The times., 1899-04-24
CAPTAIN WILDES ON
TIE FIGHT AT MANILA
Cruiser Boston Twice Afire
During the Battle.
Admiral Dewey in Excellent Pbysi-
cal Condition.
The Fleet an Efficient One and Only
Needs Vessels of Light
Draft.

NSW 10TH, April -o.-Cdptllu FRANK
Wildes, who was the senior captain of
Dewey's feet during the battle Of Ma
Mia. and who would have been in COM
mand had anything happened 20 that
officer, has been staying at the Hotel
Gerard, in West Fcrty-fourth Street. with
his wife and daughter for nearly month,
and has persstently denied himself TO
newspaper men. He is as modest and un-
assuming as he is brave, and does not care
to fight the great naval battle over again
in garbled newspaper accounts. Yester-
day the captain made an exception to his
usual rule and received reporter.
The captain is distinguished looking
man, with iron-sray hair and mustache.
He is well set up, though rather under
middle height. His face is bronzed by the
rays of southern sun, but under the tan
there is the flush which marks man in
good health. His manner is the emaoii-
ment of courtliness.
Il want to say frankly" began Captain
Wiides, that l have been annoyed at soma
of the alleged interviews with me. One
morning paper printed a childish account
of The battle of Manila and my gensral
impression of the situation, which purport-
ed to be couched in language used by me.
''As matter of fact, the reading pub
lie now has a pretty good idea of how
Admiral Dewey fought that battle, and
many of the details given have been rea-
sonably correct. One fact which | have
rot mentioned before is that the cruiser
Boston, which | commanded. was twice
on fire during the engagement
The first time Spanish shell came
crashing into the ward room, and, exp,od-
ing in chest of drawers in which one CT
the officers had his clothing, set the whole
place en- fire. Prompt action with the fire
hose prevented the spread of fire in time
to cause us no concern for the safety of
the magazine. Another shell exploded un-
der the bridge and set fire 10 the ham
mocks there, but this was also put out
with the aid of the fire hose
Captain Wildes explained that his three
years of sea duty had expired before the
battle, and that Captain Lambsrton had
arrived to succeed him. This officer served
as chief of Dewey's staff on the Olympia
and Captain Wildes fought his ship
throughout the action.
How about the stories of Admiral
Dewey's physical condition." Captain
Wildes was asked.
tain. ''and at that time Admiral Dewey
was in as good physical condition as at
any time l have known him. He showed
no sign of unusual worry and not the
slightest indication of breaking down. 1t
is true his hair was white, but it has been
white for some time"
Captain Wildes did not care to hazard
guess as to how long the insurgents could
keep up the fight. Informed that NJ. An
DIRE, the Belgian Consul TO Manila. had
already said that he did not believe there
and that the war would be over in three
months, Captain WiIdes said he knew OF
no man more competent to give an in
telligent opinion on the subject than NJ.
Andre, who, he said, incidentally, had
been OF great service to the Americans.
Captain Wildes thought the Spanish ves-
sells of light draft which have been
raised and sent to Hongkong, where they
are being repaired, presumably under the
direction Of Lieutenant Hob3on. would
prove most useful TO Admiral Dewey.
Their ability would be two-fold. They can
be used for getting close to the shore and
sheiling the insurgents as well as for
blockading or patrolling ports through
which the insurgents might receive sup
plies.
AS far as Captain Wildes can recall Ad-
miral Dewey now has, or viii soon have,
these vessels at his disposition: The battle
ship Oregon and the monitors Monterey
and Monadnock, all armor-clad: the Olym-
pia, Baltimore, Boston. Buffalo. Charles
ton, the gunboats-some of which are rated
as small cruisers-Concord, Yorktown,
Remington. Helena, Monocaey, Princeton,
Castine. Wheeling. Don Juan de Austria.
Petrol, IsIa de Luzon, Isla de Cuba. and
the Vixen. Add to these the Zafro. Solace,
Nashuan Manila, Iris. Culgot Calao, and
the Seindia which is now at Honolulu,
and the aggregate makes fleet of no mean
proportions Besides these there are the
Brutus and the Celtic that run to and
from Manila, and the Yosemite, that will
go TO Guam.
Captain Wildes confirmed the statement
that the officers and men of the fleet had
no idea of the amount of damage inflicted
upon the enemy, when, after two hours
action. at half-past o'clock in the morn
ing Admiral Dewey. then commodore, sig
nailed Withdraw from action" Later,
while the feet captains were on the flag
ship comforting with Dewey explosions on
the Spanish feet. followed by flames,
showed how matters stood.
Captain Wildes is at present attached to
the Brooklyn navy yard on special duty.