La Junta tribune., 1898-05-07


be the Don Juan De Austria, was
blown up. There was considerable
loss of life. Captain Cadarzo. coin
mandlng the Maria Christina. Is
among the killed. cannot now give
further details. The spirit OF the
army. navy and volunteers Is excel
lent"
An official telegram received nj a
late hour from the governor general
OF the Philippines says;
admiral Montejo has transferred
his fiag ship to the cruiser Isle Dc
Cuba from the cruiser Reipa Maria
Christina. The Relua Maria Christina
was completely burned. rs was also
the cruiser Castilln. the other ships
having to retire from the combat.
and some being sunk to avoid their
| falling into the hands OF the enemy"
! 1t seems That the American squad
ron was sighted on Subic last even
| ing Apparently its commander ex-
pected TO find the Spanish there. but
Admiral Montejo had retired to Ma
Mia and the protection Of the forts on
I the bar.
So Admiral Dewey kept on and
passed the forts Mt the entrance to
the bay. just before dawn. There was
some firing from the batteries. but the
squadron did not reply. and there has
been no report whether the shots took
effect.
! With the dawn CavIte opened fire
from her heaviest guns, and AZ once
the Olympia replied with her eight
inch forward cannon. From this time
the fighting became general. Admiral
Montejo, in the Maria Christina, went
! boldly to meet the foe. He was soon
engaged with the Olympia. n cruiser
of much superior force. and though he
( inflicted much injury. his ship was set
on fire and crippled by the Olympia's
heavy guns.
| Admiral Montejo was forced to leave
| the ship. which was In sinking condi-
| ton. and WAS at last forced to trans
I fer his flag. The captain was shot
dead by the admirals side as he was
leaving the doomed flagship. and de-
voted men We're falling all around
him. The transfer OF the flag was II
deed of desperate daring.
! The admiral was forced to seek the
armed transport Isle de Cuba. which
had suffered less damage than the 9TH
ers. Meantime some of the American
ships withdrew 10 the west of the bay
and the Olympia and Baltimore fol-
lowed.
|
position out of danger of the Spanish
fire and the Americans returned to the
attack. With the Reina Christina de-
stroyed aud many of his other ships
shattered. gallant Admiral Montejo
| was hard put to il for n defense.
| He forced the Americans to maneu-
Yer. however. and forced them into
positions of great danger from the fire
Of the forts. In the second attack the
Baltimore. Olympia. Concord and
Boston made straight for the Spanish
crippled ships. firing their heavy guns
| with great rapidity.
| The Spanish gunners stood nobly to
their guns and answered shot for sho,
as best they might. But weight was
| on the American side and soon the
large wooden cruiser Cnstine WIS on
fire and all the efforts OF the crew to
exinguish the blaze were unavaillng.
| The Americans continued to pour
their fire upon the devoted vessel and
to prevent the magazine from cxplod.
ing. she wns scuttled and the crew
made for their shores in their boats OF
upon pieces of the shattered spara
The Don Juan de Austria was even
less fortunate. She, too, was crippled
by the shot OF the Americans and In
Iher crippled condition could not escape
the storm Of shot and shells. sudden
ly her magazine exploded.
Madrid. May 2-s A. ma special to
the Liberal from Manila says Admiral
Montejo. the Spanish commander. ac
knowledGcs that the Spanish fieet has
been completely demolished. He adds
that the crew Of the spanish warshil
Mindanao has been saved