The times., 1898-09-04
sCHLEY WAS READY.
An Austrian ship That Was Lucky
Not to He II Spaniard.
(From the Chicago Reeord)

(From the Chicago Reeord)
When Schley had enriched our history
on July 3, and every ship in these waters
under the royal banner of CASTLE hao
been shattered, he was sailing east 10
resume station before Santiago. Word
came to him that the Pelayo, pride OF
the Spanish navy. had reached the Carib-
bean. and he was directed to engage her
as soon as found. To naval experts the
suggestion that cruiser fight battle
ship is insanity gone mad, but never
theless the Brooklyn started ON her er-
rand
Near Santiago a battleship was sighted,
heavily armored and turreted. but at such
a distance that her colors could not be
distinguished under the glass. Toward
her the Brooklyn started. Commodore
Schley and Capt. Cook stood on tire
forward bridge as the big cruiser fairly
leaped forward to give battle.
she is white-an unusual thing in war
time" said the commodore, watching the
stranger through his glass. Il don't be-
neve she is Spanish he remarked a mo-
ment later. and then. consulting the pic
ture of a sister ship to the Pelayo, sud-
denly exclaimed: by jove! 1t is the Pc
layo, after all.''
''On the signal bridge,'' shouted Capt.
Cook. Can you mako cut her colors?"
Not yet. sir" came the answer, fol-
lowed a moment after by: I'VE have
raised her co!ors, sir, and she is Span
ssh
Send your men to quarters Cook"
said the Commodore. land start an S-inch
shell for her when ] give the word"
On went the Brooklyn. fast closing the
distance between herself and the strang
era big hattleship of modern type and
with her flag aft-two stripes of red on
each side of yellow, as it appeared, and
the crown in proper place. The bugle
sung Ito euartersi' and the men, al
though they had been lighting all morn
iag. rushed TO their guns with cheer.
For a H-oment the commodore hesitated
''On the signal bridget he called. Are
you certain the stranger is a Spaniard?"
Certainly. sir" came the reply. Il can
see her colors distinctly"
The commodore had his glass on the
battleship. Turning to the captain of his
ship he said: Cook, that fellow is not
at quarters. His guns are turned away
from Us. He is not UP TO snuff. Watch
him closely, and the moment he sends his
men to quarters or moves a turret, let
| drive Give him everything you have.
/ We will sink him in twenty minutes, un-
less he gets a shot under our belt"
Just then the officer on the bridge re-
ported that the hattlesh.p was signaling
! with the lntelnSilJ0nai cOue, anu SUN
! translated the message: This is an
! Austrian baittieship-'
/ Haf an hour later the commander OF
/ the Maria Theresa (Austrian) was seat
/ ed in Commodore Schley's cabin.
''If you had sent your men TO quarters
| or moved a turret ] should have raked
YOU; II was a narrow escape, said the
! commodore during the conversation
Your flag Is 50 like Spain's, saving that
| YOU have a white stripe where she has
yellow. that ii is hard to tell them apart
at any considerable distance. and came
very near letting drive at YOU"
I'VE know that" returned the Aus
trian. ..ard we were very much worried,
We signa-ed long before you answered.
We had no wish 10 be troubled. We
have seen the wrecks along the coast
/ But" he inquired. as he arose to leave,
do you send cruisers to meet battle
! ships?"
The commodore smiled as he answered;
1--WE always make fight with the nrst
shin we have at hand. We never wait
! because we are outrated- We try to win
with what we have" ;,
! .sYou Americans are very remarkaole'
said the Austrian, as he went over the
| side TO his boat