The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-10-02
second-CIass Cruiser CristobaI Colon
Driven ON n Reef During "A severe
storm and Wrecked.
OFFICERS AND CREW SAVED
REPORT THAT SHE WAS STRUCK ny
TORPEDO NOT CONFIRMED.
Insurgent Army Defeated. with small
Cubans Collecting winchesters.

HAVANA, Oct Following close on
the loss of the Spanish cruiser Barcastegui.
which was sunk in collision with the Span
ish merchant steamer Mortera, of Moro
Castle at the entrance Of this harb0r, at
midnight on Sept. is. resulting in the drown
ing OF Admiral Delgado Parejo. commander
in chief or the Spanish naval forces in
Cuban waters. and forty-six men. comes
the news OF the wreck and probable total
loss of the Spanish war ship Cristobal Colon.
second-class cruiser of about twelve hum
dred tons displacement and sixteen hundred
horsepower. The cristobal Colon formed
part of the fleet of Spanish warships de-
tailed to watch the coast of Cuba in order
to prevent the landing Of flibustering expe-
ditions from the United States and else
where The cruiser carried four twelve
centimter Hontoria guns. two seven-centi-
meter guns and two rapid fire guns Her
crew is estimated to nave numbered about
two hundred officers and men. but the exact
figures are not known here at present, as
she had on board men in
tended for the smaller patrol ves-
sells of the Spanish feA ands may
have detailed men ashore. The station OF
the Cristonal Colon was the waters about
Cape Antonio, of the western extremity OF
the island OF Cuba, her commander having
particular instructions to watch the CULTS
of Corrsntes and Guadlana, south and north
of Cape Antonio.
The disaster occurred of Colorado Point.
in the Gulf Of Guadiana. south of the
town of Mantua. in the province OF
Pinar del Rio. near which ter
ritory Havana is situated The exact de-
tails of the disaster have not yet been made
known. but so far as can be gathered. the
facts are as follows: For some days past
a cyclonic disturbance has prevailed over
these ATTITUDES and is understood to have
recurred in the central part of the Gulf Of
Mexico. and was looked upon as likely to
enter the United States through New Or
leans and Apalachicola. The Cristobai Col
on appears to have encountered the severe
weather off Cape Antonio. and to have
put into the Gulf OF Guadiana for shelter.
There she tried to ride out the fierce gale
and heavy seas, but was slowly driven to-
wards Colorado Point. of which jutting
there is a dangerous reef known as the
| Colorado reef. When the commander OF
| the cruiser saw that he could not make any
! headway against the storm, he attempted
| to anchor, according TO the stories told
| here; but the anchors would not hold and
| the cruiser was driven ashore
ran on the reef at nieht time when her
commander believed her to be far enough
| off shore TO continue steaming against the
force of the cyclone In any case she
ran ashore late last night or early this
morning in a most dangerous position and
with heavy sea running Everything pos
cruiser. but all EFFORTS in hat direction were
useless, and she was finally abandoned this
morning, helpless wreck. pounding herself
! slowly to pieces on the Colorado reef.
Some OF the crew swan ashore, others
/ reached land by means OF pieces Of wreck
| officers and men. were saved by one means
or another. The commander of the cristo-
bal Colon reached Manfua during the day
/ with the majority OF the crew, and nearly
| all the remainder are expected there before
night. When questioned regarding the dis
| that the Cristobal Colon was driven ashore
| on the Colorado reef owing TO the violence
| OF the cyclone. and that IL Is probable that
she will prove totm loss. Efforts. how
1 ever, will be made TO save her guns. etc.
The friends of the insurgents are circu-
lating the usual sensational stories regard
ing the disaster, claiming that the cruiser
| surgents In official circles however. this
report is classed as being nothing more
/ than an invention OF the rebels" and the
| distinct statement Is made that there Is alb
! solutcly reason for doubting the official
| announcement made that the cristobal Col-
| violence OF the cyclone and not result
| Of the explosion OF an insurgent torpedo.
In spite Of this official assertion there is no
doubt that the government has not thought
| II proper TO make public all the facts in the
case, and this maye not be done until the
/ wrecked cruiser has been received and
pasSed upon.