The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1898-07-27


port were three picket launches and at
a little distance farther out three small
picket vcss eis--usually converted
yuchts-and when they were available.
one or two of our torpedo boats. with
this Arrangement there was at least a
certainty that nothing could get out Of
the harbor undetected.
Destruction of the Vizcnya.
After the arrival Of the army. when
the situation forced upon the Spanish
admiral a decision, our vigilance in
creased. The night blockadng distance
was reduced to two miles for all ves-
sells, and battleship was placed along
side the searchlight ship, with her
broadside trained upon the channel in
readiness to fire the instant a Spanish
ship should appear. The commanding
officers merit the greatest praise for the
perfect mnner i'm which they entered
into this plan and put 1t into ex-
ecption. The Massachusetts, which, ac-
cording to routine, was sent that morn
ing to coal at Guantanamo. like the
others, had spent weary nights upon
this work. and deserved a better fate
than to be absent that morning.
I enclose, for the information of the
department, copies of orders and MEM
orandums issued from time to time, re-
lating to the manner of maintaining
the blockade. When all the work was
done so well it is difficult to discrimi-
nate i'm praise. The object of the block
ade of Cervera's squadron was fully
accomplished, and each individual bore
well his part in it, the commodore in
command of the second division. the
captains of ships, their officers and
men The fire of the battleships was
powerful and destructive and the re-
sistance Of the Spanish squadron was
in great part, broken almost before
they had got beyond the range of their
own forts The fine speed Of the Ore
gon enabled her to take Il front posi-
tiOn In the chase. and the Cristobal
Colon did not give up until the oregon
had thrown a II inch shell beyond her
The performance adds to the already
brilliant record of this fine battleship
and speaks highly of the skill and care
with which her admirable efficiency has
been maintained during a service un-
preCedcntcd in the history of vessels of
her class.
The l3roolllYn's westerly blockading
position gave her an advantage in the
chase, which she maintained to the
end, and she employed her fine battery
with telling effect. The Texas and the
| New York were gaining on the chase
during the last hour, and had any ac-
cidCnt befallen the Brooklyn or the
oregon would have speedily overhauled
the Cristobal Colon. From the moment
the Spanish vessel exhausted her first
| burst Of speed the result was never in
doubt She fen. i'm fact, far below what
might reasonably have been expected
of her. Careful measurements of time
and distance give her an average speed
from the time she cleared the harbor
mouth until the time she was run on
shore ut Rio Tarquino of 1871 knots.
Neither the New York nor the Brook
lyn stopped to couple up their forward
engines, but ran out the chase with one
pair, getting steam, of course, as rap
idly as possible on all boilers. To stop
to couple up the forward engines would
have meant a delay Of Is minutes, or
four miles in the chase.
Our ships But Slightly Injured.
Several of the ships were struck. the
Broo<lyH more often than the others
but vcey slight material injury was
done, the greatest being aboard the
Iowa. Our loss was one man killed
and one wounded, both on the Brook
! lyn. 1t is difficult to explain this i'm
munity from loss of life or injury to
ships in a combat with modern vessels
of the best type, but Spanish Eunnery
Is poor at the best, and the superior
weight and accuracy of our fire speedily
drove the men from their Guns and
silenced their fire. This is borne out
by the statements of prisoners, and by
-. fcI
they dashed out of the harbor, were
covered with the smoke from their own
guns, but this speedily diminished in