The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1898-08-21
CAPTAIN OF the COLON
TALKS ABOUT THE BATTLE OF
sANTIAGo
SPANISH GUNNERY WAS GOOD
Dark and Mysterious Reasons Alleged
for the Destruction of the
Spanish Fleet
Associated Press Special Wire

NEW YORK, Aug. 20.-The Press says:
CAPTAIN Amilio Diaz Moreau OF the Span
ish ship Crstobal Colon, in an interview
discussed the events of the last few weeks
v,thout bitterness. There was even
playful suggestiveness in his tones when
he replied to the inquiry whether he would
saw gocd-bye to the American fleet as he
passed down the bay on the Normandie.
Eyes" he went on. why should not
have friends on board your ships? We did
not fight as personal foes. captain COOK
of the Brooklyn-you don't know him? An
a fine man. Half an hour after the oattie
1 had given him my photograph and he had
given me his. On mine l wrote: we nave
Just fought two hours and hair. Eacn
did his duty. We were not personal Toes.
Now that it is all over we are comrades anu
friends
THAT is the way feel toward the Amer
leans. I believe they have Inherent
opinion of the Spaniards from what they
had before the war"
Captain, do you think Hobson will raise
the Colon?'
mo: he will not. She is tipped on her
aide and her seven-inch guns have
smashed her. Any vessel saved there Will
cost twice its value"
1.-THE Colon was beautiful vessel, ven
tured the reporter.
Beautiful, and every inch hghting
ship. 1 would have got away-none OF
them could have stopped me, but
The Captain paused and said:
Got away, I said; you understand. l
mean it. Schley knows 1t; Sampson knows
II, and so does Cook. told them 1t was
not the Brooklyn nor the Oregon that kept
me from escaping. They say went only
sixty-four miles. tell you it was seventy
two. Divide that by the time and you will
see my average was r.2 knots an hour and
at times IS. The Oregon could only go 10,
and was steadily dropping the Brooklyn
behind. oh, no, neither of the two kept
me from escaping. but I cannot tell you
now why 1 was not able to save my splen-
did ship" And the captains voice trem-
bled.
'You won't have long to wait though;
SOU won't have long to wait" he repeated.
"When tell why, it will be on the floor of
the Cortes. 1 am member of the Spanish
Parliament. represent the Montrit dis
trict in Granada province. 1 have been
now, that 1 may be present at the opening
of the Cortes, which will take place in a
few days. Then 1 will explain and many
things now dark will seem clear. know to
many Americans 1t don't seem quite clear,
from their own accounts, as to why did
not escape when 1 was in the lead and
gaining. They will know soon.
II am not saying this to detract at all
from the achievements Of the American
fleet. The men did all they could, but there
is an unwritten chapter yet to be known
before history Is written.
mo one will say the Colon was materially
damaged by the American fire." he went on.
''She was hit only six times. By your
own reports, I made twenty-six holes in
the Brooklyn, and there were forty-two
traces of hits on her side. Does not that
speak we'll for Spanish gunnery? They
say our gunners could not shoot. Well, the
Brooklyn's sides tell a different story"
"Why did you not sink her. them"
"Our guns were too small. Three vessels
with heavy guns-the Vizcaya, Maria Ter
est and the Oquendo-were on fire. was
left alone with only rapid-fire guns of a
comparatively small calibre. If had had
guns-well, there might have
been a different story. Those holes in the
Brooklyn would have meant more.
''Your naval men have learned a great
deal from their fight with the Colon. They
will not give up their heavy guns for the
light rapid-fire. Sampson told me as much.
told them they could not and they smiled
and I asked them where they would be If
had had heavy guns.
IA
heavy guns on board the ships with wood
work that would catch fire. The first shot
that struck any of our ships started fire.
There was no fire on my ship because she
had no woodwork. She was like the Brook
lyn and would not burn
"What do you think of the New York;"
"a bad ship. 1t was lucky for her she
Did not get into the fight. She would have
burned like our three ships. Rear Admiral
Sampson was In perfect accord with me
on that subject, and agreed that shell
might have set her on fire, and with her
woodwork she would have gone the way
Of the Vizcaya."
"Who should get the credit for the vic
tory-Sampson or Schley?" he was asked.
Both men are officers of great intelli-
gence and high character" he said. But
Slgsbee. All, what shall say of him?" he
said, bitterly. AFTER the Maine explosion
he was in Captain Eulate's cabin on the
Vizcaya. There, he said, his career in life
was ended, but he had lost his ship. We
rescued the American seamen while their
officers were drinking champagne on shore
and then Sigsbee goes into court, forgets
all about his tears and lamentations in
Eulate's cabin and tries to shoulder the
blame upon US. Never did we have hand
in blowing up the Maine, and I am con-
WINGED. after the straightforward SQUARE
way we have fought this war, the Ameri-
can people do not believe that we blew IN
the Maine"
do you expect to be brought before
on your return?"
1--WE will appear before a court of in
quiry. That is regular and formal. No
matter whether 1t is defeat or a victory.
If anything happens to Spanish fleet.
the proceedings go before a court of in
quiry."
Sails for Home
NEW YORK, Aug. 20.-Emfl de Moreau.
formerly Captain of the Cristobal Colon,
who was taken prisoner after the destruc-
ton Of the Spanish fleet. was among the
passengers on La Normandie, which sailed
today for Havre.
SUES FOR ACCOUNTING
Francis Cuttings Marital Troubles