Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-07-24
A MEXICAN GUNNERY.
EXTRAORDINARY RESULTS IN CASE
OF CERvERAs FLEET.
EXPLOSION OF THE MAINE.
An Doubt About Its Having Been
External Dissolved by Ohicial Ex-
animation of the Destroyed Span
ish ships.

,correspondence OF the Associated Press
OFF SANTIAGO DE CUBA. July H.
ANY doubt that may have existed tina
che Maine was blown up by an outside
e,plosion has been dissolved by the ex,
animation Of the destroyed Spanish
ships" said a member OF the Board OF
survey that examined the remnants OF
ADMIRAL Cervera's feet.
cor four ships examined three had been
blown up by their magazines" he con-
tiua,l. and Of these one had every mag
aznc exploded and torpedoes in addition,
vet on none Of them was there the same
effect as that produced by tho explosion
oh hs Maine. There was no upheaval OF
tss keel and nttie bulging OF the plates.
except IN the immediate vicinity of the
explosion. The effect was almost alto
e,tnsr upward. In some cases the pro-
tsetye deck being lifted, but, outside OF
tho sprnging Of few plates, the huIls
were intact"
The examination Of the wrecks of the
Spanish ships. three of which were burn
Cd and all their magazines exploded, was
made. first for the purpose of ascertain
iag tho effect Of American gunnery. and
secondly, to find the effect of internal ex-
p0s0n. Both subjects bore upon the
Maine incident. as noted above, and the
awful eject OF well-aimed shots was
demonstrated In the rapid sinking Of the
feet When 1t is remembered that the
A.mirante Oquendo and the Infanta Ma
IA Teresa were both sunk within forty
minutes Of the time they left the en-
trance OF Santiago harbor. the work OF
the American gunners may well be con-
sidered rs remarkable. Tho Almirane
Oquendo was struck over ffty-fve times
and the Infanta Maria Teresa seventeen
times, but by larger projectiles.
RECORD OF DAMAGE.
The record Of the damages to these
ships is one Of great interest. The tight
started at a range Of GOO yards, or three
miles. At 200 yards the torpedo boats
were anniAilated. The closest 1ghting
was done at LOO yards. between the
Brooklyn and the Vizcaya, with annihi-
ating effect on the Spanish ship. But two
pyojectiies larger than S-inch struck a |
vessel. both Of these, either r. or 10
inch. being put through the Infanta Maria |
Teresa. The S-inch, 6-inch. 5-inch, and |
6-pounder projectiles did the bulk Of the |
work, and were frightfully destructive.
Some idea Of the effect can be obtained |
from brief summary of the injuries TO
each ship, as found by the examining
board. The board had upon it capable
men-EXecutive-Oficer Rogers, Of the
Iowa; EXecutive-Ohicer Mason, of the
Brooklyn, an expert on the effect Of shells
on armor; Lieutenant Huesler Of the
IeNas, VINO has made some splendid ex-
periments In gun-iiring on thar ship. and
Nayal-COnstructOr HObson, of Merrtnac
fame who has reputation for knowledge
or snip construction. Briefly, these ON
GERS found:
'Crlstobal Colon. battleship. first-cIass
with six inches of steel for protection not
my on the Water-line, but around the G.
nch guns. This ship was hit with largo
lrojectiles but six times. as IT kent ont oT
ange nearly the whole time, passing he
lind the other ships for protection ana
inally making run for it, The hits wera
made by the Brooklyn and Oregon. One
inch shell went into the port side of the
yard-room, and left on the starboard side
Without exploding, but cleaned out eyerv-
hlng in the room. A 5-inch she'll hit lust
bOye the armOr-belt and q 6-inch struck
Ter on the bow. None of the injuries was
uihcent TO put her out of action. nor
vas as serious as those received by the
'roOklyn, at one time her sole antagonist.
'he assertion that the Brooklyn was
her, and that the Oregon's
arrific 13-inch guns were shooting nearer
nd nearer and that escape was impossi-
le, seems TO be the correct solution Of
er surrender.
CASE OF THE VIZCAYA.
THE Vizcaya. armored cruiser. is Of the
anne class as the battleships Texas and
laine. She carried two 1l.5-inch guns
nd ten 5.5-inch guns, with projections 10
nd y inches thick. double and treble that
the Brooklyn. This ship was the spe-
TAI prey of the Brooklyn and the Oregon,
Though the Texas. after her destructive |
ork on the Almirante Oquendo and
oresa, added a little at long range. The
izcaya, exclusive of 1-pounders and
!pid-iire hits. which swept her deck, was
i with large projecties fourteen times,
ld by 6-pounders eleven times. The s.
ch guns on the oregon and 5-inch on
le Brooklyn tore her structure above the
-mOr-belt almost into shreds, while the
Founders and 1-pounders made it too
arm for men 10 stand at the guns. The
eXas got in few 6-inch shots and the
wa landed a couple OF. 4-inch shells No
or Pinch shells struck her.
The infanta Maria Teresa, the flag
ip OF the same build as the Vizcaya,
as badly punished. and was the only one
the four ships hit by - or 13-inch pro-
ctlles. She has two of that size clean
rough her and the position Of one would
nd 10 demonstrate that il MAS fired by |
e Texas An S-inch shell, undoubtedly I
ON the Brooklyn, because she was the
y ship In line with the Maria Teresa's
ad as she turned west, fired just for
ard OF the beam on the port side and c
plOdiug inside cleaned out the deck
IN four gun-creWs This is the shot
az Cervera said came from the Brook
n and set fire to the ship. The Teresa's i
sat difficulty, and one that compelled
2 hurried surrender. was that all her
e-mains were cut. and she was unable
extingush the fires that were driving | n
r men from the guns. p
MOST TERRIBLE ORDEAL.
The Almirante Oquendo, armored .
liser same class as Vizcaya and Tere-
went through the most terrible or Il
10 Of any Of the ships, except the tor Il
bobcats. Her upper works were one Il
yed mass Of cut-up steel, and her -
ks were covered with dead and dying. y
@ was hit on the port side four times Il
S-inch shells. three times by 4-inch d.
Ills. probably from the Iowa; twice by
lch, and forty-two times by 6-pound-
The vast number of 1-pounders thai
uck her show that she met the fire OF n,
CHI l