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The establishment of a naval base in the Philippines ought not to be longer postponed. Such a base is desirable in time of peace; in time of war it would be indispensable, and its lack would be ruinous. Without it our fleet would be helpless. Our naval experts are agreed that Subig Bay is the proper place for the purpose.
Other papers showed that it had been his intention at one time to intrust the defense of Manila to the land batteries and take the fleet to Subig bay, north of Manila, believing that he could there take up a strong position and have an advantage over an attacking fleet. According to the reports from Manila the admiral first went ashore at Cavite and had his wounds dressed.
They proceeded at once to Subig bay, fired several times on the island, where the Spaniards were, and the latter promptly surrendered. The Irene had disappeared when they arrived, although she had been in Subig bay for several days for the expressed purpose of protecting German interests.
Part of them surrendered, giving him more arms, and the others retreated to Manila. Soon afterwards two ships, which were the private property of Senor Agoncillo and other insurgent sympathizers, were converted into cruisers and sent with insurgent troops to Subig Bay and other places, to capture provinces outside of Manila.
After a brief rendezvous for tuning up at Mirs Bay near Hongkong on the Chinese coast, Dewey steered straight for Subig Bay in the Philippines, where he expected to meet his opponent. Finding the Bay empty, he steamed on without pause and entered the Boca Grande, the southern channel leading to Manila Bay, at midnight of the 30th of April.
She was owned and officered by Spaniards, but her crew was a native one. The crew mutinied and killed the twelve officers. They then took charge of the ship and hoisted the insurgent flag. On the shore of Subig bay, and chiefly in the town of Subig, were 400 Spanish soldiers.
No doubt before this letter reaches you, you will read full accounts of the battle a battle that was hard fought and bloodless for the victorious. Not a man in our fleet was killed. Six men were slightly wounded on the Baltimore. "Say, it was grand! We left Mirs Bay, in China, at two a.m., Wednesday, April 27th. Saturday afternoon we sighted Subig Bay.
So, on that momentous voyage, he drilled and drilled his men, until their discipline was perfect. On April 30, land was sighted, and precautions were redoubled, since the enemy might be encountered at any moment. Careful search failed to reveal the Spaniards in Subig Bay, and at six o'clock in the evening, Dewey announced to his officers that he had determined to force Manila Bay that night.
As the far too weak garrison of scarcely more than ten thousand men was insufficient to defend the extensive line of forts and barricades, the unfinished works at Olongapo on Subig Bay were blown up with dynamite and vacated, then the railways were abandoned, and finally only Manila and Cavite were retained.
Many of the gunboats above mentioned were built there. The shallow depth of water in Canacoa or Cavite Bay would prevent the enlargement of this naval station to accommodate large vessels, and the plan of the Spaniards was to create a large naval station in Subig Bay, on which considerable money has already been spent. Spanish Civil Administration.
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