The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-09-13
DEFENCE OF CERVERA.
zELEGED FACTS THTCH HAVE BEEN
SUPPRESSED Hf7HERTO.
4 Spanish Assertion That Blanco Not Only
Droye Cervcra Out OF santiago, but
Hoped the Admiral Would Bo Killed
Wilful Trenchcry In Havana Charged.

Droye Cervcra Out OF Santiago, but
Hoped tho Admiral Would Bo Killed
wilfI Treachcry in Havana Charged.
WASHINGTON. Sept. 12.-The following state
mont concerning the events leading up to the
destruction Of the Spanish fleet of Santiago
July 3. and which is along the lines upon which
Admiral Cervera will lay his case before the
officials ut Madrid. was made public to-day
from Spanish sources;
Tho full truth concerning what led to the
destruction OF the magnificent Cape Verde feet
has mover vet boon told. and tho time has come
WHOM certain facts which havo been
heretofore withheld should be made pub
lie. II Ia truo that Admiral Ccrvcra and
his officers may be court-martinlcd upon
reaching Spain. and upon conviction II is
also true that they could DO shot II the uuthori-
tics. those com posing the court-martial or the
Government. saw fit to impose such n penalty.
However, such catastrophe is not looked for:
It will not occur: and when all the facts are
plainly set forth and the blame placed whore IL
belongs. II will be clearly shown that Admiral
Cervera acted like the wise and sngacious Ad-
miral that he Is and both he and his officers
and crew will be completely exonerated.
Notwithstanding this. their situation at
present or upon their approaching Spain is crit
zeal. and II may be safely said that the high
standing of Admiral Cervera's family
ui DOluk vi TOyul DlOOu-Wln NOT save
him from court-martinl. Public opinion
has been infamed against him In Spain
through gross misrepresentation. through
falsehood and conspiracy Of those who seek
to shift the blame for tho loss of the Spanish
ships from their own shoulders to the shoulders
OF Admiral Cervera. Their orripg deeds. un-
iaithfulnoss and treachery were entirely re-
sponsible for the disaster they would place
upon those who are innocent, and who. II al
lowed to exercise their own wisdom and dis
erection. would have saved for Spain the pride
Of her navy,
1t is untrue that Admiral Cervera, after
leaving the Cape Verde Islands and reaching
western waters. was seeking to avoid the
American fleet and flying here and there to
avoid q fight. Naturally. his plans were DIFF
ferent from those laid out for him to fol-
low by the American Board of Strategy. for he
was endeavoring to separate the American
fleets and engage them separately; he wanted
to meet and fight them sinRly. but his mis-
| When he was nearly Without coal and being in
need q some slight repairs to his ships he
naturally put into Santiago, expecting there to
needed. get provisions and proceed further,
but thore he was greatly disappointed,
was prevented from carrying out his plans. and
the whole world knows the result. Gen. Blanco
the Minister Of Marine to place Admir- Ger
vera and his fleet under his tBlancos) orders.
ing the necessity ofsuch action from his stand
point. and his request was finally granted.
part It % " GEM $tmpiBB i e asop d H. foresa 5Tied di Sn tss
somewhere. and In case it should come he
wanted to have some one high in authority upon
whom he could shove n portion il not all of the
blame for any loss which might accrue to Spain
and for which he was held responsible. Gen.
tiago and assist in the defence OF the shore
batteries, Admiral Ceryera protested strongly
doubtful II his appeal ever reached the Govern
ment: He asked to be allowed to coal up and
meet the American feet. rather than to be
bottled up in a blockaded harbor. Hecontend-
By y REM IN GHgi IN sST | Riess,HhlS sr Be qS With e The sP eerl
tainty Of American ships coming to keep him
there, whereas. outside and free, his strong
neet could be OF great value to the Spanish
ea gTh orsvor ., Con p,oroo n,s .ho. A
and that he. and not Admiral Cervera, was In
command Of affairs in Cuba, and that the Al:
nirni must obey his Cervera could
After tie Merrimac affair. which made the
Admiral Cervera, by his kindly treatment OF
the prisoner. well regarded by Americans when
f hf F@ AWARE re s he { pr RPi e@ o st hiffim set out G 81 ssnti gss
har6oG II ne &c had permission e DO 80. His
could pass out. Finally. when fully aware that
the strong American fleet we're waiting for him
| CNhpi', " etN 10 iV q IA
formed Of the movements Of the Americans at
all times, he concluded that he would do his best
certain destruction to attempt to run N" out OF the
harbor., The time to escape had already passed.
and he became resigned to do his best,
Then one night an order came to him from
Gen. Blaneo to be ready to sail out Of the har-
O'clock in the morning for the, time OF depar-
tnre. when. It WA Was argued by Gen; Blaneo. the
1roSabiy on T fSsir guard RS fa aRd the By es s@FPr doeld fP bd
against tshis, maintainlng that the AmsrieSn
9aS to sr GSR. f Bisno6 s tSatl q 9,g R5GRt ia an fhdP %9ESi
deed he should Insist upon the order to get ! out
Of the harbor
time, d oi The Se )EiiIaiqS SlG of not b1a know ia at t tast
graphing 4smSve t9 hi Io% co% asGiHsd that q inc cer Ssef
command. Then Inter. when the fleet was
ibs tSSt Il BI @Rs t fsnt in SHot h the telGSF l1Ists stat #
Marine In not needing his advice and granting
his Peluest to remove Ceryera:
tiago meant the destruction Of the fleet. and
he waited @,d to u again ad6uos shift the Slams;
De S1d couid not be T made. but aa he sn nevert ESlssa
accepting his counsel. Gen. IBlanco knew that
the action which he ordered must mean the
and believed that it would mean the death OF
Admiral oe rye oh so that hess he could not make
posed to make against him,
1.-THE same vile treschery of Gen, Blanco is
also shown in his conduct toward Gen. Toral.
who he first ordered to surrender the city when
1t BECAME actually necessary TO. do so and the
siege could no longer be endured, and then
publicly accused Of cowardice when he and his
command had laid down their arms in honor
able surrender.
Every one OF Admiral Ceryera's crew. OF
course. knew that in attempting to, escape
meant not only, tho loss Of their yes
sells. but probably death to them. They
knew that the course they were entering upon
by order of Gen. Blanco was one OF suicide. and
all expected to find graves at the bottom Of the
sea. But the fleet would not have attempted
the escape had it not been for the command Of
Blanco,. and the only concession which Ad-
| miral Cervera could obtain from the Captain
General was a change In the time OF departure.
IT Is true that Admiral Cervera and some
cape by swimming to the shore. but there
they found another obstacle and were fired
uDon by a force of men whom IL was after