The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1899-11-30
THE MANILA VICTORY
Why Admiral Dewey Is HonOred
the World Over.
Facts About the Great Battle GIeanaa
from More Recent Reports
Cavite and Santiago
Compared.

In order to appreciate the naval VIC
tory at Cavite it is needfuI to recall
the state of things which existed at
the time of the achievement. If the
MES OF European newspapers and peri
/ odieals for the months of March and
Aprli, 1898, be consulted, ii viii be OBJ
| served that large majority Of reputed
experts were then Of the opinion that
the Spauiards would be found decided
y superior to our countrymen at sea.
liver I'M England, Admiral Colomb and
other naval officers showed themselves
disposed TO take Il gloomy view of our
prospects of success upon the ocean.
owing partly to the fact that Spain
was known to possess a number of
armored cruisers built in the best En-
ropean shipyards, but mainly to the
vast extent of the seacoast we should
nave to defend on the Pacific as well as
the Atlantic. On the Pacific, from the
moment that the battleship Oregon was
ordered to join the vessels operating in
nome waters, our means of defense were
almost exclusively confined to the
squadron under Dewey, which had been
stationed in the China seas.
On April 26 dispatch arrived from
washington ordering Dewey to proceed
at once to the Philippine islands. to be-
gin operations against the Spanish fleet,
and to capture or destroy it. AT two
O'Clock on the very next day the sail
ing pennant went up, and Dewev's fleet
steered southwark across 620 miles of
one OF the toughest seas in the world
which lay between it and the Philip
pines. On April 80 it reached Subio
bay, between which and Manila Law a
distance of 30 miles. 1t was learned
that the Spanish squadron lay inside
the Bay of Cavite, the sides of which
ana the entrances to which were known
to be fortified and mined. There is
now no doubt that SO far as land de-
lenses were concerned, Cavite was far
better equipped than was Santiago
INTO which the fleet under Admiral
sampson never ventured to enter.
Commodore Dewey did not stop to in
Vestlgate the strength of the fortifica-
tlons threatening the entrances to the
bay OF Cavite, nor the reality of the
submarine mines alleged to exist. but.
on the very evening of his arrival. that
Of April 30, swept into the Bay of Ca.
vite, receiving the fire of the fortifca-
tlons and defving the mines, two of
winch exploded, one Immediately ahead
oF the flagship. In front of the Ameri-
can vessels lay the Spanish squadron,
defended at the rear and on both fanks
oy land batteries. Leaving out the tre-
mendous advantage given to the Span
lards by these batteries, let us con-
slider the relative strength of the naval
forces engaged. Dewey had six fight
ing ships and the revenue cutter Me-
lulloch, which took no part in the ac-
ton. The Spaniards had ten fighting
ships and two torpedo boats, the lat
ter, however, being practically out of
detlon' The Americans had 81 classi-
lied big guns and "A rapid-fre and
machine guns; the Spaniards had 50
classified big guns and 72 rapid-fre and
machine guns. The Americans had ten
s-inch guns, while the largest Spanish
guns were 6.2 inches, 1t follows that
If the land batteries be disregarded.
Dewey had slightly the advantage in
weight OF metal and in heavy guns. As
regards the number of men engaged.
the spaniards had 1,796 and the Ameri-
cans 1,67s. The result of the battle
was the humiliation or capture of every
Spanish vessel and the surrender of the
shore batteries. The Spaniards admit
ted loss of 634 killed and wounded.
while the Americans had not one killed
and only eight wounded.
1t is the completeness of the immedi-
ate result which gives Manila great
place in the history of naval battles;
but what adds immensely to it's impor-
tance is the fact that it involved the
cession by Spain to the United States
OF an island empire containing upward
of 100000 inhabitants and possessed
of immeasurable natural resources. No
naval victory in the annals of the world
has brought about the transfer from |
one power to another of so large popu-
lation.-Collier's Weekly.