Evening star., 1898-07-06
COLON CAPTURED
Commodore Schley's Quick and Effect
i've Pursuit of Her.
SURRENDERED TO THE BROOKLYN
Wrecks Along the Beach Resem-
bic That of the Maine.
THE STEALTHY SORTIE

copyright, 1895, by the Associated Press.l
Off Santiago de Cuba, July 4, pm, via
Kingston, Jamaica, July 5.-After chase
of sixty miles to the westward the Brook
lyn, closely followed by the Oregon, over
hauled the Cristobal Colon after she had
run ashore and had hauled down her flag.
Captain Cook of the Brooklyn went on
board of her and the commander of the
Spanish armored cruiser came forward to
surrender, and was taken on board the New
York, which came up an hour after the
Brooklyn and Oregon had completed the
capture of the Cristobal Colon. The latter
was not seriously damaged, though she
was struck several times by shots from
the Brooklyn and Oregon.
During the chase a clever maneuver of
Commodore Schley, in heading due west to
Cape Caney while the Crstobal Colon had
taken a more southerly direction, with a
much greater distance to cover, rendered
the Spaniard's escape impossible.
Schley's Attack.
There seems to be no doubt that the Girls
tobal Colon and perhaps the other three
Spanish armored cruisers would have es-
capped had it not been for the prompt ac-
ton of Commodore Schley. The Brooklyn,
his flagship, alone was in a position to at
tack the Spanish vessels as they left the
harbor, and Commodore Schley steamed di-
rectiy toward them and engaged all four
cruisers, infiicting great damage upon
them.
The Oregon was the first to join the
Brooklyn, and afterward the Iowa, In
diana, Texas and Vixen closed around the
Spaniards, all pouring in deadly fire, but
from the beginning to the end of the fight
the Brooklyn, Oregon and Gloucester took
"a ir,1pn rt in no
of the enemy.
One man, George Henry Ellis, was killed
on board the Brooklyn. His head was
blown off by a shell. One other man, J.
Burns, was injured on board of her.
The Brooklyn was struck half a dozen
times, but no injury was done to any OF
the other American ships.
Cervera's Consultations.
Admiral Cervera held consultation with
his officers before sailing out of the harbor
of Santiago de Cuba, and by a small ma
jority the move was agreed upon. The
minority said that destruction was sure,
many of the hrerusn had InUtinied and the
best men in the fleet were worn out by
serving the guns in the shore batteries.
Early on the morning of the sortie care
full observations We're taken OF the sea east
and west. Admiral Cervera decided upon
milo, Cientuegos or, if possible, Havana,
the port to be reached. He would have
gone east but for the sighting of large
transport feet of Siboney and the assur-
ance that a convoy OF war vessels was still
with the transports.
AS matter OF fact, there
vessel larger than a converted yacht, ex-
cept the New York, that could nave OBJ
structed Admiral Cerveras escape east
ward.
Naval men here are sure that the Span
ism vessels could have disabled or SUNK the
New York ana escaped had the eastward
course been chosen.
1t was feared for a time by many that
some of the sailors and officers who swan
ashore from the Nizcaya, the Ainiraute
Oquendo and the Maria Teresa We're kIled
by the insurgents, who We're seen in the
cnappara near the beach This could not
pe verIned this writing, as no accurate
estimate of the loss to the Spanish fleet
Was optalnaDle.
1t is CANNED that one shell killed 100 men
on the Nizcaya, raklng the vessel lore and
aft.