The Coalville times. [volume] (Coalville, Utah) 1894-1923, 1898-08-05

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beam directly upon the channel and
held Il steadily there. This lighted
up the entire breadth OF the channel
for half a mile inside Of the entrance
so brilliantly that tho movement OF
small boats could be detected.
Why the batteries never opened Gre
upon the searchlight ships was always
a mnttcr Of surprise 10 me. but they
never did Stationed close to the en-.
trance Of the port were three picket
launches and, at little distance farther
out. three small picket vessels-usually
converted yachts when they were
available, one or two Of our torpedo
boats With this arrangement there
was at least certainty that nothing
could get out Of the harbor undctrctcd.
Upon the arrival Of the army, when
the situation forced upon the Spanish
admiral decision. our vigilance In.
creased. The night blockading dis.
lance was reduced 10 two miles for all
vessels, aud n battlcship was placed
alongside the scarchlight 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 manner In which they en-.
tered into this plan aud put IL into ex.
ccution. The Massachusetts, which
according TO rodtinc, was sent that
morning to coal at Guantanamo, like
the others, had spent weary nights up.
on this work, and deserved u better
fate thnn to be absent that morning.
! enclose for the information OF the
department copies OF orders aud mem.
orSndums issued from time TO time. re-
latlng TO the manner OF maintaining
the blockade.
REORGANIZATION all the work was
done NO we'll, II IL difficult To dlscrim.
mate la praise. The object Of the
blockade Of 'Cervcrah squadron was
fully accomplished, aud each Individual
bore well his part In 1.-THE commo.
dore In command OF the second division.
the captains Of ships, their officers and
men. The Dire Of the battlcships was
powerful aud destructive. and the re-
sistancc OF the Spanish squadron was,
In great part, broken almost before
they had got beyond the range Of their
own forts.
The 6uc speed OF the Oregon enabled
her TO take front position In the chase.
and the Crlstobal Colon did not give up
until the Oregon had thrown a thir-
teen-inch shell beyond her. This per-
formancc adds 10 the already brilliant
record Of this fine battlcship. and
speaks highly OF the skill aud care
with which her admirable efficiency
has been maintained during n service
unprecedented In the history OF vessels
OF her class.
The Brooklyn's westerly bloclsading
position gave her an advantage In the
chase, which she maintained 10 tho
end, and she employed her fiue battery
with telling effect. The Texas aud the
New York were gaining ON the chase
during the last hour, and had any nc
oldent befallen the Brooklyn or the
Oregon, the former would have speed.
lily oyerhauled the Crlstobal Colon.
From the moment tho vessel ex-
hausted her nrst burst OF speed the re-
suit was never In doubt She fell, Ia
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 un.
I'll the time she was run on shore al
Tarquino OF l3.5 knots.
Neither the New York nor the
Brooklyn stopped to couple up their
forward engines. but ran out the chase
with one pair, getting steam, Of course,
as rapidly ns p ,slble ON all boilers.
10 stop tozcour 70 tho forward Gu.
gines would have meant a delay OF flf-
t9sp mih9ytssS0f Ent /hllSs' ~ the
Fourteenth - Several Of the ships
ware struck, thS YBsSqlslyn" -lnore
ljftcb S,An,l IND otlPrS 6sr very Slight
fuktkrfaiikuiy wis ddak. the fuestest
being aboard the Iowa" Our loss
yas one man killed and one wounded,
iotI P6VRel 9S&14) diGlcul,
TO explain this Immunity from loss OF
lie or injury 70 ahLpsin 9. combat with
modern vessels OF the best type; but
yN,nisRQunnery , poor an ~ best,
~ the fperior fght Il Y Strqrpey
JtDur ~ speedily hroyeak AaSn Rom
their guns and sllsnced their fire. This
Is borne out by the statement OF pris-
oners and by observation. The Span
iisbyesssfa, as A& dhshed out of the
6agbor.gyeEe fa$rA with the smoke
from their own guns, but this speedily
diminished In volume and soon almost
I lfbs pR fbhlthgfabih idro iattst ies
iof theBattleship4 apptAted'to have