Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-07-12
CERVERA's DEFEAT.
The Old Adniirnrs Snd Forecast of
His Future.

|
/ Copyright, 1885, by the Associated Press)
| Correspondence of the Associated Press.
| OFF SANTIAGO DE CUBA, July s.
IF we could have gotten by the Brook
! lyn, and / believe we could" said Admit
| raj Cervera 20 Commodore Schey and
| Captain Bob Evans in the cabin Of the
| Iowa yesterday II could have gotten
| 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. I shall go back to
| Spain to be killed or die in disgrace"
| Commodore sehley put out his hand and
| rested IT on Cervera's shoulder. He speaks
| perfect Spanish, and the liquid language
| flowed easily az he said: Admiral, you
! are brave man, and coming out as you
! cid In the face OF a superior force Is but
an exemplification 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 Commander Adolphus Centrores, a pri-
soner on board the converted yacht Vixen,
| taken off the battleship Cristobal Colon.
| ChiefEngineer Stanford f. Moses, of the
! Vixen, acted as interpreter for the corre-
| spondent of the Associated Press. the
| conversation being in the international
! language of the navy, French. Command
| er Centrores told this interesting story:
at is not true that the heavy fire of the
| American troops drove us out. Besides
| the accident to the Reina Mercedes, We
| had no damage done. A shell did not
strike Smith Cayo at all.
| NO SECRET MOVEMENT.
1--WE arrived in Santiago harbor on the
! 10Th of May. We did not know that our
| whereabouts were a secret. We made no
attempt 10 hide or TO cover up our plans
| We simply took easy stages TO get to
| Cuba. 1t was frlghtfully hot in the har-
| bor and we suffered greatly. We made
| no attempt TO get out, and did not use
| our tOrpedo-boats, as all our machinery
| was defective and we were trying TO re-
! pair it, The frequent commandments by
\ the American ships resulted in quite a
| loss of life, but did little other damage.
1 The batteries were not harmed to any
| extent. 1t is not true that We dismounted
| our ship-guns. The Reina Mercedes guns
| were all on the forts when Commodore
| Schley arrived.
| On Saturday the 2Sth of May, we got
| word that Schley had left Cienfuegos for
| Santiago, and we started TO get out. The
| news had come too late, however, 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 18th. we found
| Schley blockading our way. 1t was then
| Cervera's intention to come out and give
| battle. but General Linares and the citi-
| zens objected and we stayed
HOBSON.
| what about the Hobson expedition
| was asked.
| "Well, we were very much surprised,
| and at the first alarm believed that tor
! pedo-boat attack was going on. The shore
| batteries opened up and the ships used
| their rapid-fire guns. The dynamos were
| not going, however, and we had no
| searchlghts, so that we could not find
the object We could not sink her with
| out batteries or our mines. She sank
| herself with her own torpedoes by blow
| ing out her bottom.
admiral Cervera, in making a tour OF
| the shore batteries in a steam launch
| little later, found Hobson swimming In
| the entrance, and trying TO get out TO
| sea He had on a life-preserver, and
when picked no asked that thew save his
| companions. This was done, all OF the
men being in the water and no one On
| a raft, as has been said"
| DISCUSSION. OF PLANS.
| Then Mr.. Centrores began the most in
| teresting part of his narrative-that re-
I lating to the movements OF Cervera. He
| said:
admiral Cervera. after the arrival Of
| n great American fleet. did not believe 1t
| wise to go out and try to fight 1t. He
| argued that the best policy for the fleet
| was TO hold the harbor against the enemy.
| and be ready by an enfiading fire over
| the hilltops 10 drive back the invading
| army At first the people in Santiago
! believed this. too. but provisions ran
| short and dispatch after dispatch came
from Madrid and Ii was found that pub
| lie sentiment demanded a naval battle.
| DASH DECIDED ON.
"On Saturday last conference was
| called on the flagship Maria Teresa. and
| all the officers Of the feet were present.
| Admiral Cervera announced his intention
| Of going out. and It was decided to try
| II that night. Just after dark. and after
| the ships had got up their anchors ready
| IN start. beach-lights were seen on the
| western hills and ii was decided that
| the American fleet had been warned of
| our intention. and would close in on us.
| In addition TO the hill-lights 1t was found
| that search-lights were flashing rapidly
| from ship to ship. II was afterwards. too
| late. learned that the supposed signal
| lights were insurgents burning up block
| houses. o
1.-THE order of coming out, and the tao
| tics 10 be employed were these: The
Maria Teresa, carrying Admiral Cervera's
| flag was to go first, and then was 10 fol-
| low the Vizcaya. the Oquendo. and the
| Crisobal Colon. The Observation-Disclosures
| ers Furor and Puton were TO come out
| last and run inside of the ships, which
| were TO hug the shore 10 the west The
west end OF the blockading station was
| chosen. because 1t was thought that the
| RrookIvn. being light in protection,
| would be the ca siest TO sink, and as che
| was fast, would be best out of the way"
! Then one Of the other officers added:
! eve never thought that the Brooklyn's
battery was so terrible, or that she
would attempt to fight all of US. She was
| a frichtful sight when all her guns were
| going" ,
Continuing the Commander said: ION
sunday morning the Iookouts reported
that the Massachusetts,. New Orleans. and
| Nsu YORK were not In sight and 1t was
| concluded that IL was a good time TO make
| .na start. We were the last ship out.
ana we saw at once that the Brooklyn,
Teyas and Oregon were doing dreadful
work with the two leading ships. That
| a. oil I know OF the battle, except that
Two S-inch shells from the Brooklyn went
| ,hro,,gh US, and a l3-inch shell from the
oregon hit us In the stern. We saw no
| other ships than those in the last two
hours. but we had 10 make such long
detour In going out that we thought best
! 10 surrender.
Then he waited for a moment and pro-
caeded. "Brasseys Naval Manual puts
The oregon down at IL knots, but she vas
doing more than that when she chased
J ~"