diately upon the declaration of war the British government published its proclamation of neutrality, which course forced Dewey (under protest, for he had not yet received notification from his own government) from the harbor of Hong-Kong. He took advantage of the delay of China to proclaim neutrality and lay for two days in Mirs bay, waiting for final instructions from the government, for the arrival of Consul Williams, and for the completion of the last necessary preparations. He was not bound by unnecessary details in his orders from Washington, dated 24 April, which read simply: “War has commenced between the United States and Spain. Proceed at once to the Philippine islands. Commence operations at once, particularly against the Spanish fleet. You most capture vessels or destroy. Use utmost endeavors.” On 27 April he sailed for the Philippines with a fleet of nine vessels — the flag-ship “Olympia,” the “Baltimore,” “Boston,” “Raleigh,” “Concord,” “Petrel,” the revenue cutter “McCulloch,” a collier, “Nashan,” and a supply-vessel, “Zafiro”; the officers and men in the fleet numbered 1,694. The Spaniards were informed by cable of the departure from Mirs bay, and might have calculated with a fair degree of certainty the time the fleet could be expected at Manila. The vessels arrived at the south channel leading into Manila bay at 11.30 P. M. of 30 April. The Spaniards might have expected a hostile fleet, in such a case, to lie to in the open until daylight before attempting to enter an unknown harbor supposed to be well protected by torpedoes and mines in addition to the forts. Dewey waited for nothing, however, but sailed boldly into the harbor, leading the way on the “Olympia,” followed by the “Baltimore,” “Raleigh,” “Petrel,” “Concord,” and “Boston” in the order named. The fleet was not discovered by the lookout at Corregidor until the head of the column was nearly abreast the lighthouse; then an alarm signal was fired, and was answered by the flash of a rocket on the mainland, but that was all. A life-buoy fell overboard by accident from one of the leading ships, and ignited as soon as it struck the water; the smokestack of one of the vessels caught fire three times and flared up, giving another excellent target for the Spanish gunners; but still not a shot was fired by them. At last came the first discharge, from a battery scarcely half a mile distant; a few shots from the American fleet replied, but apparently did little damage to the enemy.
.jpg)
|
.jpg)
|
The vessels steamed on at a slow rate, calculated to put them within striking distance of the Spanish fleet at daybreak. The men who had been allowed to sleep beside their guns were now at quarters; coffee was served to them, and the battle-flags were broken out. At 5.15 A. M. three batteries at Manila, two near Cavité, and the Spanish fleet opened fire upon the advancing Americans; Dewey's orders were not to fire until he had given the word, and the fleet steamed on. At last Dewey remarked to the captain of the “Olympia,” “Gridley, you may fire when you are ready,” and at 5.41 the Americans began to return the Spanish fire. The result of long months of target-practice was soon apparent in the greater destructiveness of the American fire. The flag-ship led the way past the Spanish fleet and forts, and then counter-marched in a line approximately parallel to that of the enemy's fleet, anchored in a line about east and west across the mouth of Baker bay. At 7 A. M. the “Reina Cristina,” flag-ship of Admiral Montojo, made a desperate effort to leave the line and to engage the American fleet; she was met by such a galling fire from the “Olympia,” however, that she was driven back, barely succeeding in reaching the shelter of the point of Cavité; American shells had set her on fire, and she continued to burn until she sank. Dewey silenced the land batteries at Manila by a message to the governor-general to the effect that if they did not cease firing he would shell the city. The action had been so fierce and the expenditure of ammunition so rapid that the commodore began to fear for the supply; accordingly, at 7.35 A. M. he ceased firing, after passing the Spanish fleet for the fifth time, and withdrew out of range to take account of his ammunition. He satisfied himself that the supply was ample, gave his men their breakfast, and returned to the attack at 11.16 A. M.; by this time almost the entire squadron of the enemy was in flames. The engagement continued until 12.30 P. M., when his orders to “Capture vessels or destroy” were literally fulfilled, for of the Spanish vessels the “Reina Cristina,” “Castilla,” and “Don Antonio de Ulloa” were sunk, the “Don Juan de Austria,” “Isla de Cuba,” “Isla de Luzon,” “General Lezo,” “Marques del Duero,” “El Correo,” “Velasco,” and “Isla de Mindanao” were burned, and the “Rapido” and “Hercules,” as well as several small launches, were captured. The Spanish loss, as given in the report of Admiral Montojo, was, including those at the arsenal, 381 men killed and wounded. Against this the Americans lost not a single vessel nor man, only nine seamen in the whole fleet being wounded.
Dewey offered to permit the Spaniards to use the telegraphic cable from Manila to Hong-Kong provided they would allow him to make use of it in communicating with his own government; this they refused to do, and in consequence he sent a vessel to cut the cable just off its landing-place. A vague announcement of the battle and intimation of the defeat of the Spaniards had already been telegraphed, but no official version was known until Dewey had sent his report to Hong-Kong by one of his own vessels. Immediately upon the news of the battle European governments with interests in the Philippines ordered their Asiatic squadrons to the scene for the protection of their citizens. A French vessel appeared first, followed soon by numerous German ships, by the British squadron, and others. It soon became evident that the Germans were desirous to make trouble for the Americans, to ignore the harbor regulations that Dewey had drawn up, and to establish obtrusively friendly relations with the Spaniards. The fleet under Vice-Admiral von Diederichs was larger and stronger than the American, including two battle-ships, and not a little apprehension was felt that they might come to blows. At length Dewey intimated to Von Diederichs that he considered the course pursued by
