Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-07-11

APPARENTLY ON FIRE.

But the leading vessels were too Tar
to the west to be identified accurately.
The Indiana was in sight little to the
west of MORO Castle.
At 1924, the CristObal Colon was
still gaining and was reserving her
| fire. At this moment the only Ameri-
can vessels seen from the Vixen were
| the Brooklyn. Oregon, Texas and
Iowa, six miles behind the Oregon
| The Indiana was four miles astern OF
| the Iowa.
At 1927 the Cristobal Colon and
other Spanish ships resumed their
| heavy fire. The second vessel was i've
miles from the Vixen. The Oregon
was gaining rapidly on the Cristobal
| Colon, which was using smokeless
powder. The enemy's fire was very
high, and many Of their shots passed
over the Brooklyn, falling close to the
Vixen a piece of shell tearing the nag
| at her mainmast.
At 1O:47 the Brooklyn forged ahead
and the Oregon fired her forward 10
| inch gun at the leading Spanish vessei.
| At 1O:45 the Texas. in front OF the
| Iowa, was gaining rapidly. At this
time the Brooklyn's fire was
STEADY AND DEADLY.
! her shells striking or bursting along
| side of the Spaniards.
| At 1919 the Texas reached Juan Con
| zales. and the Indiana was apparently
| off Cabanas.
| At 10: so the Vixen approached, head
ing north-nOrthWest. Inc 1eAas was
| gaining rapidly, the Iowa appeared 70
| he off Juan Gonzales. and yacnt ap-
| the enemy's ships.
| 1t 1924 another Spanish vessel was
On fire and heading for the beach with a
| heavy list to port TINS was the VIZ
| caya making for the reef at Azerra-
| dores.
At 11:O1 the Vizcaya, het helm head
cd east. apparently sought the entrance
to Azerradores. The Texas and Vixen
| directed their fire on the Vizcaya until
1907. when, as the colors went down.
| we ceased.
| At 11:09 there came
A BURST OF FLAME AND SMOKE
form the Vizcaya's stern and all the
| ships resumed their fire rhile passing
| the doomed vessel, which was hard on
| Azerradores reef.
At 11:16 the Brooklyn, Oregon,
| Texas. Iowa and Indiana, the last
! named ten miles from the Cristobal
| Colon were in sight of the Vixen. 1t
was believed on the Vixen that the
| vessel at Azerradores was the Span
ish flagship.
AT 11:25 the Iowa had stopped. The
after end of the ViZcaya was sheel
of fame, and from 11:26 to ll:42 there
| were many explosions on board the
Spanish cruiser, apparently caused by
the ignition of loose charges aDout
the guns. They resembled huge chry-
| santhemums, with ribbons or smoke
as the burning powder grains fell
from the ends of the petals.
Ar Has the chase narrowed itself tc
the Cristobal Colon, which was close
ashore, and seven miles from the
Vixen with the Oregon one point on
the starboard bow, distant mile anc
A half: the Brooklyn one point on the
starboard bow, distant three miles;
the Texas on the starboard quarter
distant one mile; the Iowa two points
on the starboard side, distant elgh
miles. and the New YORK one point or
eas rstarpoard quarter. distant fen
miles.
The last two vessels were apparently
| eff Boca del Rio, but were too far DIS
tant to be certainly identified in the
thin haze and smoke from the leading
ships. No other vessels were in sight
| The smoke from
THE SHIP DESTROYED
at Juan Gonzales and to the eastward
could be seen, but the vessels hull was
invisible.
At noon the relative positions Of the
American ships were practically the
same. When the Vixen was abreast of
Sevilla. thirteen miles west Of Santiago
the Texas bore three points on the star
board quarter a little less than a mile
off. and the Oregon and Brooklyn one
point to the starboard and port bow,
distant four and five miles respectively,
while the Cristobal Colon bore two
points on the starboard bow, distant
fully ten miles.
According to the official pilot on the
| Vixen that vessel was off Bayamlta The
estimated distance was taken from the
officers and official pilot. At 1905 the
New York was in line with the burning
| Vizcaya at a distance of nine miles At
1915 the Texas was on the starboard
| quarter, the New York two points on
the starboard quarter, gaining; the
Oregon a half point on the starboard
bow, the Brooklyn one point on the
port bow and the Cristobal Colon one
point en- the starboard bow,
STILL MILES AWAY.
At 1920 the Oregon fired a shot which
fell short. The Cristobal Colon was
then hull down from the Vixen. Dur
ing the next half hour the occasional
shots from the Oregon and the Brook
Ign struck near the chase.
At 1880 the Texas was one point
forward off the starboard beam, and
was steadily gaining. At lis the Ore
gon and the Brooklyn headed in shore
about four points.
At 1925 the Texas signalled "the
enemy has surrendered"
This signal was reported to the New
| York but was not acknowledged. The
Cristobal Colon was seen through
glasses aiming close inshore, and ac-
cording to the pilot, at Rio Tarquino.
It was thought on board the Vixen
that white flag was displayed on the
Cristobal Colon, but this subsequently
proved to be escaping steam.
At 2 o'clock boats from the Brook
lyn and Oregon went alongside the
| Colon.
At 2:25 the Vixen stoppd off Rio