The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-07-05

castle and steamed out to sea. She was
followed by the CristObal Colon, Viz
caya and Oquendo, and last by the tor
pedO boat deStroyerS FurOr and PlutOn.
The outlook on the American vessels,
which were lying five or ten miles off
the entrance to the harbOr, sighted them
Immediately. Most of the American
cruisers were at the usual Sunday
morning quarters without the thought
of anything as surprising as the Span
ish fleet getting past the sunken collier
Merrimac, which they had been delud-
ed into believing effectively blockaded
the exit. There was great excitement at
once and very rapid action along the
American lines. The signal for full
speed ahead was running from bridge
to engine room of every ship, and the
entire fleet commenced to move toward
the SpaniardS and the great II and 13
inch guns of the battleships and the
smaller batteries on the other vessels
fired shot after shot at long range As
the ships ran in towards the shore it
soon became evident that the Spaniards
had not come out to make an aggreS-
sive fight, for they turned to the east
ward as soon as they had cleared the
harbor and started on their race for
safety, at the same time sending an
swering shots at the American ships as
fast as the men could load and fire the
guns. The Brooklyn. Massachusetts,
Texas, Oregon and Iowa were nearer
the Spaniards than any others of the
American vessels, but still most of them
were too far away to get an effectlve
range. They crowded on all steam,
however, in preparation for the chase,
never stopping their fire for one mo-
ment.
The GIOucester's Good Work.
The Gloucester, a fast little yacht
that can not boast of any heavier bat
terry than several Founders and
Founders, was lying off Aguadores,
Spaniards came out. At first she join
ed in the attack upon large vessel, and
then held off some, Capt. Wainwright
concluding to reserve his efforts for the
two torpedo boat destroyers in the rear.
The Gloucester steamed after them
when they appeared and chased them
to point five miles west of Morro,
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 destroyers. She
fired 400 shots during the chase and it
was not long before the destrOYers were
on fire and plainly disabled NOtWith-
standing they both returned the GlOu-
cester'S fire and a rain of small shells
fell around the yacht. The Furor evi-
IDENTIFY determined that she would not
stand the fire any longer and she put
about and headed back for San
tiago. Then the Gloucester simply
smothered her with shots from her
rapid fire guns and running like the
wind, forced her to turn around and
again head westward.
Smoke commenced to rise from the
Furor's sides and she put in towards
the shore. Before she had gone far
what was left of her crew abanooned
her and took to the boats, reaching the
shore later. BY that time she was a
mass of flame and was drifting about
helplessIy.
The Pluton was in the same dis
tressed condition and was also headed
for the shore running along side of a
low bluff, where she soon pounded to
pieces and finally broke in two com
pletely. 1t was most dangerous
To-, Mo for T1nT nd la17f
about half of them reached the shore
alive.
The Gloucester did not go any further
west but lay off shore and sent in a
boat to the assistance of the crews of
the deStrOyerS. 1t did not take the
flames long to reach the Furor's maga-
zines and there were two terrific ex-
plOsiOns, probably of the gun cotton
bottom. Her stern sunk Immediately
and it settled in the water; her bow
rose straight into the air and she went
to the bottom in perpetual oblivion,
giving cut a kissing, scalding sound, as
she disappeared below the surface.
Storm of Shots.
Meantime the large American ships
were gaining on the Spanish cruisers
and a storm of shots was passing be-
tween the purSuers and the pursued.
The American fire was so rapid that
the ships were enVeloped in thick
clouds of smoke and it was impossible
to tell at the distance which vessels
were doing the greatest execution The
Brooklyn and the five battleships were
keeping up inceSSant fire upon the IN
fanta Maria Teresa, the Vizcaya and
the Almirante Oquendo, and the latter
were returning it bravely though with
no success. The Spanish gunners seem
ed unable to get the proper range, and
many of their shots were very wild,
though a number of them fell danger
ously near the mark
The guns of the battery, just east of
Morro, also took part in the game and
their shells fell around the American
ships Many of them struck the upper