NOTES ON THE WAR

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXVI, Issue 8, 24 June 1898, Page 19

NOTES ON THE WAR

(From various sources.) si'wiM! di;fi;at at manila— explanation ; > y thl admiral. Tin: steamer ' Ching-Tu ' recently arrived at Thursday Island, and trom there has be.;n telegraphed a statement made by Admiral Montiojo regarding the fig lit between the American and Spanish fleet* in Manila Harbour. The statement is telegraph from Auckland by the Christchurch Pn .w correspondent as follows :— Shortly after 5 o'clock on .Sunday morning, just as day was dawin"- he observed the American squadron sailing in a line across the" bay towards C.ivite. As the ships approached he prepared to receive them. After they had got past Corregidor Island he fire lon each ship as it came within range. The Americans did not reply. All the Spanish ships were anchored in Cavite 8,,y. The best ot them were the Ueina Christina and Don Juan de Austria and the Oastilla, all old, and the last-named a wooden cruiser, unable to steam owing to a breakdown of her engines. The two otheis. the ' Velasco ' and the Don Antonio de Ulloa, were helpless, as they were undergoing repairs. -Although,' he say*. 'I recognised the hopelessness of lighting the American ships, we wore busy returning their fire. The Rema Christina was repe itedly hit, but shortly atier half-past <J 1 noticed that the ship was on fire forward. The .steering gear was damaged, and the vessel being unmanageable was subjected to at-i-nti'} hail of shell and shot. The engines were struck, and I estimated that she had To hits about the hull ami superstructure. The boilers wire not Int. but the pipe of the condenser was destroyed. A tew moments LiU r the alter part ot the ship was on file. A shell from the American had penetr ited her null and bur-t with di adly effect, killing m.my men. Tiie ti.i^ lieutenant toported the disabled state ot the shi,'.. w Inch it w ..& impossible to remain on any longer, and I transpired the stair to tne Isla de Cuba The Item.i 'Jnrihtin.i was then one mas- vi tla>i.cs.' Subsequently Admiral Montiojo sought sh. It. r uemud llus pier at Cavne. and rerog. Using tne lu'ihty ot luiilier li^ lung, prepared to disembark, and travc ozder, tor tne cvaoa.uum ut the°rtmamder ot the ships, the last big ml to the o iptaius ot tlie vessels bein«- • Scuttle ami abandon your ships, to prevent tne guns being of use to the American.-..' Tne captain of the Amerioin ship Boston afterwards said to the chiet ot Admiral Montiojo s stall : 'You co.nbatted us with four very bad ships, not warships. There was ne\er seen such brave fighting u:.dc r such unequ.il conditions, it is a great pity you exposed your lues in vu^l, not fit for fighting.' Admiral Deue) sent Admiral Montiojo a messige by the English Consul saying th.it in peace or 1.1 war he would have pleasure in grasping him by i lie hand and congratulating him on the gallant manner in which he h.id fought. In reply to a question, Admiral JHoutioio said tint the responsibility ot the disastrous defeat of the Spanish .-quadron lay with the Government ol Madrid. Ever since he had a.ssu.ned command on the naval station he had been requisitioning the Government tor ships and torpedoes, but nothing came. Ho constructed some torpedoes, but did not have proper material, and the torpedoes were useless. The Minister tor Marine had promised to send supplies, but tiny never came. He knew from the first that Ins squadron woul 1 be destroyed, as the Ameiicans had men-ot-war, whereas, his ships were incapable of fighting with any chance ot success. 'lIIC IIOBEKT KM.UEX'S. Mr. Robert Emmet, a relative of the more famous Irish patriot of the same name, whose portrait appeared in our 'ii.S issue, was according to the Pilot of Apnl :'.(>, raising a regiuiPht to fight under the Stars and Strip •-. The Pilot says that -• hi-, very name would suilice to rally Kkukio or more lighting men under the flag. Robert Emmet, private, captain, colonel or general, has only to hang out his recruiting flag to find himself surrounded and overwhelmed with comrade^, companies, regiments or brigades, if he has only a fraction of the magnetism which ouyht to go with his glorious name."