The Battle Of Manila

Among the sailors on the Petrei, the ittle gnnboat whioh Admiral Dewey ent ia to admiuister the finishing onohes to the Spanisb fleet, was a Salarnazoo boy, John "Weirs, a nephew f C. H. and R. N. Keyes of this oity1, nly 19 years of age, but a fine strappng fellow and a good seaman. He was ne of the seven men %vho in a little anncb rowed np to the Spanish boats nd set fire to seven of thena. His noles in this city have just received rom Kalamazoo, the followiug letter which he sent his mother from Manila: Manila Harbor, May 3, 1898. Dear Mother: I wrote to yon on the 7th of last month that I did not know whether I would ever get a chanoe to write again or not. Bnt this will not e far off when that reaches yon. We rrived at the islaud at the forts at midight. We passed over tbe 50 mines lefore they discovered ns and after we iad passed they fired fonr shots at us. 3nt they were not able to train thenj nt one way. We got in back of the sland and lay stïJ 1 nntil moming. At a. m. they fired the first shot and we were waiting for them. Wefonght for wo hours and fifteen ininntes, tben we witbdrew for breakfast. At lla. ra. we started in again. At half past oue bey pulled down their ensign and joisted a white flag. Then tbe Petrei teamed into the little bay at the arsenal and I arn happy to say that I with ive other volnnters and an offloer set fire to seven gunboats. We destroyed 14 boats in all, tbree cruisers, set fire with the gnns, 1 oruiser, a gnnboat and two torpedo boats snnk. We have not learned how raany men were killed or wouuded on the Spanish side bnt tbey rau np awfnl bigh. On onr side there wasn't a man killed and only three slightly wounded ont of 2,000 men. There were 8 shots in all that touched any of our six ships. Monday the 2d, tbe magazine surrendered at nooa. Three bnndred soldiers and a staff of offioers surrendered at 5 p. m. I don't think that tbe trouble is all over yet. I will briug this to a close as I have very few minutes to get it posted in. Good bye to yon all and may God bless and keep ns alive. ïonrs trnlv.