Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1898-08-05

officers merit the greatest praise for
the perfect manner in which they en-
tered into this plan and put it into ex-
ecution. The Massachusetts. which
according to roatine, was sent that
morning to coal at Guantanamo, like
the others, had spent weary nights up
on this work, and deserved a better
fate than to be absent that morning.
/ enclose for the information of the
department copies of orders and mem
orandums issued from time TO time, re-
lating TO the manner of maintaining
the blockade
Thirteenth-Wheu all the work was
done so well, it is difficult to discrim-
mate in praise. The object of the
blockade of .Cerveras squadron was
fully accomplished, and each individual
bore we'll his part in 1.-THE conmo-
dore in command of the second division.
the captains of ships, their officers and
men. Tine fire of the battleships was
powerful and destructive, and the re-
sistance of the Spanish squadron was,
Ia great part, broken almost before
they had got beyond the range of their
own forts.
The fine speed of the Oregon enabled
her to take front position in the chase,
and the Cristobal Colon did not give up
until the Oregon had thrown thir-
faa ha1 hnu har
formance adds to the already brilliant
record of this fine battleship. and
speaks highly of the skill and care
with which her admira BILE efficiency
has been maintained during a service
unprecedented in the history of vessels
of her class.
The Brooklyn's westerly blockading
position gave her an advantage in the
chase. which she main tanned to the
end and she employed her fine battery
with telling effect. The Texas and the
New York were gaining on the chase
during the last hour, and had any &C
cident befallen the Brooklyn or the /
Oregon. the former would have speed 1
lily overhauled the Cristobal Colon.
From the moment the vessel ex-
hausted her first burst of speed the re-
suit was never in doubt. She fell, in /
fact, far below what might reasonably |
have been expected of her. Careful /
measurements of time and distance /
give her an average speed from the /
time she cleared the harbor mouth I'M
til the time she was run on shore at 4
Tarquino of 1877 knots.
Neither the New York nor the I
Brooklyn stopped to couple up their
forward engines, but ran out the chase /
with one pair, getting steam, of course,
as rapidly as possible on all boilers.
To stop to couple up the forward en-
gines would have meant a delay of fif-
teen minutes or four miles, IL the
chase.
Fourteenth = Several of the ships
were struck, the brooklyn more
often than the others. but very slight
material injury was done. the greatest
u
was one man killed and one wounded.
both on the Brooklyn. 1t is difficult
to explain this immunity from loss of
life or injury to ships in combat with
modern vessels of the best type: but
Spanish gunnery is poor at the best,
and the superior weight and accuracy
Of our fire speedily drove the men from
their guns and silenced their fire This
is borne out by the statement of pris-
oners and by observation. The Span
ssh vessels, as they dashed out of the
larbor. were favored with the smoke
from their own guns. but this speedily {
diminished in volume and soon almost I
disappeared.
The fire from the rapid-ire batteries ;
Of the battleships appeared to have
been remarkably destructive. An ex- $
animation Of the stranded vessels t
shows that the Almirante Oquendo
specially had suffered terribly from l
his fire. Her sides are everywhere $
pierced, and her decks were strewn '
With the charred remains of those who t
lad fallen, 5
Fifteenth-The reports of Commo-
lore w. S. Schley and of the command
ng officers are enclosed. o
Sixteenth-A board. appointed by .
ne several days ago. has made criti- 4
al examination of the vessels both I
With view of reporting upon the II
nance. of saving any of them and of /
the remainder. The report $