The age-herald., 1898-08-20

was unable to stay in the coming tower. and ran his vessel ashore rather than long,, CT face such terrible bombardment Had, the Br6olSIyn's fire been less active she might have fallen a victim to the enemy's attempted meneuyer. the Vizcaya being in a good position to strike her square amid- ships. 7
 So impressed are the men of our navy, with their experiences at gunnery that not. ships company would hesitate to attack an antagonist, no matter what the superb ority of his rate. Wainwright and the crew of the Gloucester showed this to be true when the converted Corsair, former yacht of Pierpont Morgan, added luster to naval achievement by defeating two tor pedo boats, engaging both at the same moment and accomplishing what theorists in the art of war have held to be imposs- ble.
 But here is an incident which shows more clearly than anything else just what the navy is ready to do and how delicately balanced is the chip onth shoulders of our sea fighters. When Schley had en- riched our history on July and every ship in these waters under the royal banner of Castle had been shattered, he was sail ing east to resume station before Santi- ago. Word came ohim that the Pelayo, pride of the Spanish navy, had reached the Caribbean and he was directed to en- gage her as soon as found To naval ex- pertS the suggestion that a cruiser fight a battleship is insanity gone mad, but never theless the Brooklyn started on her er- rand
 Near Santiago a battleship was sighted heavily armored and turreted, but at such a distance that her colors could not be dis tinguished under the glass. Toward her the Brooklyn started. Commodore Schley and Captain Cook stood nthe forward bridge as the big cruiser fairly leaped for ward to give battle.
 "She is White-aD unusua1 tbinor ir, v,ar time," said the commodore, watching the stranger through his glass. 'I don't be- ,ieve she is Spanish' he remarked mo- ment later and then, consulting the picture of a sister ship to the Pelayo, suddenly exclaimed: By Jove It is the Pelayo, after alI!'
 "On the signal bridget" shouted Captain Cook. 'Can you make out her colors?"
 Not yet, sir" came the answer, folow- ed moment after by: we have raised her colors, sir, and she is Spanish
 Send your men to quarters, Cook,' said the commodore. land start an eight-inch shell for her when l give the word" s,E
 On went the Brooklyn, fast closing the distance between herself and the stranger "a big battleshp of modern type and with her flag aft-two stripes of red on each side of yellow, as it appeared, and the crown in proper place. The bugle sung "To quarters!" and the men, although they had been fighting all morning, rush. ed to their guns with cheer. For mo- ment the commodore hesitated. "On the signal bridget" he called. Are you cer- tain the stranger is a Spaniard?'
 Certain, sir,' came the reply. 'I can see her colors distinctly
 The commodore had his glasses on the battleShip. Turning to the captain of hiS ship he said: Cook that fellow is not ae quarters His guns are turned away from us. He is not up to snuff. Watch him closely, and the moment he sends his men to quarters or moves turret, let drive. Give him everything you have. We will sink him in twenty minutes, unless he getsS a shot under our belt" <
 Just then the officer the bridge re4 ported that the battieship was signaingtI with the international code, and soon translated the message: @This is an Aus trian battleshp.'
 Half an hour later the commander of thei1 Maria Theresa (Austrian) was seated ifG Commodore Schley's cabin. ,s3l
 If yo uhad sent your men to quartefS or moved a turret l should have raked.a you; it was a narrow escape.' said ths commodore during the couversat tioas Your flag is so like Spain's saving thai you have a white stripe where she has yell low, that 1t is hard to. tell them apart att any considerable distance and came very near letting drive at yous 4, ss5 . ,s3t5:ssa
 We know that" returned the Austrian, land we were much worried. We signaied, long before you answered. We had no wish to be troubled. We have seen the wrecks along the coast But" he inquired, as he arose to leave, ''do you send cruisers to meet battleship?"
 The commodore smiled as he answered.. :. "We always make a fight. with the first ship we have at hand. Ween wait be- cause we are outrated. We try to win with | what we have" &stS
 You Americans are very remarkablefp said the Austrian, as he went over the side to his boat. ,.es
 Plans for a speedy commercial invasion of Cuba are already being formulated by investors in Jamaica, and ssoon as the United States army is actually in control o fthe province of Santiago de Cuba mer- chants, manufacturers planters and speou- lators will march to the conquered por- tions of the island. So open is the pre- paration and so sanguine are those inter- ested that the United States will retain the territory as a colonial possession that the Cuban refugees in Kingston and Spanish Town are beginning to talk of the pros poets of an American government, while advocates of Cuban independence in the literal sense are already evincing antagon- ism to Americans and saying that the con quest O fthe country is to prove mere change of dependency from Spain to the United States.
 Some of the more radical go so far as to assert that the intent of the Americans is to provide a political system which will, in effect, disfranchise the native Cubans, mak- ing their position but little better than that of the Indians of our own country. This element among the Cubans is even now advocating the desirapility of prompt action the part of the revolutionary