The San Francisco call., 1898-07-27

' Department to-day made public the re- ports of Admiral Sampson, Commodore Schley, Captain Clark of the Oregon and Captain Evans of the Iowa on the battle of July 8, which resulted in the destruction of Cervera's squadron. They are as follows:
 UNITED STATES FLAGSHIP NEW YORK, First-rate, of Santiago de Cuba July 15, 1S9S.-Sir: l have the honor to make the following report upon the bat tie with and destruction of the Spanish squadron, commanded by Admiral Ger vera. off Santiago de Cuba on Sunday July 3, 1898:
 The enemy's vessels came out of the head of the column appearing around Cayo Smith at 9:31 and emerging from the channel five or six minutes later.
 The position of the vessels of my com mand off Santiago at the moment were: Flagship New York was four miles east of her blockading station and about seven miles from the harbor entrance. She had started for Siboney, where 1 intended to land, accompanied by several of my staff. and go to the front to consult with Gen eral Shafter for a discussion of the stu- ation and for more definite understand ing between us of the operations pro- posed. which had been rendered necessary by the unexpectedly strong resistance of the Spanish garri- chief of staff on shore the day be- fore to arrange an interview with Gen eral Shafter. who had been suffering from heat prostration. l made arrangements to go to his headquarters, and my flag ship was in the position mentioned above when the Spanish squadron appeared In the channel. The remaining vessels were in or near their usual blockading posi- tons, distributed in a SemiCircle about the harbor entrance counting from the eastward to the westward in the follow ing order: The Indiana, about mile and a half from shore; the Oregon-the New Iork $ place between these two the Iowa, the Texas and Brooklyn, the latter two miles from the shore west of santiago. The distance of the vessels rom the harbor entrance was from two and half to four miles, the latter being the limit of day blockading distance. The length of the arc formed by the ships was about eight miles. The Massachu- seItS had left at a. m. for Guantanamo for coal. Her station was between the Iowa and Texas The auXiliaries Glouces- ter and Vixen lay close to the land and nearer to the harbor entrance than the larger vessels, the Gloucester to the east ward and the Vixen to the westward. The Ericsson was in company with the flagship and remained with her during the chase until ordered to discontinue, when she rendered very efficient service in res cuing prisoners from the burning Viz caya. l inclose a diagram showing ap- pToXlmately the positions of the vessels S9 utSCIlDeu dDONe.
 The spanish vessels came rapidly out or the harbor, at speed estimated at rom eight to ten knots and in the fol- lowing order: Infanta Maria Teresa HIasshlpli Nlzcaya, Cristobal Colon and the Almirante Oquendo. The distance between these ships was about 800 yards, which means that from the time the first one became visible in the upper reach of of the harbor an interval of only about twelve, minutes elapsed. Following the Oquendo at a distance of about 12OO wards came the torpedo boat destroyer Pluton, and after her the Furor.
 The armored cruisers as rapidly as tbau could bring their guns to bear, opened a vigorous fire upon the blockading vessels ana s,l emerged from the channel shrouded m the smoke from their guns
 The men of our ships in front of he port were at Sunday quarters for in spection. The signal was made simui- taneously from several vessels. "Fnemv ships escaping" and general ouarters was sounded. The men cheered as they sprang to their guns and fire was opened peI1pa9blg leIs witnln eight minutes by the ves- S9ls S Whose guns commanded the entrance. ne New York turned about and steamed TOT the escaping fleet, hyinp the signal.
 Close Tn toward harbor entrace and at tack vessels" and gradually increasing speed, until toward the end of the chase she was making sixteen and a half knots and was rapidly closing on the Cristobal Colon. She. was not at any time within the range of the heavy Spanish ships, and her only part in the firing was to recejve the ithe undivlded fire from the forts in pass ing the harbor entrance, and to fire a few shots at one of the destroyers, thought at the moment to be attempting to escane from the Gloucester
 The Spanish vessels, upon clearing the harbor, turned to the westward in col uTun, increasing their speed to the full power of their engines. The heavy block ading vessels, which had closed in to- ward the Morro at the instant of the en- emy's appearance and at their best speed delivered a rapid fire, well sustained and destructiVe, which speedily overwhelmed ana Sllenced the Spanish fire. The initial speed of the Spaniards carried them ran idly past the blockading vessels and the battle developed into chase, in which the Brooklyn and Texas had at the sta rt the advantage of position. The Brooklyn maintained this lead until the Oregon steaming with amazing speed from the place. The Iowa and Indiana had done good work, and not having the speed of the other ships, were directed by me in succession at about the time the Vizcaya was beached to drop out of the chase and resume blockading stations. These ves- sels rescued many prisoners. The Vixen. finding that the rush of the Spanish ships would put her between two fires, ran out side of her own column and remained there during the battle
 The skillful handling and gallant fight of every one who witnessed 1t and merits the commendation of the Navy Depart ment. She is a fast and entirely unpro- tected auxiliary vessel-the yacht Cor sicana-and has battery of light rapid fire guns. She was running about two miles from the entrance to the eastward and immediately started out, firing upon the large ships. Anticipating the appear ance of the Fulton and Furor the Glou- cester was slowed. thereby gaining more rapidly a high pressure of steam. and when the destroyers came out she steam ed for them at full speed and was able was accurate, deadly and of great vol ume. During this fight the Gloucester was under the fire of the Socapa battery. Within twenty minutes from the time