Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1895-09-20
MAN-OF-WARS SUNK
Forty.Six Spanish Sailors Go
Down with the Ship.
ADMIRAL PAREJo ONE OF THE LOST

The Last to Leave His Ship His Boat Il
Caught in the Suction of the Sinking YES
sci and All ON Board Drowned-Sharks
Makea Feast of the Terrible Disaster.
Which Occurs in the Entrance to Havana
Harbor.
HAVANA, Sept. 20.-The Spanish war
ship Sanchez Barcastegui, with Admiral
Del Gado Parejo on board, was struck by
the incoming coasting steamer Martera in
front Of Moro castle at midnight and sank
almost instantly. Admiral Parejo and
thirty-four of the crew of the warship, in
Guiding Captain Ybancz and three other
officers, were drowned. The remainder OF
the crew, 1l6 in number, were saved. The
bodies of Admiral Parejo and Captain
Ybancz were recovered The body of the
captain was horribly mutilated, the head
and arms having been eaten away by
sharks.
Captain of the Martera Talks.
Divers are examining the hull of the
Barcastegui. Captain Vinal, of the steam
er Martcra, in the course Of an interview
said that at Ills p. m. when he was with
In two miles of the entrance of the harbor
and going at Il moderate rate of speed he
SAW ahead on his starboard green light,
which he presumed was that of 4 steamer
leaving port. Il ordered the engine to
slow down." said Captain Vinal, land
proceeded on our course. hearing two
whistles from the cruiser. to which we re-
piled. Turning into the harbor and keep
ing in sight on our starboard the green
y,.-r.- xx-l,, l.,l fxxrtfa
again, thus indicating that we We're turn
ing into the harbor. when suddenly all Of
the lights of the cruiser were put out.
Tried to Run the Barcas.egui Ashore.
Il Immediately ordered the engineer to
steam backwards, but it was of no avail,
for the steamers collidcd. l ordered boats
to be lowered and life preservers to be
thrown overheard After the collision we
were entanglcd with the Barcastegui for a
time, but this situation endangered the
Martcra as we'll as the cruiser, and l or
dercd the engines to go ahead, my intcn-
| ton being to try to run the Barcastegui
ashore. / soon found. however, that this
could not be done with safety to the Mar
terra. Backing off from the cruiser the
! Barcastcgui sank almost instantly"
Died the Death of Brave Sailor.
Admiral Del Gado Parcjo was the last
| man to leave the cruiser, being taken off
| in rowboat which was about to start for
| shore when the suction occasiOned by the
sinking of the Barcastcgui carried the
| boat down and all Oh board were drowned
| The total loss of life is now set Mt forty
six. The archbishop of Santiago de Cuba
and the bishop of Havana have sent
wrcaths to be placed on the coffin of Ad
miral parcio. The gay streamcrs and
| flags that had decorated the city in wei
come of the soldiers who had arrived
from Spain have been taken down and re
| placed 10y drapcrics of black. The city i:
| in mourning throughout for the admiral
| and the officers and crew of the Barcas
| tcgui.
Why All the Lights Went Out.
The cause of the cxtinguishmcnt Of tht
lights or board the cruiser. which was de
scribcd by Captain Vinai, of the Martcra
| and which undoubtedly was tie cause o.
the collision. was occasioncd by the stop
ping of the engines to save the life of ;
sailor whose arm had been caught in tn,
dynamo. The Sanchez Barcastcgui wa.
an iron, bark rugged cruiser of go tons dis
placement and 100 nominal horse power
She was built ut La Seine in 1876. Sh,
was 2U} feet long, 80 feet wide. and had
| draupht of - feet She carried Spypn vlDS