The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-07-12
CERVERA MAY BE KILLED
THE OLD ADMIRAL FEARS THE
FATE AWAITING HIM IN SPAIN.
Spanish story of the Naval Fight from
officer Now a Prisoner
ON the Brooklyn.


righted)
OFF SANTIAGO DE CUBA, July S.-"If
we could have got by the Brooklyn. and 1
believe we could" said Admiral Cervera 10
Commodore Schley and Capt. Bob" Evans,
in the cabin of the Iowa yesterday. II could
have got away. My orders to concentrate
fire on the Brooklyn were carried out, but
your ship has charmed life, SIR, and the
sad-faced admiral, with tears in his eyes,
added:
my career is ended shall go back to
Spain to be killed or die in disgrace
Commodore Schiey put out his hands and
rested it on Cervera's shoulder. He speaks
perfect Spanish, and the liquid language
flowed easy as he said: Admiral you are
a brave man and coming out as you did in
the face of a superior force is but an ex-
emplification of that bravery. Your country
can but do you honor
The story of Cerveras attempt to escape
is an interesting one and is told briefly by
the commander of the frigate Adolpho Cen
trores, a prisoner on board the converted
yacht Vixen. taken off the battle ship Girls
tobal Colon. Chief Engineer Sanford Moses,
of the Vixen acted as interpreter for the
correspondent of the Associated Press, the
conversation being in the international lam
guage of the navy, French. Commander
Centrores told this interesting story:
1T is not true that the fire from the
American ships drove us out. Besides the
accident to the Reina Mercedes we had no
casualties. The dynamite shells of the We
suvius did no damage except to terrorize
people, A shell did not strike Smith cayo
at ALL but hit near the base (sic) We ar
rived in Santiago harbor on May 49, We did
not know that our whereabouts were Sc
cret We made on attempt to hide or to
cover up our plans. We simply took easy
stages to get to Cuba. 1t was frightfully
hot in the harbor and we suffered greatly.
We made no attempt to get out, and did
not use our torpedo boats, as all our ma
chinery was defective and we were trying to
repair it. The frequent bombardments by
the American ships resulted in quite a loss
of life. but did little other damage. The
batteries were not harmed to any extent. 1t
is not true that we dsmounted our ship
guns. The Reina Mercedes guns were all
on the forts when Commodore Schey ar
rived
ION Saturday, May 2S, we got word that
Schley had left Cienfuegos for Santiago and
we started to get out The news had come
too late, as Schley had left couple of his
ships to act as decoys before Cienfuegos
and in the meantime had come down here.
On Sunday morning, May 80, found
Schley blocking our way. 1t was then Ger
vera S intention to come out and give battle
but General Linares and the citizens OBJ
jected and we stayed"
What about the Hobson expedition was
asked.
Well, we were very much surprised. and
at first believed that a torpedo boat attack
was going to be made. The shore batteries
opened up and the ships used their rapid
fire guns. The dynamos were not going,
however, and we had no searchligdnts, so
that we could not find the object. We did
not sink her with our batteries or our
mines. She sunk herself with her own tor
pedoes by blowing out her bottom. Admi
raj Cervera, in making tour of the shore
batteries in a steam launch, little later,
found Hobson swimming in the entrance
and trying to get out to the bank He had
he asked d that they save his co Rn MS
This was done all the men being in the
water, and not on raft. as has been said
Then the commander began the most in
teresting part of his narrative. that relat-
ing to the movements of Cervera. He said:
Admiral Cervera after the arrival Of
great American fleet did not believe it wise
to go out and try to fight it. He argued
that the best policy for the feet was to hold
the harbor against the enemy and be ready
by an enfilading fire over the hiltops to
drive back the invading army. At first the
people in Santiago believed this wise, but
patch came from Madrid and it was found
that public sentiment demanded a naval
battle On Saturday last a conference
called on the flagship Maria Teresa and all
the officers of the fleet were there. Admiral
Cervera announced his intention of going
out, and it was decided to try 1t that night
Just after dark and after the ships had got
up their anchors ready to start searchlights
were seen on the western hill and it was de-
cided that the American fleet had been
warned Of our intention and would close IN
on us In addition to that it was found that
the searchlights flashed in the entrance
from the American ships would prevent US
n NYOf
narrow channel. 1t was afterwards too late
learned that the supposed signal lights were
insurgents burning up blockhouses.
1.-THE order of coming out and the tacucs
to be employed were these: The Maria
Teresa, carrying Admiral CerveIas nag,
was to go first and then was TO follow me Inc
Colon. The torpedo boat destroyers turor
and Pluton were to come out last and run
inside of the ships which were to hug the
shore to the west. The west end of the
blockading station was chosen because IL
was thought the Brooklyn being ilght IN
protection would be the easiest to sink and
as she was fast would be best out Of the
Then one of the other officers added: I'VE
never thought the BroolIlyn's battery was
so terrible or that she would attempt to
fight all of US. She was frightful sight
when all her guns were going.
Continuing the commander said: on
Sunday morning the lookouts reported that
the Massachusetts. New Orleans and New
York were not in sight and it was concluded
that it was a good time to make the start.
We were the last ship out and we saw at
once that the Brooklyn, Texas and Oregon
were doing dreadful work with the two
leading ships. That is all know of the
battle except that two eight-inch shells
from the Brooklyn went through Is and
thirteen-inch shell from the Oregon hit Us
in the stern. We saw no other ships than
those in the last two hours hut we had
10 make such a long detour in going out
that we thought best to surrender.
He waited a moment and then said:
''Brasseys naval annual puts the Oregon
down at tifteen-knots, but she was doing
more than that when she chased U.S.
All Of the officers captured We're pretty
well broken up over the affair. They said
they had not heard from home for three
months. None of the officers of the Colon
was killed.