The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-11-09
DEWEY DIFFERS FROM
LIEUTENANT CALKINS
Admiral Objects to the Statement
That There Were Neither Mines
Nor Torpedo Boats in
Manila Bay.

CALL HEADQUARTERS, YELLING
TON HOTEL, WASHINGTON, Nov. s.
Admiral Dewey has yielded to the temp
tations of the letter writing habit to the
extent of an exception to the report of
the operations in Manila Bay written oy
Lieutenant c. G. Calkins, navigating Off
Ger of the Olympia. and published in the
June issue of the Naval Institute
1t has been Dewey's custom to let pass
unnoticed all reports, correct and incor-
rect, of the battle of Manila, but when
the article by Lieutenant Calkins ap-
peared in the Institute he broke his rule
and wrote to the Chief of the Bureau of
Navigation, Admiral Crowninshield. ask
ing that his official report of the battle
be published in the Institute, as the one
by Lieutenant Calkins differed from ii in
several particulars. In the last issue of
the Institute Dewey's report appeared,
with a letter from Admiral Crownn-
shield and Dewey's letter to him
1t seems from the two accounts that
there was quite a difference of opinion
between the admiral and his navigating
officer in figuring on the probable inten
tions of a small boat that put out from
the shore and lay across the bows of the
Olympia during the fight. The admiral
says in his report that it was there with
the apparent intention" of using torpe-
does; Lieutenant Calkins says it was
market boat. The admiral speaks of two
such intruders; Lieutenant Calkins says
there was but one. The admiral also
speaks of mines exploded ahead of the
flagship but Lieutenant Calkins writes
that, on the authority of one of the Span
ish captains, there were no mines and no
torpedo-boats in the harbor.
In regard to these differences the adj
miral has made his first attempt at pub
Hcation in the following TO Admiral
Crowninshield:
There has come to my notice copy of the
United States Naval Institute. which contains
an article by Lieutenant Carlos G. CaIkins
United States navy, purporting to be a histor-
ical account of the operations in Manila Bay
during my command of the United States
naval forces there. 1t has not been my Gus
tom to notice numerous incorrect accounts of
those operations, do 1 desire to engage in
any controversy with the writer of the paper
mentioned, in matters of opinion but as the
article has appeared in a publication which is
understood to have the official sanction of the
department, and as it contains statements as
facts. conflicting with my official reports,
consider 1t necessary to ask that the depart
ment will reqaess the Naval Institute 20 publish
in its next issue my official report of the bat
tie of Manila Bay, which is absolutely correct
in all essentials.
In his official report the admiral stated
that-"Early in the engagement two
launches put out toward the Olympia
with the apparent intention of using tor
pedoes. One was sunk and the other was
disabled by our fire, and was beached be-
fore an opportunity occurred to fire the
torpedoes. While advancing to the at
tack two mines were exploded ahead of
the flagship, too far to be effective
Lieutenant Calkins in his account says: