"I beg to state to the department that I doubt if any commander-in-chief was ever served by more loyal, efficient, and gallant captains than those of the squadron now under my command.

"Capt. Frank Wildes, commanding the _Boston_, volunteered to remain in command of his vessel, although his relief arrived before leaving Hongkong. a.s.sistant Surgeon Kindleberger of the _Olympia_ and Gunner J. C.

Evans of the _Boston_ also volunteered to remain after orders detaching them had arrived.

"The conduct of my personal staff was excellent. Commander B. P.

Lamberton, chief of staff, was a volunteer for that position, and gave me most efficient aid. Lieutenant Brumby, flag lieutenant, and Ensign W. P.

Scott, aid, performed their duties as signal officers in a highly creditable manner.

"The _Olympia_ being short of officers for the battery, Ensign H. H.

Caldwell, flag secretary, volunteered for and was a.s.signed to a subdivision of 5-inch battery. Mr. J. L. Stickney, formerly an officer in the United States navy, and now correspondent of the _New York Herald_, volunteered for duty as my aid, and did valuable service.

"I desire specially to mention the coolness of Lieut. C. G. Calkins, the navigator of the _Olympia_, who came under my personal observation, being on the bridge with me throughout the entire action, and giving the ranges to the guns with an accuracy that was proved by the excellence of the firing.

"On May 2d, the day following the engagement, the squadron again went to Cavite, where it remained.

"On the 3d, the military forces evacuated the Cavite a.r.s.enal, which was taken possession of by a landing party. On the same day the _Raleigh_ and _Baltimore_ secured the surrender of the batteries on Corregidor Island, paroling the garrison and destroying the guns.

"On the morning of May 4th the transport _Manila_, which had been aground in Baker Bay, was towed off and made a prize."

List of the two fleets engaged at the battle of Manila Bay, together with the officers of the American fleet:(2)

AMERICAN FLEET.

The U. S. S. _Olympia_, protected cruiser, 5,870 tons, speed, 21.6 knots.

Battery: four 8-inch rifles, ten 5-inch rapid-fire guns, fourteen 6-pounder rapid-fire guns, six 1-pounder rapid-fire cannon, four Gatlings, with six torpedo tubes, and eight automobile torpedoes.

The U. S. S. _Baltimore_, protected cruiser, 4,600 tons, speed, 20.09 knots. Battery: four 8-inch, six 6-inch rifles, four 6-pounder, two 3-pounder rapid-fire guns, two 1-pounder rapid-fire cannon, four 37-millimetre Hotchkiss cannon, and two Gatlings.

The U. S. S. _Boston_, protected cruiser, 3,189 tons, speed, 15.6 knots.

Battery: two 8-inch, six 6-inch rifles, two 6-pounder, two 3-pounder rapid-fire guns, two 1-pounder rapid-fire cannon, two 47-millimetre Hotchkiss cannon, and two Gatlings.

The U. S. S. _Raleigh_, protected cruiser, 3,213 tons, speed, nineteen knots. Battery: one 6-inch, ten 5-inch rapid-fire guns, eight 6-pounder rapid-fire guns, four 1-pounder rapid-fire cannon, and two Gatlings.

The U. S. S. _Concord_, gunboat, 1,710 tons, speed, 16.8 knots. Battery: six 6-inch rifles, two 6-pounder, two 3-pounder rapid-fire guns, two 37-millimetre Hotchkiss cannon, and two Gatlings.

The U. S. S. _Petrel_, gunboat, 892 tons, speed, 11.7 knots. Battery: four 6-inch rifles, one 1-pounder rapid-fire gun, two 37-millimetre Hotchkiss cannon, and two Gatlings.

The U. S. S. _McCulloch_, revenue cutter, 1,500 tons, speed, fourteen knots. Battery: four 4-inch guns.

The _Nanshan_ and _Zafiro_, supply ships.

SPANISH FLEET.

The _Reina Maria Christina_, 3,520 tons, speed, seventeen knots. Battery: six 6.2-inch hontoria guns, two 2.7-inch and three 2.2-inch rapid-fire rifles, six 1.4-inch, and two machine guns.

The _Castilla_, 3,342 tons. Battery: four 5.9-inch Krupp rifles, two 4.7-inch, two 3.3-inch, four 2.5-inch rapid-fire, and two machine guns.

The _Velasco_, 1,152 tons. Battery: three 5.9-inch Armstrong rifles, two 2.7-inch hontorias, and two machine guns.

The _Don Antonio de Ulloa_ and _Don Juan de Austria_, each 1,130 tons, speed, fourteen knots. Battery: four 4.7-inch hontorias, three 3.2-inch rapid-fire, two 1.5-inch, and two machine guns.

The _General Lezo_, and _El Correo_, gun vessels, 524 tons, speed, 11.5 knots. The _General Lezo_ had two hontoria rifles of 4.7-inch calibre, one 3.5-inch, two small rapid-fire, and one machine gun; the _El Correo_ had three 4.7-inch guns, two small rapid-fire, and two machine guns.

The _Marques del Duero_, despatch-boat, 500 tons. Battery: one smooth bore, six 6.2-inch calibre, two 4.7-inch and one machine gun.

The _Isla de Cuba_ and the _Isla de Luzon_ were both small gunboats, 1,030 tons. Battery: four 4.7-inch hontorias, two small guns, and two machine guns.

The _Isla de Mindanao_, auxiliary cruiser, 4,195 tons, speed, 13.5 knots.

Two torpedo-boats and two transports.

Officers of the U. S. Asiatic Squadron: Acting Rear Admiral George Dewey, commander-in-chief; Commander B. P. Lamberton, chief of staff; Lieut. T.

M. Brumby, flag lieutenant; Ensign H. H. Caldwell, secretary.

U. S. S. _Olympia_, flag-ship: Captain, Charles V. Gridley; Lieutenant-Commander, S. C. Paine; Lieutenants, C. G. Calkins, V. S.

Nelson, G. S. Morgan, W. C. Miller, S. M. S. Strite; Ensigns, M. M.

Taylor, F. B. Upham, W. P. Scott, A. G. Kavagnah; Medical Inspector, A. S.

Price; Pa.s.sed a.s.sistant Surgeon, J. E. Page; a.s.sistant Surgeon, C. P.

Kindleberger; Pay Inspector, D. A. Smith; Chief Engineer, J. Entwistle; a.s.sistant Engineers, E. H. Delaney, J. F. Marshall, Jr.; Chaplain, J. B.

Frasier; Captain of Marines, W. P. Biddle; Gunner, L. J. G. Kuhlwein; Carpenter, W. McDonald; Acting Boatswain, E. J. Norcott.

U. S. S. _Raleigh_: Captain, J. B. Coghlan; Lieutenant-Commander, F.

Singer; Lieutenants, W. Winder, B. Tappan, H. Rodman, C. B. Morgan; Ensigns, F. L. Chidwick, P. Babbit; Surgeon, E. H. Marsteller; a.s.sistant Surgeon, D. N. Carpenter; Pa.s.sed a.s.sistant Paymaster, S. R. Heap; Chief Engineer, F. H. Bailey; Pa.s.sed a.s.sistant Engineer, A. S. Halstead; a.s.sistant Engineer, J. R. Brady; First Lieutenant of Marines, T. C.

Treadwell; Acting Gunner, G. D. Johnstone; Acting Carpenter, T. E. Kiley.

U. S. S. _Boston_: Captain, F. Wildes; Lieutenant-Commander, J. A. Norris; Lieutenants, J. Gibson, W. L. Howard; Ensigns, S. S. Robinson, L. H.

Everhart, J. S. Doddridge; Surgeon, M. H. Crawford; a.s.sistant Surgeon, R.

S. Balkeman; Paymaster, J. R. Martin; Chief Engineer, G. B. Ransom; a.s.sistant Engineer, L. K. James; First Lieutenant of Marines, R. McM.

Dutton; Gunner, J. C. Evans; Carpenter, I. H. Hilton.

U. S. S. _Baltimore_: Captain, N. M. Dyer; Lieutenant-Commander, G.

Blocklinger; Lieutenants, W. Braunersreuther, A. G. Winterhalter, F. W.

Kellogg, J. M. Ellicott, C. S. Stanworth; Ensigns, J. H. Hayward, M. D.

McCormick; Naval Cadets, D. W. Wurtsburgh, I. Z. Wettenzoll, C. M. Tozer, T. A. Karney; Pa.s.sed a.s.sistant Surgeon, F. A. Heiseler; a.s.sistant Surgeon, R. K. Smith; Pay Inspector, R. E. Bellows; Chief Engineer, A. Kirby; a.s.sistant Engineers, H. B. Price, H. I. Cone; Naval Cadet, C. P. Burt; Chaplain, T. S. K. Freeman; First Lieutenant of Marines, D. Williams; Acting Boatswain, H. R. Brayton; Acting Gunner, L. J. Waller; Carpenter, O. Bath.

U. S. S. _Concord_: Commander, A. S. Walker; Lieutenant-Commander, G. P.

Colvocoresses; Lieutenants, T. B. Howard, P. W. Horrigan; Ensigns, L. A.

Kiser, W. C. Davidson, O. S. Knepper; Pa.s.sed a.s.sistant Surgeon, R. G.

Broderick; Pa.s.sed a.s.sistant Paymaster, E. D. Ryan; Chief Engineer, Richard Inch; Pa.s.sed a.s.sistant Engineer, H. W. Jones; a.s.sistant Engineer, E. H.

Dunn.

U. S. S. _Petrel_: Commander, E. P. Wood; Lieutenants, E. M. Hughes, B. A.

Fiske, A. N. Wood, C. P. Plunkett; Ensigns, G. L. Fermier, W. S.