The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1898-08-02
The SPANISH ADMIRAL.
An Interesting Sketch or hdsiirat Ger
.. .., vera's LIfe.

HluIlu VI tbe olhiiiSb hyl'f, et"''"''
is rightfully considered by all Span
inrds TO bo ono of their best sailors
Ho comes Oh his mothers side from
stock wh"rn for generations tho
namc Of Topoto had baen feared on
land and ocean by many foo. Ger
vora is also Il good old namo and the
present bearer Of it is every inch n
gcntlomnn unl carries his head very
high, He is still very pleasant to
look ut, with his brond forehead,
keen brown eyes and carefully trim.
med whito beard and heavy mnstacho
covering large determined mouth.
lIo is not Il very tall man, but has
brond shoulders and walks very erect.
Tho admiral is not young man, ho-
ing over fifty eight. His birth place
was Cadiz. Cadiz, tho "tiny silver
cup" as tho Andulusinns call their
whito housed, clean, sunny, blue
waved town. From earl y childhood
: ho showed his inclination for naval
career and novor rested until his pa
rcnts gavo in and sent him to tho
naval college, when he was not yet
10 years of ago. Ho passed cvery
examination viii, ensc, obtaining his
commission rs "middy," when most
boys nro still fond of tho playground.
Stop by stop ho ascondcd tho ladder,
rising in rapid succession until ho'
reached the highest post po 'siblo in
tho Spanish navy. He has always
rendered great services to his coun
try in times Of trouble and dark
hours. IIo was ono of tho finest
! officers with Prm i'm tho terrible war
Of Africa. Again, no was of invalu,
able service in the Philippine islands,
and in the last Cuban insurrection.
Admiral Cervcra was in London
for three years ~ chief Spanish naval
commissioner. IIo WAS delighted to
occupy that post in snch /" grout
naval country and in his letters homo
he expressed again and again his
| pleasant Impressions. 1Io visited
evory great arsenal and stndicd hard
| to bo able to understand ovory mod
ern invention, not only for warfare,
but also for tho largo mercantile ves,
soils and trans Atlantic steamers. Ho
mado great many valuable pur-
chases for tho Spanish navy. Ho
was welcomed in tho best Of London
society, being much liked Later on
ho occupied tho same post in Paris,
but for Il much shorter time, as his
| valuable services were much needed
III h!s own country. AS minister Of
marino ho showed great energy in
putting down many old abuses and
in reforming tho administration, and
during his Office tho dingy, ugly Of
iicea'of tho ministerio do marina wore
quito pleasure to frequent, with
regular hours, disciplinod sailor Or
derlies and polite officials. Tho min
istry Of marine is tho government
Office that is nearest TO tho royal pal
AGO in Madrid, not far from tho Brit
ish embassy, and it is II dingy place
Mt all times, especially whom in snch
close contrast to tho splendid AL
caznr on tho othor side of the
square. Unfortunately, n change OF
kpolltlcs camo SO soon that Admiral
| CervcrH left the ministry hoforo he
could put in nctico his many plans
toward the ad' anccment of tho navy.
Many ac'z of bravery and deter,
mination arc related of Corvera, cs
pecially ono that no Spaniard can
easily forgot. CASTELAR,, the great
| repuDllcnn orator and statesman, was
Mt that moment president of the ro-
public. Tho radical party was not
satisfied with tho moderate way. that
Don Emilio conducted affairs, and
thero was much discomfort and an
undercnrrent Of dissatisfaction and
conspiracy going on. Things once
more looSed gloomy. No one know
what ghthappen. Everybody dis
trusted his noighbors. 1t was in
1873. Don Pnxual Cervera occu
pied m important post in tho Corvo-
ra arsonnl (Cadiz). Flo noticed that
there was an undorcurront Of mys
try going on among tho sailors and
| troops in that place. DetormiDod fn