THE BATTLE OF MANILA. DETAILS OF THE ENGAGEMENT.

Otago Witness, Issue 2309, 2 June 1898, Page 21

THE BATTLE OF MANILA. DETAILS OF THE ENGAGEMENT.

SPLENDID MATtKSMANSHIP OF THE

AMERICANS.

TACT AND STRATEGY OF ADMIRAL DEWEY.

The China Mail says :—": — " The great victory of the United States Asiatic squadron is due in a great measure to the splendid marksmanship of the American gunners, but more particularly to the t»cfc and strategy of Admiral Dewey, in command cf the fleet. Late on Saturday night, Apr?] '3o, the ships entered the chanrel leading to the Bay of Manila. Sftvoral shots were fired at them from the batteries at the entrance, but none struck the ships. The whole squadron passed safely into the Bay of Manila, and when the sun rose over Manila the American ships were cruising round in front ot the city. Whan they were discovered the Manila batter if s opened z fusillade on the ship* at a r»Dge of about five miles, und as several shols had been falling around the Boston she opened fire, but the order to cease firing was hoißted by Admiral Dewey on the flagship, and the erratic firing of the town batteries proceeded without interruption. A large number of Britfcb mercantile vesstls were lynig in the hrrbour, but no traces were visible of the Spanish flaet. The American squadron proceeded in line ahead to the naval str.tien at Oavite. There they found the Spanish fleet lying in four or five fathoms of water. The Spaniards were drawn up in line, the wooden hulk Castilla being moored fore and aft. This was the strongest possible position the fleet could have occupied in the bay. They were supported by the forts *.t Cavite, and the very shallow water round Cavite rendered it impossible for the American ships to approach them closely. At a range of 60Q0yde the Spanish ships and forfcs opened fire on the United States fleet ; but the shell fell far out of range. The United Stiles squadron steamed slowly towards the Spanish fleet undeterred by the tremendous fusillade of the Sp&niards. When the range had lessened to 5000 yaids the flagship Olympia opened fire, and as the Baltimore and other ships filed past; they maintained a steady fire from their 6in and Bin guns. The American ships manoeuvred in line, and sent broadside after broadside into the Spanish fleet.

Ab about half-past 7 o'clock, the fire from the Spaniards haviDg been very con»iderably quietened, the order was hoisted to stop firing. From about half-past 9 o'clock the previous evening till then the men had been on duty at the guns, and had received no refreshments but a cup of coffee at 11 o'clock. The Americans renewed the attack, and in about an hour and a-half the white entign was hoisted ab Cavite. The lighter draught vessels and pinnaces of the American fleet and a large number of tugboat* and launches captured in the harbour steamed into Cavite Harbour shortly after the surrender, and the wounded mm who were left behind in the ships and others picked ont of the water were conveyed to the hospitals at Cavite and also to Manila city. The Spaniards had taken away most of their dead and buried some, bat next day, while parties were searching around the naval arsenal cfc CSavite, attention was drawn by a dreadful stench to & large heap of putrifying bodies, some of which had been horribly mangled by the American shells. The Spanish admiral (P-xsaron), who was very slightly wounded in the action, with his two sons, who acted as his aides, fled to the city.of Manila. Notwithstanding the notoriously bad gunnery of the Spaniards, there must have been many shots in the vigorous cannonade which got pretty near the mark, and many stories are told regarding the number of shells that struck the different American vessels. The aim of the Spaniards' smaller guns was more within range than the guns of heavier calibre. The flagship Olympia was pierced by numerous 7!b projectiles. Had the firing of the big guns been as accurate the United States ships, which are nob armoured vessels, would have f ared % rather badly. " Admiral Dewey manoeuvred his fleet in splendid style, steaming his chips slowly across and across the Spanish line of fire, the guns on each occasion belching forth death and destruction. The American fleet by this manoeuvre were able to maintain a continuous rain of sheli on the Spaniards. The cannonade of the Spaniards from the shore and the ships was, however, as vigorous. No breeze was blowing. The smoke from the guns concealed the chips, and it was difficult to tell how the fight was gbing. An incident happened during this series of manoeuvres of the American fleet whioh dhows indomitable pluck and heroism on the part of the Spaniards. Admiral Paragon's flagship, the Rein a Christina, having got up steam, advanced out of line to attack the United Statet flagship Olympia. On the movement being observed all the guns of the American fleet were signalled tc concentrate upon the Spanish flagn&lp, and the cigaai w&d obeyed

with telling effeot. Before the Beina Christina had reached aay where near the Olympia tha Spanish flagship was forced to retire, and aa she did so she gave the Olympia a grand opportunity for raking shots. The' Olympia senfc ft huge Bin shell through the stern of the Reinfc Christina, taking her entire length and oxploding her boiler. As she drifted helplessly away she was discovered to be on fire. Thif single shell killed the captain and 60 other men, and altogether this vessel had 140 men killed and as many wounded. The Spanish Admiral then transferred his flag to the Cftstilla, and she was afterwards eunk with a regular storm of shot.

| "Ab 7.45 the Olympia withdrew from action^ and signalled the remainder of the fleet to fol) I low. The intense heat had told bard upon thl men working the guns. By this time two o\ the Spanish ships lying together were on fire< and some distance off another was burning. The commanders of tbe different American | vessels were summoned on board the flagship foi ! a conference, when it was learned that not one iof the crews or officers had been killed. Five lor six men had been slightly wounded by I splinters from the deck on the Baltimore. No I damage worth recording was sustained by any | of the fleet." At 11 o'olock the U.S. 6quadron renewed the attack, the Baltimore having the credit of starting the engagement. She ! was ordered ia silence to shell the forts at Cavice. She disappeared in clouds of smoke, and immediately afterwards the rapid fire of her guns was heard replying ro the forts. A storm of nhot was beard from the Baltimore's guns, and a few desultory shots afterwards indicated that her work was about completed. The other »hips following the Baltimore took up their positions at a good range off tho batteries a«d worked their guns with the coolness and precision of target practice, nearly ovary shot tak'ng effeot. Two torpedo launches ,which lay m wait off Cavite attempted to run io with torpedoes against the Olympia, nnd there were some trying moments for the crew, as Ihe shells from the big guns were unable to reach such small objects as they rapidly ap- | p: cached. When within 700 yards of the flagship I the second batteries of the Olympia sent in a I perfect hail of 61b shells, smashing up the lead* ing launch and killing all on board, and driving the second launch back on the beach with 12 shot holes through her. Tbis boat was afterwards found covered with blood. The Petrel and the Concord being of lighter draught thaa the remainder of tha fleet sailed into shallow wcter'and sunk or destroyed all the small guabohts whioh remained of the Spanish fleet.. There worn 11 Spanish war vessels aad two torppdo boats sunk or destroyed at Cavite, and ! the loss cf life is variously stated. As far as can be learned a fair estimate puts the Spanish losses at 400 dead and 600 wounded.

After the American ships retired from action ringing cheers nets raised from each of the t-hips. The commander-in-chief received, a> telegram advising him that President M'Kinley had been pleased to make him a rear-admiral, and had given him a free hand to take whab course he thought proper. Admiral Dewey has no wish to take over Manila on his ?wn responsibility. It is thought that the Spaniards will be forced by famine to surrender, and then some cowans will have to be adopted to provide them with supplies and to take them out of the country.

THE POSITION AT MANILA,

The Overland China Mail says :—" The hasty preparations being made for the defence of Manila reveal a state of rottenness probably unparallelled iii the military ai>d naval history ol any modern European Power. The presp.nfc hostilities between Spain and the United Sfcstee will reveal the lack of patriotism and the desire for individual plunder whioh has corroded tbe Spanish services and sapped the vitality of the nation, leaving it helpless and at the mercy of the first Power wbich attacked it. Soma weeks ago the wherewithal to render tho mines effective was non-exfstinb, and even now it is asserted by those ▼■ho ought to know that tbe approaches to Manila ere not guarded so effectually aa might have been, and with care the American squadron should experience little difficulty in getting within shelling distance of tho city. Some torpedoes were in stock at the Government arsenal at Cavite. The«a have been refurbished for ths emergency. Tha populttion of Manila and its suburbs is estimated at about a quarter of a million souta. Of these about 20,000 are Chinese, 7000 Spaniards engaged in trade, and there are 300 other Europeans and Americans. The available Spanish troops of European origin are estimated at less thaa 10,000, possibly 7000, but there ie. a large force of native auxiliaries. A. week or two ago fche authorities heard of disaffection in one regiment, and being unable to learn the details the European officers picked out six corporals and shot them at sight, threatening to serve more in the same fashion on the morrow if the ringleaders were not handed up. During the night the whole regiment deserted in a body, going over to the rebels with rifles snd aecoutremants. On the hills around Manila there is & fores of 25,000 rebels ready to descend upon Manila as soon as the first shots are heard from the American ships. Those men are badly organised, and only about 5000 are armed with rifles, and as they are likely to be joined by natives in the city, the outlook for the Spaniards, both 'military and civil, is far from encouraging. It is feared that there will be a general massacre unless the Spaniards eubmifc at an early stage of the fighting, and ask from the Americans the protection the Spanish forces are unable to provide the city. Latest news was that the Chinese were deserting from the oifcy like cati from a sinking ship. It was not anticipated that the Europeans (other than the Spauiards) would ba in any danger, as the rebels had ali aloug respected their life and property. The American Consul accompanies the rquadron, as his local knowledge will be useful to prevent unnecessary loss of life in the bombardment of Manila. The Americans in the Philippines are anxious to see the establishment of British rule in the archipelago. It is considered certain that the Spanish domination is fast approaching Jtfl end in the Philippines, and that the natives are unable to undertake the administration. The United States, if victorious, would invite the co-operation of Great Britain. Such a course would be acceptable to Britishers in the Far Bast, and we are voicing British opinion when we gay that tho»a rich islands under intelligent rult wou'd speedily become a valuable asset to tha countries administering the government. Ar.j suggestion of coslition oa the part of the Uuifcf-d States should be welcoaued by Great Britain so far as it applies to the Philippine Islands."

Thomas J. Brown, despatcher on the Mis* souri Pacific at Sedalia, Mo., claims that he has invented an aerial torpedo boat, to be built; of aluminium, which can sail from New Ybrk to Madrid or Havana, and carry sufficient high explosives to be dropped on either city to completely destroy it, while a ship would be at its mercy, The cost of the boat would be 10,000 dpi, and it would reaulre bat a^few weeks in it*

construction. He h»s a model, but his scheme is a tecret. Unsolicited he has been asked by the American War department to submit full particulars of his invention.