The evening times., 1898-07-11
OF THE NAVAL FIGHT.
Claims Of Three Ships as to First
Sighting the Enemy.

going to be much discussion as to what
part each ship took in the great naval
battle of Santiago, and already many
contradictory . statements have been
made The Texas. Brooklyn and Iowa
each claim to have been the first to have
sighted the enemy coming out of the
harbor. This is the version as given by
the officers of the Iowa:
:; The Iowa. according to the account.
was six thousand yards distant from
Morro when the feet put to sea. Lieu
tenants Scheutze and Hill. l am told.
were on the bridge of the battleship at
the time. Hill. gazing through a glass
directed at the entrance of the harbor.
said. There is something coming out"
Scheutze looked in the same direction
and after a few moments scrutiny flung
down the glass, sounded the general
alarm. rang full speed ahead hoisted sig.
nal 80. ENEMY is coming out" and let
go 6-pounder to attract immediate at.
tention to the warning message.
The IOwa's y-disciplined crew lost
no time in getting to their stations, and
her big bow guns were blazing before
Capt. Evans. hurrying from his cabin at
the first alarm, had time to reach the
bridge
After clearing the harbor the Spanish
feet swung to the westward. and the
Iowa. swinging to a parallel course,
brought her starboard battery into ac-
ton. Four IL and four S-inch rifles BOOM
ed at the enemy singly and In pairs From
the powerful secondary battery the rap
id-fire s:orm had burst. and the grim bat
tleship stood toward the enemy looking
like q thunde-cloud rent by incessant
lightning
These Finch shells of the Iowa weigh
LOO pounds. and are hurled from the
high-powered rified guns by the explo-
sion of go pounds OF powder. The chilled
steel proiectiles are five feet In length.
and when one Of these cuts through an
ay4F belt and explodes I'm the interior
of i ship II n good vessel and stout
hearted crew that will have any interest
left In subsequent events.
The Iowa hurled thirty-six of these
monster shells at her enemies. and II
any ,bf them missed II was an OFF mo-
men. with the gun captain whose boast
IL is 90 hit silver dollar at a mile
While the Pinch rifles Were hurting
their splitting mines into the heart OF the
enemy the other guns were as hotiy en-
gagged. The four S-inch rihes-and these
are no joke either-fiunG forty-eight of
their shells toward the foe. and the fine
battery of rapid fire 4-inch rifles almost
emptied its magazine. firing 30 rounds
The S-peunders discharged 100 rounds.
1t will be seen that Fighting Bob"
Evans dispensed his favors with a prodi-
gality almost unequaled- In return he
received a 6-inch shell in the forward
compartment of his ship and another IN
the sick bay.
Both exploded, but that special Provi-
dence which is said to look out for the
United States. drunkards. and fools was
still on duty. and not Il soul on board the
battleship was hurt by the two expio-
sions BY way of contrast il should be
noted that one shell on the NiZcaya killed
and wounded eighty men.
Both of the shells which struck the
Iowa passed through the Golfer dam and
near the water line. but the faithful
cellulose Immediately choked the wounds.
Patent leak shoppers were subsequently
I placed in the jagged rents, and at the
close of the battle the Iowa was in prac-
tically the same condition as when she
went into actlor--minus some ammuni-
ton.
The battle done. the hnenfys ships on
the beach and in flames, Capt. Evans did
all he could to rescue the survivors of
the combat.
Many impressive incidents marked the
arrival of the survivors on board the
Iowa One lieutenant struggled up the
sea ladder, his left arm shattered by a
shell and hanging by tendon of flesh
But as soon as he had gained the deck
he steaded himself, and. bringing his
heels together, saluted the quarterback as
though he was simply visiting ofhcer
from friendly man-of-war.
= Among the prisoners was the junior
medical officer of the NiZcaya- He won
a golden need of praise from Surgeon
Crandali of the Iowa, for his refusal 10
have his own serious wound dressed untii
he had helped TO dress the wounds of MS
injured countrymen. As to the conduct oil
the senior medical officer of the NiZcaya,
DR.. Crandall is eloQuently silent.
IN all fifty-four of the Vizcaya's wound
ed we're brought on board the Iowa Five
amputatIons were necessary. The pa
tients were doing well at last accounts
Officers of the Iowa gave their own
clothes to the captiyes. and did all IN
their power 10 make them comfortable.
And with a deicacy that should hnd
place in history. there was no WORD or
sign. or deed that could have reminded
| the eaptives of the defeat they had un-
dergene And this from the Iowa. grim
battleship of sinister renown!
To the officers of the Iowa, Angel Ger
vera son of the admiral. gave some in
teresting testimony as TO the effective
ness of the fire of the Nesuvius we
had 70 sleep. so the conversation WIS
reported to me, after the NesuVius had
sent her earthquakes in our direction
After the first experience of her terrific
shells 1t was all nervous wakefulness on
our part until the ordeal was over. we
could not tell where the shells would
come from. nor where they would strike.
and men in an exposed condition can
not sleep under such conditions.
1.-THE effect of the explosions were
more than material" the officer added.