New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-07-10

EXTENT OF DESTRUCTION WROUGHT
ny AMERICAN SHELLS.

OFF Santiago de Cuba July :. by The Associ-
ated Press Dispatch Boat Dauntlcss via Port
Antonio Jamaica. July 8, by way Of Kingston.
Jamaica. Jlly g. II 80 p. n.-The vessels which
compose Admiral Cervera's squadron. converted
into wrecked charnel houses, are lttering the
Cuban coast, and the scene Of desolation. ruin.
horror and death in its CHASTITY. revolving aspect
presented by these at one time formidable steel
carcasses battles description
At the entrance Of the harbor Of Santiago de
Cuba lies the Reina Mercedes sunk at midnight
on July g.
Westward five miles from the harbor. is
torpedo boat destroyer stuck fast In the rocks.
close in shore and battered by the surf. Rocks
iu,ting on; Of the water just in front OF where
she lies hide her hull from view. Her davits
and the top Of her conning-tower alone mark
her resting place.
Visible from the sea- few miles further in
an ine; embraced by two mighty arms Of black
rocks that extend half mile into the sea, are
the twin cruisers Infanta Maria Teresa and the
Alm!rante Oquendo. formerly the pride Of the
Spanish Navy
Further UP lies the ViZcaya, a mass or ruins
and fcrty-two miles away from Santiago de
Cuba the Crstobal Colon lies helpless on her
side with her smokestacks under water.
The Infanta Maria Teresa and the Almirante
Oquendo stand upright. stuck fast on the rocky
shoals All that is left OF them is their outer
hulls the heavy arinor dcfying total anninlla-
ton. Inside OF them the work Of destruction 's
complete. Their boilers. engines, bunkers and
MAGAZINES have been blown into unrecognizable
masses Of twisted. melted IRON Exploded shells
burned rifles and revolvers pieces or yellow
brass work and gold and silver coin. melted by
the intense heat. are strewn all over the once
proud armored cruisers. whose protective decks
only stand in places
THE SHIPS PRESENT a CHASTITY SIGHT.
| Rut the most shasily horrible sights in those
| silent stee, collins are the mangled SCARED and
| charred bodies Of hundreds OF brave sailors.
! sacrificed for their country.
Over these scenes Of desolaton and ruin is
! the utmost fear Of death and decomposition
| Buzzards are feeding OF the dead and others
! are lowering over the wrecks
/ On the beach other fiocks Of vutures sit In
! ominous silence waiting for the sea to give up
its dead Every tide adds 10 the tale OF horror.
! washing up such objects as. for instance.
sleeve inclosing a wasted arm. other portions
! OF human beings gnawed by hungry sharks' anu
/ countless relics OF the battle.
Attention has been given 10 the burial or the
dead of the enemy and over one hundred bodies
! taken from the ships or washed ashore have
! been buried upon the beach by Rear admiral
/ Sar,nson's orders Those which now remain are
! either almost totally consumed by fire, charred
! beyond belief lie In the depths OF the sea.
/ These form the food Of the buzzards. VINO Keep
constant vigil about the wrecks.
The buried bodies lie in a confused mass. I'M
| numbered and unnamed. in a huge pit aug IN
| the sandy beach, where the vessels went ashore.
| A rude wooden cross from the wreckag" alone
marks the grave. a grave over which Spain may
| ,ral mourn