The little armada of six vessels with which Dewey started for the
Philippines was puny enough from the standpoint of today; yet it
was strong enough to cope with the larger but more old-fashioned
Spanish fleet, or with the harbor defenses unless these included
mines--of whose absence Dewey was at the moment unaware. If,
however, the Spanish commander could unite the strength of his
vessels and that of the coast defenses, Dewey might find it
impossible to destroy the Spanish fleet. In that case, the plight
of the American squadron would be precarious, if its ultimate
self-destruction or internment did not become necessary.

Commodore Dewey belonged to that school of American naval
officers who combine the spirit of Farragut's "Damn the
torpedoes" with a thorough knowledge of the latest scientific
devices. Though he would take all precautions, he would not allow
the unknown to hold him back. 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. Slowly, awaiting
daylight, but steadily he approached Manila. Coming within three
miles of the city, he discovered the Spanish fleet, half a dozen
miles to the southeast, at the naval station of Cavite. Still
without a pause, the American squadron moved to the attack.

The Spanish Admiral Montojo tried, though ineffectually, to come
to close quarters, for his guns were of smaller caliber than
those of the American ships, but he was forced to keep his