The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-07-22

was courteous, but gloomy. Commo-
dore Schley was his wv interpreter
and advised the officer, with the men
under his command, to go up to the
city n surrender as quickly as pos
sible.
When the Spanish captain was ask
ed to point out the route to the 6-inch
battery on the west hill, he said there
was none and explained that the way
to get there was over steep, rocky
and difficult ground. It was learned,
later, hat this was not true, AID it
was surmised hat the Spaniard was
anxious to prevent the American from
seeing the damage done by the bonn
bardment.
Commodore Schley then said he was
determined to have a glimpse at San
tiago city and the launch was headed
along h west side of the channel,
going slowly and sticking to the shall
low water, lest some contact mine put
an end, as the commodore remarked,
ito our quiet pleasure party"
Skirting the broad, lake-like spot in
the harbor where the Spanish fleet,
destroyed two weeks ago today used
to lie during the bombardments, and
noting the brilliantly painted buoys
which marked the shadows, Punta
Gorda was rounded and, distant about
two miles, the city of Santiago shone
out, the cathedral being especially we'll
defined and the masts and tunnels of
not a few vessels showing at it's
wharves. At that distance Santiago
did not show any traces of the destruc-
ton wrought by the 101 of the 106 s.
inch shells fired on the city last Mon
day.
Returning to the Brooklyn, Commo-
dore Schley, accompanied by his staff.
entered the harbor this evening soon
after the mines were exploded.
THE WRECKED WARSHIPS.
Captain Cook, Of the Brooklyn, is au-
thority for the statement that the for
mer Spanish flagship, the Infanta Ma
ria Teresa, has fOated off the reef on
which she stranded and that her heavy
armament is practically uninjured.
The captain also says this cruiser will
almOst surely be saved and form an
addition to the United States navy, a
trophy of the glorious July 3rd.
The CriStObal Colon may also be saw
ed, although a good deal depends on
the weather which is very uncertain
at this time of the year. A heavy
storm might drive the cruiser so high
on the coral reef that it would be i'm
possible to oat her. Many of the
naval men are OutSpoken in their
criticisms of the treatment of the Co
Ion Immediately after her surrender.
They believe the ship could nave been
saved when she slipped back from the
reef into deep water, had divers, car
penters and machinists with a cOmpe-
tent prize crew, been sent on board
of her.
The crew of the Brooklyn regarded
the Vizcaya as their particular enemy
since the time when they were. both
present at Queen VictOria's jubilee
display when there was much COM
ment abrOad on what a good fight
might be expected between the two
ships if they ever met.
Of the four big ships which were
in Admiral Cervera's feet, only two
are surely doomed TO destruction. They
are the Vizcaya and the Almirante
| OquendO, and these, as a coincidence,
were the two cruisers which went into
| Havana harbOr after the blowing up
of the Maine and were mOOred near
the wreck of the United States bat
| tleships, in all the bravery of paint,
gliding n bunting, seeming to gloat
on the ruin caused, while the people of
Havana shouted themselves hOarse,
fired myriards of bombs and Dragged
| INCREASINGLY of what the two fOrmida-
BILE cruisers of Spain would do with
the United States navy should ever
a fair fight be possible.
Surely" remarked Lieutenant Com
mander Wainwright, of the GlOuces-
ter, formerly of the Maine: "This
avenges the Maine"
Speaking of the military victories of
July list and End and of the naval vic
tory of July 3rd, Commodore Schley
said seriously: "These victories may
serve not only to deprive Spain OF
her colonial possessions, but to bring
about a change of frontiers in Europe
Spain cannot get the terms now which
she might have had two months ago
What can she hope for in six month
more of such warfare? Whom the
gods would destroy they first make
mad"