Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-07-05

besides. there is statement that many
bodies could Be seen fastened to the pieos
of wreckage floating in the sea after the
fight was over. A large number of the
Spanish wounded were removed to the
American ships.
There can be no doubt that Admiral Ger
vera's plan to escape from Santiago harbor
was entirely unexpected by Admiral samp-
son. and the best evidence Of this is the
fact that when the Spanish vessels were
seen coming out of the harbor, the flagship
New York was seven miles away steaming
to the eastward toward Juragua, the mil
itary base, nine miles east of Moro.
The New York was out OF the fight Alto
gether at every stage, but she Immediately
put about and followed the others
The New York was out of the fight at
every stage, but she Immediately put about
and followed the other vessels in the race
to the westward and overlook them in time
to join in the chase for the Cristobal Colon
after the other Spanish vessels had been
destroyed by the Brooklyn. the Oregon,
Iowa, Massachusetts, Indiana, Texas, Glou-
cester and other ships of the fleet.
Commodore Schley's flagship, the Brook
lyn, had her usual position at the extreme
western end of the line, ten miles from
the New York and Texas. 1t is a peculiar
fact that he should have been in proper
position to direct the movement of his fly
ing squadron against the Spanish feet,
which he had bottled up in Santiago har-
Dor six weeks before.
As matter Of fact, the entire American
fleet was much further Off shore than
usual when the Spaniards made their ap-
pearance this morning. With the exception
of the bombardment yesterday morning,
which resulted in knocking down the flag
on Moro castle and the supposed silencing
of the batteries, which opened fire again
little recently to attract interest here, and
the officers and crews themselves were
watching developments of the operations
being conducted by the army, which had
succeeded in reaching the very gates of
Santiago after an enormous loss in killed
and wounded in the fighting of the past
two days. 1t was not believed that Admiral
Cervera would attempt to escape from his
perious position at this late day, but it
was supposed that he would keep his ships
in the harbor to shell the advancing Amer
ican army. and that if Santiago fell he
would blow up or sink them before per-
hitting them to be captured by the fleet ly-
ing outside.
The Spanish admirars real plans, how
ever were plainly not anticipated. He ac-
cepted the one chance open to him, that
of running the gauntlet of the powerful
men of war lying in front of the harbor
and saving his ships for future service
by dashing out of the trap in which he
found himself and going to some other field
of operations.
There seemed to be but one chance in a
hundred that he would be able to make the
move successfully, but he took that
chance, and while great piles OF naval ar
chitecture, now ground to pieces on the
rocks few miles from. where he started,
tell the mournful story of his failure. there
are none who applaud his conduct more
than the American officers and seamca,
who sent his ships to destruction.
1t was about o'clock this morning when
the flagship Infanta Maria Teresa passed
under the wall of Morro castle and steamed
out to sea. She was followed by the Cristo-
bal Colon, vizcaya and Oquendo. and, last,
by the torpedo boat destroyers Furor and
Pluton. The lookout on the American YES
sells which were lying five or ten miles off
the entrance to the harbor, sighted them
Immediately Most of the American cruis-
ers were at the usual Sunday morning
quarters. without thought of anything as
surprising as the Spanish feet getting past
the sunken collier Merrimac, which they
had been deluded into believing effectively
blocked the exit.
There vas great excitement at once. and
very rapid action along the American lines
The signal for full speed ahead was rum
ming from bridge to engine room of every
ship and the entire fleet commenced to
move in shore toward the Spanish, and the
great twelve and thirteen-inch guns of the
battleships and the smaller batteries on the
other vessels fired shot after shot at long