The Hawaiian gazette., 1903-12-25

"HE cruiser Raleigh, which lies
in Naval Row as one of the
Il ships of Admiral Evans's fleet,
has one of the interesting histories in
the new navy. The vessel engaged
the Spanish flagship at the battle of
Manila Bay, when Dewey forever clos
ed the annals of the kingdom of Spain
In the Far East, and she fired the first
and last shot in that famous fight.
The Raleigh Is sister ship of the
cruiser Cincinnati, but she was built
at Norfolk, Va, under the direction OF
the government, while the Cincinnati
was built at the New York navy yard,
also In government shops. The Raj
eigh has had not the varied history of
her sister vessel but she participated
in one of the most momentous naval
victories recorded in the annals of
American naval engagements, that Of
Manila Bay, May l, 1898.
taken in everything that appertains
to accomplishments in signaling. One
of the features of life on that we'll
drilled vessel is the recitation by each
member of the crew, of the semaphore
alphabet at evening quarters. This is
accomplished at any time to the note
of the bugle which means the pro-
nouncing the name by sailor, at the
same time while making a correspond
ing display with his arms, the object
being to acquire thorough familiarity
with the alphabet.
Being a sister ship of the Cincinnati,
the Raleigh went into commission in
1898, and had the usual experience of
all vessels of the navy at that time
waiting for the outbreak of n war TO
determine her fighting qualities. She
had little to do up to the time of the
outbreak of the Spanish war In the
winter and spring of 1898 she was at
tached to the command of Commodore
Dewey on the Asiatic station, the Phil
ippines being then little thought of.
Then came the order to Dewey to
break up the Spanish fleet in the Far
East. His squadron proceeded quietly
to Manila Bay. The Raleigh was the
third vessel in the line. During the
night they passed the batteries of Cor
regidor Island, which lies almost in
the center of the entrance to the broad
and expansive bay of Manila. With
no lights displayed the vessels passed
the sentry of the city of Manila and
the naval depot of Cavite, arousing the
Spaniards only at the last moment.
The squadron steamed into the bay at
some distance from Cavite, and then,
making a circle, steamed close in
toward the station of Cavite before
which the vessels of Spain We're lying.
The first shot Of this memorable bat
tie which sent a thrill of patriotism
throughout the United States Is said
to have been fired by the Raleigh. She
trained her five-inch guns on the flag
ship Reina Christina and fired them
often. The glasses OF her officers were
centered on the Inflated flagship and
It Is said that when one OF the shots
OF the Raleigh struck the vessel
number OF sailors, as well as her COM
mander, We're swept overheard. A
shot from the Spanish ships pierced
one of the boats OF the Raleigh, and
little later, another boat was, struck,
but no one was killed or hurt. One
OF the boats was pierced early in the
engagement and another was shat
tered. Later, the famous command of
Dewey TO breakfast. was received, and
the officers and crew settled down 10
the ordinary routine OF looking after
the needs OF the inner man. for the