Mesa free press. [volume] (Mesa, Ariz.) 1892-1901, 1898-07-22

from Spanish sources. Cervera's
SQUADRON is very fast-so fast, in fact,
that It can not be broken loose from
where it is stuck on the beach.
Assistant Naval Constructor Richard
p. Hobson of the flagship New York
and the seven seamen who, with him,
sailed the collier Merrimac into the
channel Of the harbor Of Santiago de
Cuba. on June last, and sunk her
there. were surrendered by the Span
ish military authorities In exchange
for prisoners captured by the Ameri-
can forces, and are now In the United
States.
A Spanish cabinet minister is quoted
in an interview as saying that the
present government of Spain will de-
vote itself solely to the defense Of
Spanish coasts, and that II negotiations
for peace must be opened they will
have to be conducted by another gov
eminent. The cabinet Is of the opinion
that the fleet Of Admiral Camara
should continue its voyage to the
Philippine islands.
Before the bold dash of Cerevra's
fleet out of the harbor of Santiago, the
French consul asked the Spanish adj
miral what would be the course of his
fleet If Gen. Shafter succeeded in cap
turing the town from the land side.
Cervera replied that Gen. Linares
would undoubtedly burn the city, and
that he himself would turn the guns of
his feet upon the town itself, regard
less Of friends or foes, and reduce Sam
tiago to ashes.
The Spanish version of the sinking
of the warship Alfonso XIII is that she
was chased by three American war
ships while attempting to enter the
port of Mariel, and that her command
er purposely ran her ashore In order to
avoid capture. The official report adds
that the Americans fired 600 shells at
the Alfonso XIII, and that the ship Is
complete loss. It Is further stated
that the crew of the cruiser and part
of the cargo" were saved.
The Calie, the official government
organ at Rome, published crushing
article condemnatory of the Spanish
government, and Senior Sagasta, the
premier. The article describes Sagasta
as fool, says the United States is an
instrument in the hands of providence
which will not tolerate an information
al reign Of iniquity. The newspaper
considers the battle of Santiago the
most important event of the century,
and in positive terms says there Is
nothing left for Spain except to beg
for peace.
The capture of the Ladrones was
marked by ludicrous incident. The
Charleston entered the harbor Of Qua
han and fired seven shots at the forts.
The governor, thinking it was sa-
Lutte, sent word that he regretted his
inability to return 1t, as he was with
out powder. When informed he was
prisoner of war he Indignantly pro-
tested, saying that he had no idea that
war had broken out. An American
citizen residing in the town was ap
pointed provisional governor of the
Ladrones.
The Spanish government permitted
the printing of the following: Gen.
Blanco forwards dispatches saying
that terrible combat has taken place
between the Spanish and American
squadrons, with the result that six
hundred men ,of the crews Of the Span
ish ships engaged were killed. Among
the dead are Admiral Villamil, Capt.
Lazaga Of the Oquendo, who committed
suicide. Admiral Cervera, Capt. Con-
cas- of the Infanta Maria Teresa and
Capt Eulate of the Vizcaya are wound
ed. The American sailors respected
the rank Of the prisoners, who exceed
one thousand In number"
A Cavite dispatch says that the
American troops have all been landed
and are quartered at Cavite. Great in
terest Is felt in the possibility Of the
arrival of Spanish re-enforcements
and the action Of the Philippine insur-
gents. Dewey's ships are now fully
supplied with ammunition and ready
for fight when Spanish fleet makes
It's appearance. The Monterey Is ex-
pected to arrive by that time. Agui-
naldo's forces are hammering the
Spaniards steadily back. It Is re-
ported that Aguinaldo has cut off
the water supply of Manila. Gen.
Anderson will send out a party soon
to find out the exact situation.
Few realize the rapidity with which
the battle was fought off Santiago. An
officer of the Iowa, in long technical
description Of the contest published in
the New York Herald this morning,
says: Reckoning up the data Of this
fight which it was our good
fortune to take part in, we find that
in less than twenty-five minutes two
of their ships were wrecked; in less
than three-quarters Of an hour the
third surrendered; in f1fty-six minutes
from the time the first dashing Span
lard was sighted all hands were
piped down, guns were secured, and
our boats were in the water to save
what was left Of the Vizcaya crew."
An examination of the hulks of the
destroyed Spanish cruisers shows con-
that the Maine was not de-
stroyed by an internal explosion. The
conditions of the bulls shows that an
internal explosion forces all plates out
ward and none upward, as was the
"a 90 Of tho Maine Naval nvDorfo ORC