Navy Department, and then it was given to the public
without loss of time. It is copied below:

"FLAGSHIP OLYMPIA, CAVITE, May 4, 1898.

"The squadron left Mirs Bay on April 27th. Arrived off Bolinao on the
morning of April 30th, and finding no vessels there proceeded down the
coast and arrived off the entrance to Manila Bay on the same afternoon.
The _Boston_ and _Concord_ were sent to reconnoitre Point Subic.... A
thorough search of the port was made by the _Boston_ and the _Concord_,
but the Spanish fleet was not found....

"Entered the south channel at 11.30 P. M., steaming in column at eight
knots. After half the squadron had passed, a battery on the south side of
the channel opened fire, none of the shots taking effect. The _Boston_ and
_McCulloch_ returned the fire.

"The squadron proceeded across the bay at slow speed, and arrived off
Manila at daybreak, and was fired upon at 5.15 A. M. by three batteries at
Manila and two near Cavite, and by the Spanish fleet anchored in an
approximately east and west line across the mouth of Baker Bay, with their
left in shoal water in Canacoa Bay.

"The squadron then proceeded to the attack, the flag-ship _Olympia_, under
my personal direction, leading, followed at distance by the _Baltimore_,
_Raleigh_, _Petrel_, _Concord_, and _Boston_, in the order named, which
formation was maintained throughout the action. The squadron opened fire
at 5.41 A. M.

"While advancing to the attack two mines were exploded ahead of the
flag-ship, too far to be effective. The squadron maintained a continuous
and precise fire at ranges varying from five thousand to two thousand
yards, countermarching in a line approximately parallel to that of the
Spanish fleet. The enemy's fire was vigorous, but generally ineffective.

[Illustration: U. S. S. CONCORD.]

"Early in the engagement two launches put out toward the _Olympia_, with
the apparent intention of using torpedoes. One was sunk and the other
disabled by our fire, and beached before an opportunity occurred to fire
torpedoes.

"At seven A. M. the Spanish flag-ship, _Reina Christina_, made a desperate
attempt to leave the line and come out to engage at short range, but was
received with such a volley of fire, the entire battery of the _Olympia_
being concentrated upon her, that she was barely able to return to the
shelter of the point. The fires started in her by our shell at this time
wer