The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-07-27

| or INJURY 10 ships in COMBAT with MOD
ern vessels OF the best type; but Spanish
| gunnery is poor at the best. and the su-
| perior weight and accuracy Of our fire
| speedily drove the men from their guns
| and sHenced their fire. This IS borne out
| by the statements of prisoners and by
| observation. The Spanish vessels as
they dashed out of the harbor were COW
cred with the smoke from their own
| guns. but this speedily diminished in vol
ume and soon almost disappeared.
THE fire from the rapid-fire batteries
| Of the battleshlps appears to have been
| remarkably destructive. An examination
| of the stranded vessels shows that the
Almirante Oquendo especially had suffer
sd terribly from this fire. Her sides are
everywhere pierced and her decks were
strewn with the charred remains Of those
| who had fallen.
The reports OF Commodore W. s..
Sch1ey and Of the commanding officers
are enclosed.
"A board. appointed by myself several
days ago made a critical examination of
| the vessels, both with a view of report
ing on the effect Of our fire and military
features involved. and Of reporting the
chance of saving any OF them and of
wrecking the remainder. The report Of
the board VIII be speedily forwarded.
CHASE OF THE COLON.
The last and most thrilling event of the
long chase-the running down of the Girls
tobal Colon-Admiral Sampson describes
thus:
There remained now of the Spanish
ships only the Cristobsl Colon, but She
was their best and fastest vessel Forced
by the situation to bug the Cuban coast
her only chance of escape was by a supe-
rior and sustained speed. When the Viz
caya went ashore, the Colon was about
six miles ahead Of the Brooklyn and the
Oregon, but her squirt was finished and
the American ships were now gaining
upon her. Behind the Brooklyn and the
Oregon came the Texas, Vixen and New
York. 1t was evident from the bridge Of
the New York that all the American ships
were gradually overhaulng the chase and
that she had no chance Of escape. At
1850 the Brooklyn and the Oregon opened
fire and got her range-the Oregons heavy
shells striking beyond her-and at ITO
SIlc gave Ap h4iIlOUl llIiIes dIlOlllcl SIlOL,
hauled down her colors and ran ashore
at Rio Toruquin. forty-eight niles from
Santiago. Captain Cook Of the Brooklyn
went on board to receive the surrender.
While his boat was alongside I came up
in the New York and received MS re-
port and placed the Oregon in charge of
the wreck to save her. if possible, ana
directed the prisoners to be transferred
to the Resolute which had followed the
chase.
Commodore Schley, whose chief of staff
had gone on board to receive the sur
render, had directed that all their personal
effects should be retained by the officers.
This order I did not modify.
The Cristobal Colon was not injured by
our fire and probably is not much in
jured by Bleaching. though she ran ashore
at high speed. The bach was so steep
that she came off by the working of the
sea. But her sea valves were opened and
broken. treacherously, I am sure, after
her surrender, and espite all efforts she
sank. When it became evident that she
could not be kept afioat she was pushed
by the New York bodily up on the beach,
the New York's stem being placed against
her for this purpose-the ship being
handled by Captain Chadwick with ad-
mirable judgment-and sank in shoal wat
er, and may be saved. Had this not been
done she would have gone down in deep
water and would have been, TO a GER
tainty, a total loss"
RESCUING THE VANQUISHED.
OF the noble work of the rescuers from
A =,
Sampson says:
This rescue Of prisoners, including the
wounded, from the burning Spanish YES
sells, was the occasion of some of the
most daring and gallant conduct of the
day. The ships were burning fore and
aft. their guns and reserve ammunition
was exploding, and it was not known a
what moment the fire would reach the
main magazines. In addition to this a
heavy surf was running Just inside of the
Spanish ships. But no risk deterrerd our
officers and men until their work of hui
mainly was complete"
CONyNODORE SCHLEY'S REPORT
Following is Commodore Schley's re-
port:
North Atlantic Fleet. Second Squadron.
United States Flagship Brooklyn, Qua
natanamO Bay, July s. 1895
Sir:I have the honor to make the fol-
lowing report of that part of the squadron
under your command which came under
my observation during the engagement
with the Spanish fleet on July3 1898.
At 9:35 a. m. Admiral Cervera, with the
Infanta Maria Taresa, Vizcaya, Oquendo
Christobal Colon and TWO torpedo boat
destroyers. came out of the harbor of San
tiago de cuba in column at distance and
attempted TO escape 20 the westward.
Signal was made from the Iowa that the
enemy was coming on bal his movement
had been discovered from this ship al the
same time. This vessel was the farthest
west, except the NiNon. in the blockade
line. Signal was made to The western
division as prescribed in your general or
ders and there was immediate and rapid
movement inward by your squadron and
a general engagement at ranges begin
ming at LOO yards and varying to 1000
until the Vizcaya was destroyed about
1850 a. m. The concentration of the fire
Of the squadron upon the ships coming out
was most furious and terrific and great
damage done them.
About twenty or twenty-five minutes
after The engagement began. two vessels,
bought 10 be the Terror and Oquendo. and
since verified as such, took fire from the
effective shell fire of the squadron and
were forced 20 run on the beach some SIX
or seven miles west OF the narbor en-
trance. where they burned and blew up
later. The torpedo boat des,roye-s were
destroyed easily in the action but the
smoke wa SO dense IN the.r direction that
canno- sav % Which vsssel or rasssIs