New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-01-17

worlds sea powers with only so per
cent OF the full COMPLEMENT of ammu-
milton in his vessels magazines.
Squadron Faces Enemy
There were four protected cruisers
in Dewey's squadron-the Olympia, has
flagship: the Baltimore, the Raleigh
and the Boston. lie had also the
Concord, an unprotected cruiser; the
punboat Petrol and the revenue cut
ter McCulloch.
Against him in Manila Harbor were,
seven Spanish vessels, and behind
them the guns Of the Notifications.
On the night of April 30 the com
modore sailed into Bocs Grande, the
main channel into Manila Harbor. and
with the same disregard of the tals
of "torpedoes" that his old COM
mander, Farrsgut, had once shown.
drove in through the darkness toward
the greatest day in his life.
Excerpts from the admiraPs own &C
count Of the destruction OF MontoJos
squadron tell the story:
"A comparison of the relative
strength Of the two squadrons shows
that we had six ships to the Span
iards' seven, but we were superior IN
class and in ornaments. The Span
ards had some twenty-five small gun.
boats not brought into action, but
which might have been transformed
into torpedo boats for night attack or
defence of the entrance TO the bay.
1--WE had ffty-three guns above The
4-inch calibre and the Spsniards thir-
ty-one; ffty-six guns under 4-inch, 10
IL H. "a
pedo tubes, TO the Spaniards' thirteen;
officers and men, 1856, to the Span
iards' l,447.
about 5:05 the Luneta and two
other Manila batteries opened fire.
Their shots passed well over the yes
sells. 1t was estimated that some had
a range Of seven miles. Only the Bos-
ton and the Concord replied. Each
sent two shells at the Luneta battery.
The other vessels reserved their fire,
having in mind my caution that, in
the absence of full supply of am
munition, the amount we had was too
precious to be wasted when we were
1000 miles from our base.
Sights Spanish Fleet
with the coming of broad daylight
we finally sighted the Spanish vessels,
/ lOincu III All liAcbAldi NlfoCcAt w
front of Cavite. The Olympia headed
toward them, and in answer to her
signal to close up the distance between
our ships was reduced TO 200 yards.
The western flank Of the Spanish
squadron was protected by Cavite
peninsula and the Sangley Point bat
terry, while its eastern flank rested in
the shoal water off Las Pinas.
"The Spanish line of battle was
formed by the Reina Christina flag,
the Castillo, the Don Juan de Austria.
the Don Antonio de Ulloa, the Isla de
Luzon, the lsla de Cuba and the Mar
cues del Duero.
Sire When You Are Ready"
AT $40 o'clock. when we we're within
a distance Of 5000 yards 1.-TWO and
half miles,, / turned to Captain Grid
ley and said:
you may fire when you are ready,
Gridley'
while ! remained on the bridge
with Lsmberton, Brumby and Stickney,
Gudley took his station in the coming
tower and gave the order TO the bait
terry. The very first gun to speak was
an s-inch gun from the forward turrst
OF the Olympia, and this was the sig
nal for all the other ships to Join the
action.
When the flagship neared the I'VE
fathom curve of Cavite she turned to
the westward, bringing her port bat
terles TO bear on the enemy, and, fol-
lowed by the squadron, passed along
the Spanish line until north of and
only some ! 800 yards distant from the
Sangley Point battery, when she again
turned and headed back to the east
ward, thus giving the squadron an OPP
portunity TO use their port and star
board batteries alternately and to
cover with their fire all the Spanish
ships, as well as the Csvite and Sang
ley Point batteries.
Three runs we're thus made from
the eastward and two from the west
ward. the length OF each run averag-
ing two miles and the ships being
turned each time with the port helm.
There had been no cessation in the
Tapidity of fire maintained by our
whole squadron. and the effect OF
its concentration, owing 20 the fact
that our ships were kept close to-
gether, was smothering, particularly
upon the two largest ships, the Rena
Chrstins and the Castillo. The Don
Juan de Austria first and then the
Reina Christina made brave and des-
perate attempts to charge the Olympia,
but, becoming the target for all our
batteries. they turned and ran back
In this sortie he Reina Christina was