Hutchinson gazette. [volume] (Hutchinson, Kan.) 1895-1902, 1898-07-07

1
: Brooklyn, had her usual position a
The extreme western end OF the line
! ten miles from the New York an,
: Texas II Is peculiar fact that h,
should have been In proper position
TO direct the movements OF his flylnt
} squadron against the Spanish fleet
, which die had bottled up In Santiago
harbor six weeks before, As a mat
ter OF fact, the entire American flee
J was much further of shore thar
usual when the Spanards made theli
appearance this morning.
IL was nbont o'clock this morning
when the flagship lnfanta Maria Te,
resa passed under the wall OF MorrC
castle and steamed out TO sea. She
was followed by the Orstobal Colon
Vlzcaya and Oquendo, and, last, BY
the torpedo boat destroyers Furor
and Pluton. The lookout on The
American vessels which were lylne
five or ten miles on the entrance Ia
the harbor sighted them immediate.
ly. Most of the American cruisers
were at the usual Sunday morning
quarters, without Thought of any
thing as surprising as the Spanish
fleet getting past the sunlSen collier
Merrlmac, which they had been. de-
luded into believing effectively block
cd the exit.
There was great excitement at once,
and very rapid action along the
American lines. The signal for fnli
speed ahead waS running from bridge
TO engine room OF every ship and the
entire feet commenced to move In
shore toward the Spanish, and the
great twelve and thirteen-lnch guns
of the battleships aud the smaller
batteries on the other vessels fired
shot after shot at long range.
As the ships ran in toward the
shore, II soon became evident THAT the
ISpanlards had not come out 10 make
~ aggressive fight, for They turned
. The eastward as soon as they
cleared the haaIbor and started on
nor race for safety, at the same
ime sending answering shots at the
mrrican ships as fast ais the men
oUld lead and fire the gums. The
'roCl&yn, MasSa dhusetts, Texas, Ore
on SlI Iowa were nearer the Span
las than amy others OF the Amer
An vessels but stlll most OF thym
,rre too far away No get an effective
Hngt. They crowded on all steam,
.gwever, In preparation for the chase,
'eyer stopping their lire for one mo-
Hent.
The Gloucester, fast little yacht
hat cannot boast OF any heavier bat
ery than several six-pounders and
,hree-pounlers, was lying of Aqua
& n'ts, three miles east Of MORO, when
he Spanards came out. At first she
joined in The attack upon large ves-
sci, ami then held Oft some, Captain
Wainwright concluding to reserve his
efforts for the two torpedo boat de-
strOyers in the rear. The Gloucester |
steamed after ahCm when they ap-
peared and chased them to u point |
five miles west OF MORO, pouring shot |
after shot into them all the time. Her |
efforts bore abundant fruit, for to her |
belongs the credit for the destruction |
Of both of the destroyers. She fired
1,40O shots during the chase, and ii
was not long before both destroyers
were on fire and plainly disabled.
Notwithstanding this, they both re-
turned the GlouccSter's fire and
rain of small shells fell around the
yacht. The Furor evidently deter
mined that She would not stand the
fire any longer and she put about and
headed back for Santiago. Then the
Gloucester simply smothered her with
shots from her rapid fire gums and,
running like the wind, forced her 10
turn around and again head vest
ward.
Smoke commenced to rise from the
Jurors sides, and she put in towards
the shore. Before she had gone far,
what was left Of her crew abandoned
her and took to the boats, reaching
the shore later. BY that time she was
q mass of fame and was drifting
about helplessly.
The Pluton was in the same dis
dressed condition, and was also head
ed for the shore, running up along
side of % low bluff, where she soon
pounded to pieces, and finally broke
i'm two completely. II was q most
landing place for her crew,
and but about half of them reached
THE shore alive.
The Gloucester did not go any
farther west, but Lay off shore and
sent in u boat to THE assistance of the
crews of The destroyers. Ii did not
take THE flames long to reach the
Furor's magazines, and there were
terrific explosions, probably of the
on board of her, which
blew holes i'm her bottom. Her stern
sunk Immediately, and as 1T settled in
bhe water her bow rose straight into
the air and she went TO the bottom
in perpetual oblivion, giving out q
Missing, scalding sound as she disap-
Deared below the surface.
Meantime, the larger American ,
ships were gaining on the Spanish
cruisers, and storm Of shots was
passing between the pursuers and the /
pursued. The American fire was so !
-apid that the ships were envelopcd In :
lhick clouds of smoke, and 1t was inn
>osshble to tell ait the distance which
n a -.