The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-07-09

The battIeship Iowa was the INST snip 70
see the Spanish feet coming out OF the
harbor. A moment later her crew was at
general quarters, ard At 3:s3 q. n. gun
was fred To aitrac. the attention Of the
feet
Capt Evans account Of the battle. -
told In the cabin Of the Iowa 10 q CORE
spondent Of the Associated Press. II In
fensesy Interesting. He said:
"A. the time general quarters was
sounded. the engine bell rang full speed
ahead, and I put the helm TO startoard
and the Iowa crossed the bows OF the In-
far,ta Maria Teresa. the first Spanish ship
out. As the Spanish admiral swung 70
the westward, the swelve-inch shell from
the forward turret OF the Iowa seemed %
strike her fairly in the bow. and the hghe
WAS n SPECTACLE. As the squadron cazne
out IN column, the ships were beautifully
spaced as TO distance. and gradually In
creased their speed 90 thirteen knots. The
Iowa from fh!s moment kept up steady
fire from her heavy guns. heading. al the
time 70 keep the Infanta Maria Teresa on
her starboard bow, and hoping to ram
one OF the leading ships.
..In the meantime the Oregon. Indiana,
Brooklyn and Texas were doing excellent
work with their heavy guns
In very short space Of time the enc
my's shipe we're clear OF the barbor mouth,
and IL became impossible for the Iowa to
ram either the first or the second ship
on account Of the speed.
1.-THE range al this time was 1000 yards
from the leading ship. The Iowa's helm
was Immediately put hard to starboard,
and the entire starboard broadside was
poured into the Infanta Mara Teresa
The helm was then quickly shifted to port
and the ship weat across the stern Of the
Teresa In an effort TO head of the Oquen-
do. All the time the engines were driving
ct full steam ahead. A perfect torrent
Of shells from the enemy passed over the
snsokstack and superstructure OF the
ship. but none struck her.
Tho Cr.stobal Colon being much faster
than the rest of the Spanish ships. passed
rapidly to the front In an effort to escape.
In passing the Iowa the Colon placed two
EIx-inch shells fairly In our starboard bow.
One passed through the cofrerdam and dis
pensary. wreckipg the latter and bursting
on the berth deck. doing considerable dau-
age.
The other passed through the side at the
water line. within the cofferdam. whore II
stlll remains.
AS II was now obviously impossible to
ram any or the Spanish ships. on account
OF their superior speed. the Iowa's helm
was put to the starboard and she ran on
a course parallel with the enemy. Being
then abreas, of the Almirante Oquendo. at
. distance Of I.loo yards. the Iowa's entire
battery. including the rapid-fre guns. was
opened upon the Oauendo. The punish
ment was terrific. Many tweive-inch shells
from the Iowa pierced the Almirante
oqucndo at the same moment one forward
and the other aft. The oauendo seemed TO
stop her firing for a moment and lost
Roadway. hat she Immediately resumed her
speed and gradually drew ahead OF the
Iowa and caught the terrific fire OF the
Oregon aud Texas.
al this moment the alarm TORPEDO
boats was sounded. and two torpedo boat
desnoyers were discovered on the star
board quarter. at a distance or 1900 yards
Fire was at once opened on them. with the
after battery and a twelve-ineh shell cut
the stern of one destroyer squareiy or As
the shell struck a small torpedo boat fired
back at the hsttleshlp. sending a shell
within a few Zee. OF my head.
We'll up among the advancing eruiserp.
splitting shots at enc and the other. was
the little Gloucester. shooting FIRST a, a
cruiser and then at torpedo boat and
hitting = head wherever she saw IT, The
marvel was that she was not destroyed
by the rain OF shells. In the meantime.
the Vizcaya was slowly drawing abeam
OF the Iowa. and for the space or flfteen
minutes II was give aud take between the
Two ships The vixeaya fired rapidly bat
wildly. rot one shot taking effect On the
Iowa, while the shells from the Iowa were
tearing great rents In the sides os the
Vixcaya. As the latter passed ahead 81
the Iowa, she caught the murslerouz FIRE
az the Oregon, ~ this time. the Iufanta
Teresa and the Amirsnye Oqnenao lead
Ing the encmys column. were seen 20 be
heading fer the beach and In flames
THE Texas. Oregon and Iowa pounded:
them numerically. They ceased TO reply
20 the fra. ard IN a few moments tho
Spanish cruisers were 4 mass % flames and
or the rocks with their flags down. the
Teresa rytug white aas
The eHemys crew stripped themselves
and began jumping overheard and enc 90
the smaller magazines hogan 80 explode
Meantime thN brooklyn and the Crts.
taoal Colon were eXchanging compliments
In lively fashion ~ apparently ,onk range.
and 'hs orcSon. Nish her locomotive speed.
WIS hanging well CT se the Colon. alsa pay
inw attention 10 the NiAcaya. TIE Teresa
and the oeuendo were in flames ga the
beach. Just twenty minutes after the aYst
sAot was fired.