSTRIA
lsla de Cuba. lsla de Luzon, Leyte. Min
danao. and other vessels captured hy the
feet under the command OF the libelant,
for $326, ,14l.s9, claimed as prize money.
The suit was filed by Herbert & Micou
| and Charles and William King attorneys
for the libelants. under the following title:
George Dewey, Admiral, U. S. N, on
( behalf of himself and the officers and
crews Of the United States naval forces on
| the Asiatic station, taking part in the bat
| tie of Manila Bay on May l. 1898, and later
captured at the same place, against the
I Don Juan de Austria, Isla de Cuba, Isia de
I Luzon. Leyte, Mindanao, and other vessels
captured by the feet under the command
, of the libelant."
| The declaration then goes on to state
/ that the feet which took part in the en-
gagement in Manila Bay against the Span
! ish feet en- May 1, 1888, was composed OF
the following warships in charge of the
commanders named; L. S. flagship Olym-
/ pia, Capt. Charles V. Gridley; U. S. S. Bal
! timore, Capt. Nehemiah NJ. Dyer; u s. s.
( Boston, Capt. Frank Wildes: the Raleigh
Capt Joseph B. Coghlan gunboat Concord.
Commander Asa Walker; gunboat Petrel
! Commander Edward p. Wood; Revenue
/ Cutter Mccullough, Capt Daniel B. Hodg-
| son, and the supply steamers NansEan AMI
4 Zafiro. 1t is then stated that as one of the
results Of the engagement on May l the
I United States fleet captured two protected
/ cruisers of the Spanish feet, the Isla de
/ Cuba and Isla de LuZon. and the o-heG
I vessels already named, together with the
property, consisting of their equipment OF
/ miscellaneous stores, fixtures. guns. slip
supplies from the arsenal at Cayite, and
| shore batteries defending the harbor at
/ Manila. 1t is then set forth the captures
resulted from the battle of May l against
Z the ships of the King of Spain, again nam
/ ing the vessels mentioned in the title of
I the case, together with the unprotected
cruisers Reina Christana Castil a, Don An
/ tonic Ulloa Volasco. gunboats General
/ Leo and Marquis del Duoro, and the sur
| vey vessel Argos. Mention is also made
/ of the capture Of mines and torpedoes at
I the entrance OF Manila Bay, which were
a formidable menace to the entry of the
/ forces of the United States. Reference is
[ also made to the part that the land bat
/ teries played. .E3
These batteries, it was stated took part
! in the engagement on the morning of May
l and kept up a continual fire upon the
! feet of the United States. The guns on
the enemys vessels and the shore batter
les, it is stated, were able 10 throw within
/ fixed time a weight of metal far in ex-
cess of that which could be thrown by
| the guns of the United States feet. In
addition to the ships batteries, the en-
emys guns consisted OF sixty-one rifle
bored, with an average calibre of seven
/ inches. Twenty-fiye of these, il is stated.
were breech- h-loaders. four of nine and one
half inches calibre. which fired heavier
projectiles than, any of the guns OF the
| United States ships. 1t is also stated that
| the efficiency OF guns ashore is several
times greater than like guns afoat.
The number OF men upon the United
I States vessels engaged in the battle. it
1 is stated, numbered 1886, and while the
| number Of the enemy is not stated. it is
said to have been much larger tnan that
of the American forces.
The property in question, ii is said, was
taken for The United States and is now in
I its possession, except such as was destroy
ed. Part of the property was appraised
by board Of survey, composed of the fol
( lowing members: Capt. Joseph B. Cogh-
| lam Commander Edward p. Wood. Lieut..
Carlos G. Calkins, and Past Assistant Pay
. master 5. L. Heap. recorder. Due report
of this appraisement, ii is stated, was for
warded 10 the Secretary of the Navy, and
| shows that the property assessed is valued
at S326 li1.S9, the amount claimed by the
libelants, The survey, however. does not
| include ammunition of different kinds. cap
tured at the arsenal of Cayite and the
shore batteries; nor does it include the
! value of the ships Isla de Cuba and Isla de
Luzon, and the unprotected cruiser Juan
de Austria, which was sunk and afterward
raised by the American Government. The
.fNFf f1asr
was made before il was decided that the
/ vessels should be raised. These vessels are
now, il is stated. at Hongkong for repairs
II IS then stated that attorneys in the
| United States asked for an appraisement
of these vessels but that none was ordered
| by the Navy Department. 1t is estimated
that the value Of the vessels, after allow
ing for the cost of raising and repairing
! is $4,000 1t is claimed further that at
| by the Navy Department for the institution
! of proceedings for the condemnation of
property for prizes or for the adjudication
OF the claims of the libelant-
| The libellants therefore ask the District
court to make an order warning all who
may have claims against the property men
toned to show cause why, at a certain
time, a decree of condemnation should not
issue whereby all the property should be
| condemned as prize TO the libelants. 1t
is also asked that copy of the proceed
ings be served upon the attorney for the
| United States in the District OF Columbia
and the Secretary Of the Navy, and that
| they be required TO show cause why S526. =
14l.S9 and such amount as the estimated
value of the unprotected cruisers men-
toned should not be deposited with the
Assistant Treasurer of the United States
subject to the order of the court: and
( also why a judgment and decree of con-
demnaton should not issue for the benefit
OF the libelants.
Accompanying the declaration is a bill
OF exhibits containing an inventory Of the
property asked to be condemned. This
list contains articles in value from 10 cents
| to 500, 600.
FOR INSANE INDIANS.