The San Francisco call., 1898-07-09

 Kingston, Jamaica, July S.-The battle ship Iowa was the first ship to see the Spanish fleet coming out of the harbor. A moment later h-r crew was at gen eral quarters and at s a. m. a gun was fired to attract the attention of the feet Captain Evans account of the battle. as told in the cabin of the Iowa to a COT espondent of the Asso- ciated Press. is intensely interesting. He said:
 At the time general quarters was sounded the signal bell rang full speed ahead, and 1 put the helm to star board and the Iowa crossed the bow of the Infanta Maria Teresa, one of the first ships out. AS the Spanish admiral swung to the westward the 12-inch shells from the forward turret of the Iowa seemed to strike her fairly in the bow, and the fight was a spectacle. As the squadron came out in column. the ships beautifully spaced as to distance and gradually increasing tho.r speed to thirteen knots, it was superb
 The Iowa from this moment kept up a steady fire from her heavy guns. heading all the time to keep the h. fanta Maria Teresa on her starboard bow and hoping to ram one of the lead ing ships
 Tn the meantime the Oregon, Indi- ana, Brooklyn and Texas were doing excellent work with their heavy guns.
 Tn very short space of time the enemy's ships were all clear of the har- bor mouth and it became evidently inn possible for the Iowa to ram either the first or the second ship on account of the speed.
 "The range at this time was 2OOO yards from the leading ship. The IOwa's helm was immediately put hard to starboard and the entire starboard broadside was pouring into the Infanta Maria Teresa. The helm was then quickly shifted to port and the ship went across the stern of the Teresa in an effort to head off the Oquendo. All the time the engines were driving at full speed ahead. A perfect torrent of shells from the enemy passed over the smokestack and superstructure of the ship. but none struck her"
 The Cristobal Colon, being much faster than ' rest of the Spanish ships. passed r., idly to the front in an effort to escape. In passing the Iowa the Colon placed two 6-inch shells fair lv in our starboard bow One passed through the rdam and dispensary, wrechng the latter and bursting on the berth deck, doing considerable damage. The other passed through the side at t water line within the cofferdam, where it still remains
 As it was now obviously impossible to ram any of the Spanish ships on ac- count of their superior speed the Iowa s helm was put to the starboard and she ran on a course parallel with the en- emy. Being then abreast of the Almi- rante Oquendo, at a distance of HOO yards, the IoWa's entire battery, in- cluding the rapid-fire guns, was opened on the Oquendo. The punishment was terrific. Two 12-inch shells from the Iowa pierced the Almirante Ouuendo at the same moment one forward and the other aft. The Oquendo seemed to stop her engines for a moment and lose headway, but she immediately resumed her speed and gradually forged ahead C. the Iowa and came under the terri r., fire of the Oregon and Texas.
 At this moment the alarm of tor pedo-boats' was sounded, and two tor pedc-boat destroyers were discovered on the starboard quarter at a distance of 4000 yards. Fire was at once opened on them with the after battery and a 12-inch shell cut the stern of one de- stroyer squarely off. As the shell struck a small torpedo-b boat fired back at the battle-ship, sending shell with in a few feet of my head.
 Well up among the advancing cruis- CTS, splitting shots at one and the other. was the little Gloucester, shooting first at a cruiser and then at a torpedo boat, and hitting head wherever she saw it. The marvel is that she was not de- stroyed by the rain of shells.
 "In the meantime the Vizcaya was slowly drawing abeam of the Iowa and for the space Of fifteen minutes it was give and take between the two ships The ViZcaya fired rapidly, but wildly, not one shot taking effect on the Iowa, while the shells from the Iowa were tearing great rents in the sides of the Vizcaya. As the latter passed ahead of the Iowa she came under the mur- deroUs fire of the Oregon.
 At this time the Inr-nta Maria Te- resa and the Almirante Oquendo, lead ing the enemys -olumn, were seen to be heading for the beach and in flames The Texas, Oregon and Iowa pounded them unmercifully. They ceased to re- ply to the fire and in a few moments the Spanish cruisers were $. mass of flames and on the rocks with their col ors down. the Teresa flying white flag.
 The enemy's crews stripped them selves and began jumping overheard. and one of the smaller magazines be- gan to explode.
 Meantime the Brooklyn and Cristo- bal Colon were exchanging compli- ments in lively fashion at apparently long range, and the Oregon, with her locomotive speed, was hanging we'll on to the Colon. also paying attention to the Vizcaya. The Teresa and the OQueQQO were in daraas o, tba laooh