The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1898-07-28
GOODGUNNERY
Findings of the Board of Survey
That Examined Ships of Ger
vera's Fleet
Show How Terrible Was the Fire
Poured in Upon Them BY
Our Ships.
1t Also Shows That the Maine
Explosion Was Of External
Origin.
Magazines of Spanish Ships Elk
ploded, But Caused No Such
Wreck.

ploded, But Caused No Such
Wreck.
correspondence of the Associated Press. !
OFF Santiago de Cuba, July 10
s.Any doubt that may have existed
shat the Maine was blown up by an
outside explosion has been dissolved
ny the examination of the destroyed
Spanish Ships" said member of the
board OF survey that examined the
remnants OF Admiral Csrvera's feet.
"Of tour ships examined, three had
been blown up by their magazines"
he continued, land OF these, one had
every magazine exploded and torpe-
does In addition, yet on none CT them
was there the same effect as that pro-
duced by the explosion on the Maine.
There was no upheaval of the keel,
and little bullying OF the plates except
in the immediate vicinity Of the ex-
plosion. The effect was nearly alto
Gether upward, in some cases the pro-
fective deck being lifted, but outside Of
the springing Of few plates, the hulls
were intact"
The examination Of the wrecks Of the
Spanish ships, three Of which were
burned, and all their magazines ex.
ploded, was made first for the purpose
of ascertaining the effect of American
gunnery, and secondly to find the
effect of internal explosion. Both sub
jects bore upon the Maine incident, as
.noted above. and the awful effect of a
well aimed shot was demonstrated in
tho rapid sinking of the feet. When
# 10 remembered that the Almirante
Oquendo and the Infanta Maria Teresa
were both sunk within 40 minutes Of
the time they left the entrance Of San.
slago harber, the work Of American
gunners may we'll be considered as re.
markable. The Aimirante Oquendo
was struck over 55 times, and the In
3anta Maria Teresa 81 times. but by
larger projectiles.
The record of damages to these ships
1s one of great interest. The fight
started at a range of 5000 yards, or
three mules. At 2.OO0 yards or $500
yards, two torpedo boats and Two
cruisers were annihilated. The clos.
est fightlng was done at 100 and / 500
yards, by the Brooklyn and Vlzcaya.
with annihllating effect on the Span
ash ship. But two projectiles larger
than S-inch struck vessel. both OF
these, either IL or IS-inen, being put
through the Infanta Maria Teresa.
The S-inch, 6-inch, 5.inch and G.
FOUNDER projectiles did the bulk OF the
work, and were trightfully destructive.
The CrissobaI Colon
was hit with large projectiles but six
tlmes, as it kept out or range nearly
the whole time, passing behind tho
other ships Tor protection and finally
making a run tor il. The hits were
made by the Brooklyn and Greg IN.
One S-lnch she'll went into the port
side of the ward room and left on the
starboard side. without exploding, but
cleaned out every thing in the room.
A 5-inch hit just above the armor belt,
and u 6-inch struck her on the bow.
None of the injuries were suficient to
put her ont Of action nor as serious as
chose received by the Brooklyn, at one
time her sole antagonist The asser-
sion that the Brooklyn was overhaul
ing her and the Oregon's terrific IL
inch guns were shooting nearer and
nearer and that escape was impossible,
seems to be the correct solution OF her
surrender.
sstsriss q She yaxeayA.
The vlzcaya il Of the same class as
Che battieships Texas and Maine. She
CARRIES Two .li.5-inch .gnns, and ton 5.5-
inch guns, with projections 10 and u
inches ;LicA, douole and treble that Of
ahe Brooklyn. This ship was the spe-
c,al prey Of the Brooklyn and Oregon,
although the Texas after her desrruc-
tive work ON the Almtrante OQuendo
aud Teresa added q little at long range.
The v zcaya, exclusive OF 1-pounders
and rapid FIRE hits, which swept her
1eck, was hit with large projectlles II
shines, and by 6.poundsrs II times. The
B-lnch guns OF the Brooklyn and Ore
gon aud the 6-inch guns ON the Ore
gon and b-inch on the Brooklyn tore
her structure above the armor belt al.
most into shreds, while the 6-pounders
and + aunders made it too warm for
men to stand at the guns. The Texas
got in few 6-lncn shots and the Iowa
landed couple o finch shells No
~ ~ IL non le,.s struck her.
Infanta Maria Teresa.
The Iaian,a Maria Teresa, the flag
ship. of the came build as the Vlzcaya,
s-as badly punished, and was the only
One or -. four ships hit by IL or 10
inch projectiles. She has two OF that
SIZE clean through her, and the posi-
Z on OF one wou u tend to demonstrate
mat 1t was fired BY the Texas. An g.
Inch shell, undoubtedly from the
Brooklyn, because she was the only
snlp in line wrth the Maria Teresa's
head as she turned west, entered just
FORWARD Of the beam on the port side,
and exploding inside, cleaned ont the
;. scx wA.n lour u .rew, This is the
-. - unssr CeIyera said came from the
! Il: .oxsyr,. III d set ME u he ship. The
.4sresa's dlfticulty. aud QUO that DOM.
paced her haired sn1re:der. Was that