Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1898-07-08

covering the entire coast line with
mist which could be seen for miles,
Heavy explosions of ammunition oc-
Cured every few minutes, sending curls
of smoke 100 feet in the air and causing
a shower of broken iron and steel to fall
in the water on every side. The bluffs
on the coast line echoed with the roar of
every explosion, and the Spanish YES
sells sank deeper and deeper into the
sand, or else the rocks pounded their
hulls to pieces as they rolled or pitched
forward or sideways, with every wave
that washed upon them from the open
sea
Admiral Cervera escaped to the shore
in a boat sent by the Gloucester to the
assistance of the Infanta Maria Teresa.
As soon as he touched the beach he sur
rendered himself and his command to
Lieutenant Morton and asked to be
taken on board the Gloucester. which
was the only American vessel near him
at the time, with several Of his officers,
including the captain of the flagship.
The Spanish admiral, who was wounded
in the arm was taken to the Gloucester
and was received at her gangway by
her commanders Lieutenant Commander
the gray-bearded admiral and said to
him: Il congratulate you, sir, upon
having made as gallant fight as was
ever witnessed on the sea-" Lieutenant
Commander Wainwright then placed
his cabin at the disposal of the Spanish
officers.
At that time the flagship and four
other vessels had been aground and
burning for two hours, and the only
one of the escaping fleet which could
not be seen at this point was the Cristo-
bal Colon; but half a dozen curls of
smoke far down on the western horizon
showed the fate that was awaiting her.
The Colon was the fastest of the ships.
and she soon obtained lead over the
others after leaving the harbor and
escaped the effect Of the shots which
destroyed the other vessels. She
steamed away at great speed with the
Oregon, New York Brooklyn and other
ships in pursuit, all If them firing at
her constantly and receiving fire them
selves from her after guns. There
seemed no possibility whatever for her
escape, and before it was known that she
had run ashore 90 miles away. Captain
Evans Of the iowa, who was returning
from the westward with $40 prisoners
from the NizcaYa just as the Associated
Press dispatch boat Wanda was leaving
the SpanisS flagship. shouted; Il left
the Cristol~l Colon tar to the west,,ur,.
an hour ago. and the Oregon was giving
her hell. She has undoubtedly gone
down with the others, and We villa have
Fourth of july celebration in san
tiago."
There is no means Of telling roW vha;
the Spanish loss was. but it is believed
to have been very heavy. a the Iris. -
ers in custody report their decks >trevu
with dead and wounded in great num-
bers, and besides there is statement
that many bodies could be seen fastened
to pieces of wreokage floating in the sea
after the fight was over. a large num-
Der of the Spanish wounded were re-
moved to the American ships.
There can be no doubt that Admiral
Cervera's plan to escape from Santiago
| harbor was entirely unexpected by Ad-
miral Sampson, and the best evidence
| of this is the fact that when the Spanish
| vessels were seen coming out of the
| harbor the New York was seven miles
away steaming to the eastward toward
| Juragua, the military base, nine miles
east of Moro. The New York was out
| of the fight altogether at every stage
but she Immediately put about and fol-
| lowed the others.
In an interview Admiral Cervera
said: II received orders twice from
Madrid to leave Santiago harbor and go
to Havana, and fully realized the diff
culties that beset my path, but the honor
of the Spanish navy demanded that the
movement be made, and I gave the or
der for my fleet to dash forth to almost
certain destruction"
Lieutenant Juan Aruar, third officer
of the cruiser Infanta Maria Teresa, die
tated the following statement: eve
risked all on the chance of catching the
American fleet mapping, and we have
lost. Our fleet has been wiped out, and
SPANS naval power is suddenly shat
tered That is the situation which
Spain must face. The war cannot be
continued with any hope Of success
i've have done our best, but we have
been overcome by a superior force. Ad
miral Cervera decided last Wednesday
to leave Santiago, in obedience to in
structions received from Madrid. which
ordered him to proceed to Havana il
order to assist in the defense of tha'
city. The fleet accordingly coaled an,
provisioned, and the men ashore were
Eecalled."