The San Francisco call., 1898-07-28
OBSERVATIONS ON THE
 FLAGSHIP NEW YORK

0ttiN
 WASHINGTON, July 27.-The fol-
 lowing reports of Captain Chadwick of
 the New York, Captain Taylor of the
 Indiana, Captain Philip of the Texas
 and Lieutenant Wainwright of the
 Gloucester on the destruction of Ger
 vera's fleet, which are included in Ad-
 miral Sampson's report. were made
 public to-day:
 U. s. FLAGSHIP NEW YORK, First
 rate, Playa del Este, July 4, 189S.-Sir: nave the honor to make the following report of the part taken by this ship in
 the action Of yesterday. during and fol-
 lowing the sortie of Admiral Cervera' s
 The ship had started at $50 for the
 army landing at Siboney, the command er-in-chleT having an appointment with
 the general commanding the army. 4
 1eW minutes after the crew had been ! called to quarters for Sunday inspection,
 firing was heard and Q ship was seen leaving the harbor entrance. The helm was at once put over, the crew called to general quarters, signal "close in toward the harbor entrance and attack vessels made; orders given to spread all fires, and
 the ship hastened back for the enemy, WhoSe ships were seen SucceSsiVely com
 ing out at a high speed. The flagship lnfanta Maria Teresa was first, then | another armored cruiser of the same class lWhlch turned out to be the Vizcaya), | followed by the Cristobal Colon, an ar
 nored cruiser (Oquendo) and the torpedo
 boat destrOyers Furor and Fulton.
 The nearer ships had immediately en-
 gagged, and by the time we were of the
 entrance the flagship was afire and soon ashore. The Indiana and Gloucester were actively engaged with the torpedo boats This ship fired some four-inch shells at the one nearer the port, toward which she was already headed, seemingly attempt Ing to return, but she was already prac- ucally out of the fight, while the boiler or the more advanced one had blown up ShoWlnS a vast column of condensed steam. During this time the batteries, whose line or fire we had crossed close to, repeatedly fired on us, but without effect. No return was made to this fire. A shell from the west battery fell within 20 yards of the ships when we were over four miles to the westward and We had thcught ourselves entirely out of range. This ship stood on, leaving the Glouces- ter, which had shown herself so capable. to look after the survivors in the torpedo boats. By this time a second cruiser was ashore and burning (the Almirante Oquendo) while the third, the Vizcaya, ing rapidly westward. The Indiana was now signaled (l:26 a. m.) to return to her blockading position, to look after any thing which night be there: Shortly af- terward the Vizcaya turned shoreward and smoke began to issue from her after part, and by the time she was ashore on the reef she was ablaze. The Iowa gave much assistance in the rescue of the Viz caya's people.
 This ship stood on in chase of the Crts- tooal Colon, with ahead of us the Brook iyn. Oregon, Texas and Vixen. the Oregon being the much nearer in shore of the two headmost ships. but not in gunshot We were rapidly increasing our speed.
 It was evident, however, that the Colon would give us lengthy chase, and at dinner. "
 About, 12:5O o'clock the Oregon opened lire, and some of her shells were observed 10 strike beyond the Colon This made ner capture a foregone conclusion, and shortly after o'clock she turned in to- @aro shore and soon struck her colors one one had been beached at small inlet Rnown as Rio Torquino. By the time we ar al lalVed 45 boat was alongside her from bae tae 5BIrooklgn, and Captain Cook, the anu t reported. This ship then sent boat to taKe possession, the commanding off, SSe tSa gong m the boat: I was received by 6a 5ae commodore of the squadron, Captain G 9e Navio' Don Emilio Mores and Captain @ 1e Davlo Of the first class and Don Jose oG ot,.I aIeaos os Chacon. The latter had been Givil governor of Santiago and had only Just been attached to the squadron I ar ranged for the transfer of the crew and enG 9IIlGGers ITS. a division to each ship present, hIe aboard, however. the ResolIIte ar keq, ana It was arranged to transfer the | "nole number to her o.- '"hcil "llu me the fleet surgeon. | an engineer and the carpenter to aSem Ireo IrHe ana make secure everything necessary. +oi,i,e 1sIileeI sI reported to me that she was soi1n9 sSpT,,iH @ water aft l had previously had ebo iitolIlss taken, and found eight feet at the DOW and seventy at the stern so tbaf put small portion of the ship was left bsn4ae; bia to n, returned as quickly as possi- De DIe to the flagship to report the situa tion | me oregon was signaled 10 take cbarpe | anu the men were hastened on board a | Our IY.o,, oelRg sent also from the ship. | ur mU1h oI closing the water-tight com pdItmehts was of no avail. however. l some Of the sea valves having beer | treacherously opened and the valves so | proken as to make it impossible to close | 7.ao i o,oinnS nS shlp thus slowly settled. At | I.oV CLOCK she came afioat and came | out into deeper water The off3cer in cnarge, Lieutenant Commander Cogs- year Te. naG tha. let ,e go an anchor. but it was clear that IT she went down in water of | the depth in which she was she couid | never be recovered. This ship's stern was RIaced Eina Gag against her quarter, and later, hers, the Colon was forced in shore IT. was by this time dark, but ustno Q | searchlight, we were able to force the en,p @ e on ., the sa beach, the chain being paid | very moderate depth of water. and + ia ia very probable she may be saved ~ 10
 At Il p. m. the flagship returned to San- tiago, leaving the Texas and Orepon r" Tn charge of the prize eoN HI
 Though the ship was not able to conoe to action with any of the larger shins nn account of her distance to the eastwpard Ti every. nerve was strained to uo SO and aii was done that could be done. Our sneed had rapidly increased, so that we were were going sixteen knots at the end. We were immediately astern. while others were to seaward. We were thus in position to prevent -ossibie doiIb. ling to the rear and escape to the south east.
 The officers and crew. as they aI- siastic and .commendable manner. They have worked into a system which is prac. tcally instantaneously ready for action. and while all are deserving of commenIa', ton and credit. I think it no ierogation from the deserts of the others to narticr-