The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-07-27
ne Gives the Department an Account
of His Great Victory.
COMPLIMENTS THE GLOUCESTER
Her SkillnI Handling and Gallant
Fighting Commanded the Admira-
tionor All Who Saw Hcr--A Fac
tor i'm the Fight.

L. S FLAGSHIP NEW YORK. FIRST
RATE. OFF SANTIAGO DE CUBA. Gu
BA. july i5-sir ] have the honor TO
make thc following report upon tho bait
lie with and the destruction OF The Span
ssh squadron commanded by Admiral
Cer,era. or Santiago de Cuba. on sum
day July g. l'es
2-The enemies vessels came out Of the
harbor between $3.50 and 10 A. NJ. The
head ~ Che column appearing around Cay
Smith at 9.n and emerging from the
channel five or six minutes later.
3-The positions OF The vessels OF my
command off Santiago al that moment
were ass follows. The flagship New YORK
was four miles ease of her oIockading
station. and about seven miles from the
harDor entrance She had started Tor
Bboucv. where 4 intended to- land accom-
panied bv several of my staff. and go 10
che front fo consult with General Smarter
a discussion of tho situation. and "a more
definite understanding between us on the
operations proposed bad been rendered
necessary bv thc unexpectedly strong re-
tistauce of the Spanish garrison of SAN
uaEo.
had sent my chief Of staff on shore
the day before TO arrange am interview
with General Shaftcr. who has been sut-
fernr from heat prostrauon.
ON HIS WAY TO SHAFTER
made arrangements 90 20 Go bis head
quarters. and my flagship was in the poe
sitlon mentioned above when the Spanish
squadron appeared iu the channel The
remaining vessels were boz or near their
usual h.ockadug positions. distributed in
"a semi-c.rcic about the harbor entrance.
CounNng form The eastward 10 the west
ward BOO tine following order.
Tho Indiana about mile and half
from shore the Oregon the New YOrks
place. between these two, the Iowa. Texas
and Brooklyn. The latter two miles from
the shore west of Santiago.
The distance Of the vessels from the
harbor entrance was from two and one
hair t1 four miles-the latter being the
limit Of dav hlockading distance. The
length of the arc formed hy the ships
was about eight miles. The Massachu-
setts had left 40 a. ST. FOR Guantanamo
for coal Her station was between the
Iowa and the Texas.
The auXilaries Gloucester and Vixen
Jay close o. The land and nearer the har-
Dor entrance than the large vessels. the
Gloucester to the eastward and the Vixen
90 thf westward.
..r.. ,.tr tt. 0sosbin and remained
,..nt t.- 5,,rire fbo chase until ordered
10 fierorfini. when she rendered very
cficicuf service in rcscuing prisoners
from the burning Nizcaya. l euclose "a
diagram showing approximately the po-
siti0us 0f fhe vessels as described above.
THE ATTEMPT.
ms, c-..t ,...eele cau1o raDidfv
$500 az d, snee5 estimated at
our 'i ''. - 49, and B., tbo fol-
.''"'
""i-t o'" .r.-.-. leocsti,, Viz
lN'"ll." ....i NJ T,ri~,rte
cara 'fie''l1i - ll'.'' anu ''..
oQucndo The distance o''"Ne" ''''a'
ships was ABOUT N" 'l"s, "i.','' 49,
that from me TIME 'H' nl', ""'
visible iu The upper reacn ol lne o""i"oI
until the last one was Out ol tne MAJOR
an interval of onI> aooul '"elFe H''"Ol1'
elapsed Following One oQuehdo az aus
tanCe of about 1900 yards came tne toI-
pedo boat dostroiers Fluioh ana dl'ei "''
r,. .rroored cruisers. as rapidly as
.te,. l,I,Id hiring their guns to bear. open
......,. ero uDon tho hiockadiug
....-..l from, th, channel
,..l d.. ,t, .,,,ole ffor, their guns.
- 80 ...~ .hins in front OF
.l e,,,,l.,. ..oiisrters for I'm.
'he p'I'
tpt-.''... ....,.,,.., or-,p,rrpc
'tNEi'AH W. AN i-i'. -.,..f,.
lh' -i-H"l was ''''"'
;rom several lt-s'i- -u.,.,o1
Enemy ships ctctpub "H"
Quarters was roundtu. H' l'D' ar..
cd as Ih'f rpI"ih '' '"'li r"" ,,tr
was opened pion"n'l WiiH" ''-u, i',-'
ute. uf iNc Nts.'I7 N.''' ..''' 80 go
cd the entrance. i'. -N-" w l"..',,i,,.
ef anon. anna steamed l't '"' .',li.-..5
fleet flying ihe ris."l w., a,,i
har1of tnlI'N'' "Hu ",'''N ,..u to,,.,rd
gradual} In'I ta7ii'b 7r'e" Z r,otino
thc end oi ine 'n'7' a-' va -, an
Do ~ KNOTS ana WIS oi.i,'s -. onf at
fhe Drrloh'l ''ioi" CIV ,,,l tco,.,,
amy imr Wi'1ih l", i"'- i 1,c
Spanish 7hIp9 "H" .' ., ,.' ,,,5i,i5ej fire
nrnt was D" ''''''. n,o bo.bor
from 'he l"'.7 j. f,. sbots m one
'lHH'e "'' '' t. + tb, moment
'l lh' ",sll"l 'a' ''''''',., nm, tho Clou-
pop ~ ''''''
'.''' r.r,eot.p ,-rt. t,rrORT.
-.,N $1,000, ,....eie ,lnon clearing
,...,..'.. ,..-....., b.. ,ha westward i'm COLI
... i..-.,s,oe the speed To- the FUN
.-.'' .i..t. .,,ir,. ,rhc heavy block.
.s- ,for-. 81 the instant of tho enemies
,...-.,.r,e and af THEM best srccd. de-
t.,.l-ed d rsnid 0ro well sustained and
ea-tr,otive which speedily overwhelmed
-., .r,,os7 tre cp3nisn IRE The initial
.-.c5 ~ tbo snlniards carried them rape
..--. tr., tro.todinc vessels. and the
r..,,l g.,.,ioped into a chase I'm which
tra prooBl,n and Texas had ar tho start