New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-07-15

out as you ala, in the face OF superior force.
is only an exemplifcauOn Of tha: bravery. Your
country can only do you honor.
The story OF Cervera's attempt 10 escape Is
told briefly by Commander Adolphe cor "eres.
a prisoner on board the converted yacht Vixen.
taken off the battle-ship CrstObal Colon. Chlef
Engineer Stanford f. Moses Of the Vixen acted
as Interpreter for the correspondent or Tie AS
ISOLATED Press the conversation being IN the IN
ternational language Of the Navy. French. com
rander Contreres told this interesting story:
THE STORY or TIE ATTEMPTED ESCAPE
u, Is not true that the heavy fire OF the liner
,can ships drove ue out. Besides the accident 10
the Re,na Mercedes. we had no casualties. The
dynamite shells Of the Vesuvius did no damage
except to terrorize people. A shell did not strike
Smith Cay at all. but hit near the base we
arrived in Santiago Harbor on May 10 We did
No, know that our whereabouts we're a secret
1,e made no attempt 20 hide or 10 cover UP our
nlans We simply took easy stages to get 10
cuba II was frightfully hot in the harDof ana
we suffered greatly"
"Nbat about the Hobson expedition was
asked. -,... .,a q, tho
Nrst alarm believed that torpedo ooat h''a"H
was going on The shore batteries opened up
AID the ships used their rapid FIRE guns Inc
dvnamos were not going. however ana we hau
no searchlignt. so that we could not hhu the
object We did not sink her with our batteries
or our mines She sunk herself with her own
torpedoes by blowing out her bottom Admirai
Cervera in making tour OF the shore Dat
tcrios in a steam launch a little later fouhd
1Iohson sv.,rnm,ng in the entrance and trying
t. get out TO sea He had on I've preserNe'
o,d when picked up asked that they save his
companions. This was done all OF 'he men
he,,y IN the water. and not on a raft al has
been said.
I'VE made no attempt to get out. and did not
use our torpedo boats, az all our machinery was
detective and we were trying 10 repair IT. The
freouent bornbardment by the American ships
reeuIted in consi lerable loss OF life. but did
u,tla other damage The batteries were not
harmed 10 any extent 1t is not true that we
our ship guns. The Reina Mercedes
yune were all on the forts when Commodore
echlcv arrived On SATURDAY,. May 2S, We got
word that Schley had left Cienfuegos for San
tiaeo and we started 10 get out. The news had
come too late as Schley had left a couple OF
his ships TO act as decoys before Cierfuegos. and
in the mean time had come down here on
Sunday morning May 70, We found Schley
blocking our way out. II was then Cerveras
intention TO come out and give battle. but Cen
eral Linares and the citizens objected. and We
stayed"
ALARMED BY HOBsONs EXPLOIT
"Are Hobson and his men wellT
"No Mr.. Hobson is all right. but all OF
the men are down with fever. and have been
sick for time beheVe they aie "e ,
taken care Of however
Then Mr.. Contrereu began the most interes'
ing part OF his narrative. that relating to the
Of Cervera- He said;
Admiral Cervera. after the arrival oi
or.at American feet did not believe 1t wise to
On out and try TO fight It. He argued that the
hest nolfcy for the fleet was 10 hold the harbor
AGAINST the enemy and he ready by an emf |
ding fire over the hilltops TO drive BACK the |
Invading army At first the people In Santiago |
h.uevod this wise but provisions ran snort
and dispatch after dispatch came from MADRID |
u WAS found that public sentiment demanded
. Naval battle. on Saturday last conference |
" as called on the flagship. the Maria IereSa' |
and all the officers OF the fleet were present Al
nral Cervera announced his intention OF going |
ont and It was decided TO try 1t that night. |
lust after dark. and after the ships had got up !
heir anchors ready TO start beacon lights were
seen on the western HILL and 1t was decided |
hat the American fleet had been warned OF
,ur intention and would close in on us In addi-
lion 10 that il was found that the searchliehts
IA shed In the entrance from the American SHIPS |
would prevent us steaming by the Merrimac
wreck in a narrow channel. II was afterward.
100 late learned that the supposed signal-lights |
we're insurgents burning up blockhouses.
The order Of coming out and the tactics to