Page:American Boy's Life of William McKinley.djvu/264

222 "Then we'll go in and finish them up/* was the answer, and go in the warships did, and soon . the enemy's colors were struck, and Admiral Montojo surrendered. Every one of the Spanish warships was either burnt or sunk, and the surviving sailors and officers got ashore only with the greatest of difficulty. On the American side not a man was killed or a vessel injured!

This wonderful battle and great blow to the Spanish naval power occurred on May 1, 1898. Word of it was at once carried to Hong Kong, the nearest cable station at that time available for use, and the news was flashed to the United States with all speed.

The result was truly electrifying, and it would seem as if for the moment the people would go mad with joy. The telegraph offices and newspaper offices were literally jammed with people trying to learn the particulars.

"Dewey has met the Spanish fleet in the Philippines! He sunk every ship they had and came out of the fight without a scratch!" So the talk ran on, until the