The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1898-07-16
s1AN1ON's IDEA OF IT.
The Admirars Views on the
Naval Battle off Santiago.
,rV SAILORS WERE NOT MAPPING.


Glorious Running Fight : The
GU way to Fight, Fight = Warm
ro, Lieutenant Wainwright
ADMIRAL Oscar \. Stanton, U.
Nc, rotired. one of the best known |
D. NJ ,ost tacticians and naval strate.
anu an tho United States, has given to |
gis'SN Nv Work World the first authentic |
'ne onthorized explanation OF just what |
an~ off Santiago de Cuba sunday,
W. w. q when Commodore Winfield Scott
jug with the vessels under his COM
sui 60 gloriously succeeded in de-
na ar;rg all the Spanish vessels under
'adn,iral Cervera's command
A mThat the Mcrrimac did not block
A. channel completely is understood,
'n :, '' Ad,,iral Stanton. 1--WE know from
r scr, made public some time ago that
.Spro was deep water at both bow ana
s,orn Of the Merrimac The Vesuvlus' 1t
'uI No remembered, succeeded In steam
clean around the wreck some nights
sno We don't know as yet which side
&c tho channel was chosen by the Span
~ admiral in making his exit. Accord
;no 70 the reports printed, we are given
20 understand that the Spanish war
sbins after passing clear OF Morro'
Loadod in q westerly direction at once
7 don,t believe that this is correct. My
-ooollcction is that the water directly to
.ho west of the mouth Of the harbor is
rotbor shallow. On the other side (the
Morro side) the water isvery deep. The
bioh bluff would explain that. When l
was first off Santiago in 1903, aboard
the Constellation, we hove to outside
ond cont n boat inside. We did not en-
Tor the harbor proper at that time ON ac-
count Of sickness. l mention this IN or
der 70 explain what | believe to be a
mistake in the reports furnished thus
far We are given to understand that
the American ships were anchored on
shore. | think the water is entirely TOO
deep for anchorage there. l should
think that our ships must have been
kent under way constantly.
1.-THE reason why the Spanish admiral
cb6se TO make a dash for liberty and
freedom on a Sunday morning was be-
cause he believed he would catch cur
men mapping. 1t was just there that he
made his mistake. He knew that we al
WAYS held our musters and inspections
on board ship Sunday mornings lie
believed, no doubt, that we did not
have efficient steam up on our ships to
enable us to follow him at once. He
furthermore believed-and he might
have had good reason for such belief
that be would be able to run away from
our ships on account OF the superior
speed possessed by the vessels under his
command. You might say that there
was difference in speed between the
American and Spanish warships averag
ing about four knots.
"We find at the time Cervera made
his mad dash that the flagship New
York, flying the flag of Rear Admira
Sampson, was some distance away, ant
still proceeding in an easterly direction
She was bound for the landing place
where Admiral Sampson intended t.
communicate with General Shafter o
the army. This mission Of the admiral
no doubt, was very important one
He could not know beforehand that tn
Spanish ships would attempt to max
their escape. But at the same time
must be remembered that the othe
American warships left behind to guar
the mouth of the harbor of Santiag
were distributed as had been arrange
for weeks probably. We find the In
diana, Iowa, Oregon and Texas, four c
the finest battleships Of our gloriou
navy, together with the Brooklyn, hy
ing the pennant of Commodore Schley
in half circle around the mouth OF tn
harbor. The Gloucester and the Ericsso
and maybe some minor boats were ais
on guard. These vessels were, no doub
drifting leisurely about. The necessar
precautions had been taken. The lool
out men were at the stations, and Il
mouth of the harbor was being watche
continuously. Now comes the repo
that the Spanish ships are trying to e
cape. And here we come to the first pi
ture The feet of Spanish warships ia
to leave the harbor in single file. Tn
was necessary on account OF the marrow
ness of the channel, and also because
the shallow water to be found near q
entrance to the larbor.
1.-THE reports say that the Spani'
ships the moment they cleared the Ina
Dor proper took course directly Yves
think this is true only as concerto
the torpedo destroyers. The bigger shi
must have headed southeast, for sor
time at least. With that course tn
were practically heading for the cent
OF the half circle of our ships.
The very first moment the Americ
lookout men saw the Spanish ships {
scenes aboard our warships had change
There was prompt action. 1t is he
that the great training Of both office
and men came into play. Our men
intelligent men. They are noble me
They are the true sailors Of the az
While the Spanish torpedo boat destrc
ers head right off to the westward,
bigger ships of the enemy continue IL
southerly direction. Our ships come
toward 81 1xvr 1ncinn in