The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-07-11
AFEW MARINESAS GUARDS
Admiral Cervera's Regard For the
People Of America.
TALKED or CRUSHING DEFEAT.


Portsmouth harbor Sunday. The big
liner left Guantanamo at o'clock Tues
Hay afternoon, July 5. and did not make
a stop until she dropped anchor in this
harbor. Including the 746 prisoners
there were 1886 people on board the boat
on her journey north. and out Of this
number were 81 sick and wounded Span
iards under the care Of surgeons. Ad-
miral Cervsra Is confined to his cabin.
having been quite i'll for three days. al
though he was able to dress yesterday.
Captain Eulate, who was commander OF
the ill-fated vizeaya, Is also quite Ill.
having been wounded in the head during
the battle of Santiago.
An of the Spanish commissioned Of
hcers were on parole and had the free
dom Of the ship with one exception. and
he was the governor of Santiago, who
was trying to escape from the city on
Admiral Cervera's flagship when she
was destroyed on that memorable morn
ing of July 3. He refused to sign the
parole papers and consequently was con-
fined In one of the cabins under guard.
The remainder Of the prisoners were
confined between decks and closely
guarded. A detachment Of 40 marines
was put aboard the st. Louis when she
left Guantanamo for the north, to guard
the prisoners.
The prisoners were dressed in clothes
of every description. as most Of them
had very little clothing when taken, and
what they are wearing was given them
by the officers and men from the Ameri-
can fiset.
Admiral Cervera shock hands with the
health officer and in good English said
he was situated very pleasantly on the
boat. and had received nothing but the
kindest and most considerate treatment
from both officers and men ever since
he had been taken prisoner. He had
not been feeling well for the past three
or four days. but expected to be all right
In short time. He presents the ap-
pearance OF broken-hearted man. and
keenly feels the loss Of his fleet, con-
tanning the pick Of the Spanish navy.
Admiral Cervera consented to talk
with representatives OF the press Sun
day afternoon. You ask me-" he said.
'how like America, and answer you
that have always liked and may say
loved your people, but this war has been
a duty with me. knew that the Amer
lean feet clearly outclassed US, but 1t
was a question Of fighting either in the
harbor or outside. have many friends
in America and have only the kindliest
feeling for them. but every man has
a duty to perform to his country. and
all spaniards tried to perform that duty.
ha< an a.,
and I want all Spain to know the truth
that every ship OF my squadron fought
until the last. and when we could do
no more we surrendered"
The few officers who came IN on the
st. Louis and who had participated In
the Aght with the Spanish cruisers were
warmly greeted by the entire navy yard
fierce. and were obliged to tell the whole
story Of the memorable contest. While
In the main their accounts did not differ
materially from the press dispatches yet
they seem to give great credit to the
work Of the Oregon. From an account
as given by an officer 1t appears that
while all the ships had steam up. none
of them. with the exception Of the Brook
lyn. was under way The latter, few
minutes previous to the sighting Of the
spaniards. had turned away to the
westward, and when the first shot was
away from the feet at about an eight
knot gait. Just why the Brooklyn was
steaming of Is not known. While the
Iowa got In the first lick at the ships as
they dathed By. the Oregon was the
.first American. beside the Brooklyn. in
motion. She gathered headway so fast
that she cut In between the Iowa and
the fleet. and pumped in a 1S-inch shell
at the Colon before she had gone by.
The Oregon was therefore in a position
TO meet the Vizcaya when she came
along, and with the help OF the Texas
the two tackled the Spaniard so fercely
that she was on fire In few minutes
and had headed for the beach. While
the Oregon's whole forward starboard
battery was banging at the vizcaya, the
after guns had swung around and were
pumping shells into the Oquendo, which
also had been tackled by the Iowa.
which, In the meantime, had disposed OF
the Teresa. As the Gloucester was
having her fight out with the Pluton
and Furor. and as the Brooklyn had not
swung round, IL will be seen that for the
first Is minutes there were only four
American vessels. one OF them q con-
verted yacht. pitted against six Span
iards. four OF Them armored cruisers
and the others two OF the most formid-
able and dreaded torpedo boat destroy
ers In the world. Only one OF the six
spaniards managed to get by the three
American battleships and the Glouces-
ter. The Teresa was sent ashore a bat
tered hulk from the shots OF the Iowa.
The oquendo aud the vizcaya followed
soon after. mere sleeves. from the ter
rible shells of the Oregon and Texas.
while the Colon. feeter perhaps than
the others. managed TO get by the Texas.
The wreck OF the three Spanisrds was
accomplished In about Is or 20 min
utes.
The Colon struck about $50 yards from
the beach. and as soon a. she had
grounded. Admiral Cervera ordered
suorvono N fttrnr over IN "a . "a vfu,~~d