The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1898-08-06
Spanish Officers Talk Freely at
Annapolis.
7. E. Curtis in Chicago Record

w. E. Curtis in Chicago Record
When asked what the spanish Gov
eminent expected to accomplish by fend-
ing over this feet one Of the captains,
with sarcastic smile, replied that MOret,
who is dreamer, believed it was possible
to lombard New York, Boston, Washing
ton, Chicago, ST. Louis aud blockade all
the rest of the cities of the United States
with four half armed men of war and
three torpedo boat destroyers.
1--WE all protested" he declared. 1--WE
knew that the moment we left Spain we
were lost. that our destruction was mere
IL matter of time. We felt that we
were sent as a sacrifice by the Government,
to satisfy public clamor and that it was a
matter Of indifference whether we were
properly armed or not. The less guns
The better. The less guns the less loss
That is the dreadful story.
when we left Cadiz we were promised
men, coal and other supplies at st. Vim
cent, and we did receive there some stores
ut food and provisions and some guns.
but the torpedo boats could not go any
farther. Their machinery was unit, and
we had to abandon them. They never
could have crossed the Atlantic. They
were not built for heavy weather.
I'VE sailed from Cape Verde on April
9-four cruisers and the torpedo boat
destroyers, Furor, Terror and Pluton in
tow-making about eight knots an hour,
and we've accompanied by the hospital
ship, the Alicante. We did not have suf-
ncient coal to reach Havana, but the Min
lister OF Marine promised that we should
meet two English brigs, the Restorme
and Twickenham, laden with Cariff coal,
at Martinique. Bat they were not there.
The French authorities refused to allow
US to buy fuel, and the only way we
could get to Curacao, where the Minister
of Marine called US we would find the
collicrs. was by taking the coal out Of
the bunkers of the hospital ship. THIS
made it impossible for her to go any far
Their, and she still lies rotting in the har.
hor at Martinique, helpless because the
Frcnchmen will not sell her coal aud the
Spanish Government cannot send her any.
I'VE reached Curacao on May IA, ex.
pectiDg to find the Golfers, but they were
not there, and the Dutch authorities would
allow us to buy only sufficient coal to
take US to the nearest Spanish port, which
was Santiago. Nor would they allow
more than two OF our war vessels to enter
the harbor. Thus we were helpless. Our
Government had betrayed US. We we're
at the mercy of the neutrality laws, and
our only hepe was to reach the harbor OF
Santiago, where We hoped to ind shelter
and fuel"
| asked the officers about the effect of
the dynamite shells which the Vesuvius
threw toward the city. They replied that
the noise Of the explosion caused great
terror among the soldiers, and particular
~ among the citizens, and a great deal
OF earth was displaced, but the shells did
not happen to fall where they could do
great damage. All Of Cerveras officers
agree that the Vesuvius is most formid-
able and destructive agent of war, but
they express even greater admiration for
the Oregon. They say the sheAs that
were dropped over the hills threw up a
lot of dirt, and disarranged the fortidca.
tons, but did no great damage except to
Castle MORO, which was q conspicuous
target. If the shells had been dropped
into the city they would have caused
great destruction; but it was beyond the
range o. the guns Of the fleet. Several
lays before the feet came out it was r..
ported that the New Orleans discovered
torpedo boat destroyer creeping out &C Z |
night and sunk il. Tho SpansAh officers
'ay this IL untrue. There were only two /
torpedo boat destroycrs in the hart,or.
md neither Of them attempted IL % aut !
until that fatal Sunday morning. It j. !
that smaii tnxbost which left !
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