The Filipino Martyrs Author:Richard Brinsley Sheridan Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER III Entrances to Manila Bay reported mined — Courageous entrance of Admiral Dewey with his Ships —Condition of the Spanish Fleet — Ships scuttled by t... more »heir Commanders — Description of the Engagement— Little or no Damage done to the American Vessels — Fears of European Merchants — Admiral Dewey's Opinion of the Battle — A Dangerous Torpedo Boat — Capture of Cavite. On the night of the 3oth of April, 1898, Commodore Dewey arrived off the island of Corregidor, which from the map will be seen to control the entrance to the bay of Manila. This island is some three miles distant from the mainland of Bataan on the north, and some twenty miles distant from the mainland of Cavite province on the south. Vessels can enter the bay by either channel. Both had been reported to Commodore Dewey to have been so " dangerously mined" that neither merchant nor war vessels could enter Manila without certain and total destruction. This was the position in which the American commander found himself on that dark night of the 3Oth of April. All lights on the mainlands and on Corregidor had been extinguished, and all lights on the American ships had also been screened. Under the most favorable circumstances, navigation is difficult and dangerous in these channels. How much more difficult must Dewey have found it! Notwithstanding the darkness and the reported mines, he bravely determined to enter the bay. He issued instructions for his ships to steam in single file with his own flagship " Olympia" at their head. That this was a courageous step none can doubt, and all must admire and praise him for it. He had not travelled far before he was discovered by the Spaniards, who commenced firing their old twelve centimetre guns ; but these were unable to do any damage to the American ships. To such...« less