Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-07-05


men; armament, two i-3~pounders. two g.
p~ouhoers, two ~1-pounders. The PIuton
an = larger boat registering 400 tons.
- HAVING an indicated horsepower OF
''ye-i,6 500 greater than the Others.
ccrvcra sailed straight for the Cane
verde Islands, putting In Mt ST. Vincent.
oh .ne way ths little 6~estroyers had n
rongh time OF II. They had to be coaled
az sea from the cruisers. When they
reached the Cape Verde Islands repairs
nad TO be made. While Cervera was there
ne was In cable communication with Ma
orid, ana learned OF the declaration OF
war. On Apri! 18th he sailed from ST. vim
cent. "
CERvERA's PLANS.
what his purpose was no one IN this
country knew. and opinion was divided az
10 whether he had gone home or had
started Tor America. A few days after
ms sailing from st. Vincent n dispatch
came from the American Embassy In
LONDON that Ceryera had returned 10
Cadiz; two days later came word from
ne French island OF Martinique. I'm the
West Indies. OF the arrival there OF Ger
vera. united-States-Consul Darte. at ST.
fierre, notified the State Department OF
Cervera's arrival there, and made n pro-
TEST against allowing the enemy's ships
TO coal there. The French Government
assured the United States that neutrality
would be observed.
The Harvard and st. Louis had been
scouting about the Leeward and Wind
ward Islands for days, on the lookout
for Cervera. 1t was thought for awhile
that Ceryera had gone in search Of the
batteship Oregon, which was making
a record-breaking trip from San Fran
NiCcn IN kn, lVoot rA. I--.-- -
ped In at st. Pierre Just In time to hear
that Cervera had sailed to the westward,
leaving the Terror behlnd for repairs.
The d~estroyer's English engineers had
deserted her, leaving her delicate ma
chinery 10 be looked after by inefi cient
Spaniards.
Cervera was badly in need of coal: his
machinery needed repairs. lie ran across
the Caribbean sea and put In at the
Dutch port of Willenstad, in the island
OF Curacao. Our Consul kept the fleet
from entering the harbor, and all The coal
Cervera could get there was 300 tons of
slack coal, condemned by the Dutch Gov
eminent, and so poor that 1t had been
there two years without a purchaser.
Cervera spent $4,000 for coal and provi-
sions. All the ships bottoms were very
foul. and the Vizcaya was in q bad way.
THE "BOTTL1NG UP"
Cervera was expected to make a dash
for Habana or some southern Cuban port.
Commodore Schley's flying squadron was
ordered to meet the ener Scout ships
secured The southern coast of Cuba. The
st. Louis cut cables at Santiago de Cuba
the day before Cervera arrived there. He
slipped into the well-defended harbor
without being seen by any of the Ameri-
can ships. A few days later Commodore
Schley appeared off the harbor and bot
tied up tho enemy. Sampson Joined him
a short time later. and the collier Merri-
mac was taken into the channe by En-
sign Hobson. a staff officer. and a picked
crew. and blown up and sunk in the mar
rowest part of the channel. Cervera was
caught like a rat in a trap.
Admiral Villailm commanded the tor
pedo division Of the squadron. The Ter
ror sailed from Fort de France for San
Juan, arriving at the latter port a few
days after the bombardment by Samp-
sons fleet.
She ventured out with the Isabella III.
the other day and engaged the St. Paul.
The American scout drove the S%paniards
back into the harbor. Gunner Hartman
sent a 5-inch shell into the engine-room
of the Terror, killing several men and
disabling the boat. She was beached In a
sinking condition.