The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-07-05
SINKING OF SPANS SHIPS.
Continued from Fifth Page)


The lookout on the American vessels,
which We're living five or ten miles off TO
the entrance of The harbor, sighted them
Immediately.
Most OF the American cruisers were at
the usual SUNDAY morning quarters, Witn-
out thought or anything as surprising as
the Spanish fleet getting past the suuken
collier Merrmac which they had been de-
luded Into believing olectually b.ocladed
the exit
There was great excitement and very
rapid action along the American lines.
The signal for fun speed ahead was run
from bridge to engine room of every ship
and the entire fleet commenced 10 move IN
shore toward the Spanish, and the great
u and l4-inch guns of ufe batueshlp= and
the smaller batteries on the other vessels
fired shot after shot AZ long range.
AS the ships ran in toward the shore it
soon became evident that the Spdutarcs
had not come out TO make an aggressive
fight, for they turned 20 the eastward as
soon as they cleared the harbor and STARE
ed on their race for safety, at the same
time sending answering shots at the Amer
team ships as fast as the men could load
and fire the guns.
The brooklyn. Massachusetts, TeN2s,
Oregon and Iowa were nearer the span
iards than any others of the American
vessels but still most of them We're too
far away to get an effective range. They
crowded on all steam, however in prepar-
alton for the chase, never stopping their
fire for one moment
The Gloucester a fast little yacht that
cannot boast of any more powerful bat
terry than several six FOUNDERS
and three FOUNDERS, was lying
off Aguadores. three miles east Of MORO
when the Spaniards came out At first
she Joined in the attack upon large yes
sci and then held off. Lieutenant COM
mander WainwriAht concluding TO reserve
his efforts for the two torpedo boat de-
strOyers in the rear.
The Gloucester steamed after them
when they appeared, and chased them 20
a point five miles west of MORO Castle,
pouring shot after shot into them all tie
time. Her firing bore abundant fruit for
to her belongs the credit of the destruction
o. both of the destroyers. She fired 400
shots during the chase. and it was not
long before both destroyers were on fire
and plainly disabled.
Notwithstanding this they both returned
the Gloucester's fire, and rain of small
shells fell all around the yacht.
The Furor evidently determined that she
would not stand the fire any longer, ana
she put about ana headed back TO Santi-
ago. Then The Gloucester simply smoth-
cred her with shots from her rapid-hre
guns. and running like the wind forced
her to turn around and again head west
ward Smoke commenced to rise from the
Jurors sides after she put in towards
shore. Before she had gone far what was
left of her crew abandoned her and took
10 the boats, reaching the shore later
BY that time she was mass OF flames
ana was drifting about helplessly. Inc
PlutOn was In the same distressed condi-
ton ana was also headed for the shore
running UP alongside of low bluff, where
she soon pounded to pieces and finally
broke up completely. 1t was most dan
gcrous place for her crew, and but about
half of them reached the shore alive.
The Gloucester did not go any further
west, but lay Oft shore and went about to
the assistance OF the destroyers. It did not
take the flames long to reach the Furors
magazines, and there were two terrific eN-
plosions, probably of the gun cotton
on board of her which blew holes in her
bottom, her stern sunk Immediately as it
settled in the water, her bow rode straight
into the air, and she went to the bottom
in perpetual oblivion, giving out kissing,
ecaldng sound as she disappeared below
the surface.
In The meantime the larger American
>1Ilr- We gaining on the Spanish cruis-
ers, ana a storm of shots was passing be-
tween the pursuers and the pursued. The
American fire was so rapid that the ships
were enveloped in thick clouds of smoke,
and il was impossible to tell at a distance
which vessels were doing the greater exc
cution.
The Brooklyn and the five battieships
were keeping up an incessant fire upon the
Infanta Maria Teresa, Nizcaya and the
Almirante Oquendo and the latter were
returning it bravely, though with no sue
cess.
The Spanish gunners seemed unable 10
get the proper range and many of their
shots were very wild, though a number of
them fell dangerously near to the mark.
The guns of the battery just east of Nor.
TO also took part in the game and their
shells feel around the American ships Many
OF them struck the upper works of the flee
Ing Spaniards, which must have resulted
in killing and woundng many of their
men.
The Spanish ships had now reached
point about seven miles west of Moro and
mile or two beyond the place where the
Furor was burning and the Pluton broken
in two against the cliff.
The flagship and Oquendo were the first
TO show signals of distress. Two 13-inch
shells from one of the battleshps had
struck the Maria Teresa at her water line
tearing great holes in her side and caus-
ing her 10 fill rapidly.
The OGuendO suffered about the same
fate, and both ships headed for a small
cove and went aground POO yards from the
shore, flames shooting from them in every
direction. The officers and crew
must have been aware of the fate which
seemed to be before them, but il was not
flames and smoke, that the men ceased fir
ing.
The Gloucester, after sending a boat
ashore to the Pluton, steamed along the
coast to where the armored cruisers We're
stranded and went 70 their assistance
There was danger from the magazines and
many of those on board jumped into the
water and swan to the shore though a
number were unable to reach the small
strip of sandy beach in the cove and were
thrown violently against the rocks and
killed or drowned. Many of the wound
ed were lowered into the ships own boats
and taken ashore, but this task was a
most difficult one.
The Gloucester had all her boats out
and one seaman swan through the surf
with line from the Maria Teresa, max
ing il fast 10 a tree on the shore Bv
this means many on the flagship, includ-
ing Admiral Cervera, lowered themselves
into the GlOucesters boats.
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