The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-07-16
Why CERVERA DID /
Public Sentiment Demanded
a Naval Battle.
HIS PLAN WAS ALL RIGHT
But the BrookIyn's Terrible
Battery Spoiled All.

OF Santiago July 1.-THE story OF Ad-
miral Cervera's movements in Cuban wa
ters and the final disaster. is told briefly
by Adoipho Cenrenes. commander of Fri
| gate, ap risoner on board the converted
yacht Vixen, taken of the batieshir Girls
tobal Colon. He said:
1T is not true that the heavy fire OF the
American ships drove US out. Besides the
| accident to the Riena Mercedes we had no
casualties. The dynamite shells of the
vesuvius did no damage ecept TO terror
ize the people.
I'VE arrived in Santiago harbor on the
/ 18th of May. We did not know that our
| wherea bouts were asecret. We made no
| attempt TO hide or TO cover up our plans.
| We simply took easy stages TO get 20
| Cuba. 1t was frightfully hot in the har-
| Dor, and we suffered greatly. We made
no attempt to get out and did not use our
torpedo boats. as all our machinery was
! defective and we were trying TO repair
! IL The frequent bornbardment by the
American ships resulted in quite a loss
of hfe but little other damage. The bat
teries were not harmed to any extent.
II is not true that we dismounted our
ship guns. The Reina Mercedes guns
were all on the forts when Commodore
Schley arrived.
ION Saturday, the 2Sth of May, we got
word that Schley had left Cienfuegos for
SaD+ioo.o and We star+ad m oct ont The
news had come too late, as Schley had
left couple of his ships to ct as decoys
before Cienfuegos, and in the meantime
had come down here. On Sunday morning
May % We found Schley blocking our way
out. 1t was then Cerevera's intention 10
come out and give battle, but General
Linares and the citizens objected, and
we stayed"
What about the Hobson expedition"
well, We were very much surprised.
and at the first alarm believed that
torpedo boat attack was going on. The
shore batteries opened up, and the ships
used their rapid-fire guns. The dynamoes
were not going, however, and we had no
searchlights, so that we could find the
object. We did not sink her with our
batteries or our mines. She sunk herself
with her own torpedoes, by blowing out
her bottom. Admiral Cervera, in making
a tour of the shore batteries a little
later in a steam launch, found Hobson
swimming in the entrance and trying TO
get out to sea He had on life preserver,
and when picked up asked that they save
his companions. This was done all of
the men being in the water, and not on
a raft as has been said.
Admiral Cervera, after the arrival Of
a great Americn fleet, did believe it wise
to go out nd try to fight it. He argued
that the best policy for the fleet was to
hold the harbor against the enemy, and
be ready for an enhlading attack over
the hflltops to drive back the invading
army. At first the people of Santiago be-
lieved this wise, but as provisions ran
short and dispatch after dispatch came
from Madrid, it was found that public
sentiment demanded a naval battle.
ION Saturday a conference was called
on the flagship Maria Teresa, and all the
officers of the fleet were present Ad-
miral Cervera announced his intention
of going out, and it was decided to try
it that night. Just after dark, and after
the ships had got up their anchors, ready
to start. beacon lights were seen on the
western hill, and it was decided that the
American fleet had been warned Of our
intention, and would close in on US. In
addition to that, 1t was found that the
searchlghts flashed in the entrance from
the American ships would prevent us
steaming by the Merrimac wreck In
very narrow channel. 1t was afterwards,
too late, learned that the supposed sig
nal lights were insurgents burning up
blockhOuses.
The order of coming out and the tao
tics 10 he employed were these: The
Maria Teresa carrying Admiral Cerve's
flag. was to go first and then was to fol-
low the Vizcaya the Oquendo and the
Cristobal Colon. The torpedo boat de-
stroyers Fur0r and Pluton were TO come
out last, and run inside the ships. which
were to hug the shore 10 the west The
west end OF the blockading station was
chosen because it was thought that me
Brooklyn, being light in protection.
would be the easiest 20 sink. and as she
Then one Of the other officers added.
we never thought that the BrookIyn's
battery ives SO terrible. ort hat she would
attempt to fight ali OF us. she was
frightful sight when all her guns we're
going"
Continuing. the commander said: "On
Sunday morning the lookouts reported
that the Massachusetts,. New Orleans and
New York were not in sight, and st was
concluded that 81 was a good time %
make the start. We we're the last ship
out and Ne saw al once that the Brook
dreadful work with the swo leading ships
That Is AL I know of the battle except
that two s-inch shells from the Brooklyn
went through Us. and q l3-.nch shell from
the Oregon hit us n the stern We saw
10 other ships than those IN the last Two
hours. but We had n make such 4 lcnz
detour in going out that We though; best
u surrender. 'Brasssy's Naval Annual
pats the Oregon dgen a. fifteen knots.
hl1t she vas doing Eore than TIA, ~hsn
she chased US
Suppl AT CHlCkEMAfIGA