Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1898-10-29
AT GREAT ODDS.
SCHLEY EAGER THOUGH 1T WAS
CRUISER AGAINST BATTLE-SHlP

Word Had Come to Schley That the
Pelayo, Had Reached tho Caribbean,
and He Was Directed to Engage Her
When Found.
Here is an incident which shows
more clearly than anything else just
what the navy is ready to do and now
delicately balanced is the chip on the
shoulders of our sea-fighters When
Schley had enriched our history on July
3 and every ship in these waters under
the royal banner of CASTLE had been
shattered he was sailing east to resume
station before Santiago. Word came to
him that the Pelayo, the pride. of the
Spanish navy had reached the Carib-
bean, and he was directed to engage her
as soon as found. To naval experts the
suggestion that a cruiser fight battle
ship is insanity gone mad, but, never
theless, the Brooklyn started on her
errand.
Near Santiago a battle-ship was
sighted, heavily armored and turreted,
but at such distance that her colors
could not be distinguished under the
glass. Toward her the Brooklyn start
ed. Commodore Schley and Captain
Cook stood on the forward bridge as
the big cruiser fairly leaped forward to
give battle.
"She is white, an unusual thing In
war time!" said the Commodore,
watching the stranger through the
glass. Il don't believe she is Spanish
he remarked a moment later; and then,
consulting a picture of sister ship to
the Pelayo, suddenly exclaimed: by
jove! 1t is the 'Pelayo, after ALI"
"On the signal bridget" shouted Cap
tain Cook Can you make out her
colors?"
mot yet, SIR" came the answer fol-
lowed a moment later by, eve have
raised her colors, sir, and she is Span
ish."
"Send your men to quarters, Cook
said the Commodore land start an
eight-inch shell for her when I give
the word"
On went the Brooklyn, fast closing
the distance between herself and the
stranger big battle-ship Of modern
type and with her flag att--two stripes
of red on each side of yellow, as it
appeared, and the crown in the proper
place. The bugle sung ITO quarters!
| and the men although they had been
| fighting all morning, rushed to their
guns with cheer. For a moment the
Commodore hesitated. con the signal
hri6 oot'' ba oa11oI rtai n
| the stranger is Spaniard?"
Certain, sir" came the reply. II car
| see her colors distinctly"
The Commodore had his glasses on
| the battleship. Turning to the captain
of his ship, he said: Cook, that fellow
| is not at quarters. His guns are turned
away from us. He is not up to snuff
Watch him closely, and the moment hi
sends his men to quarters or moves a
| turret, let drive. Give him everything
we have We will sink him in twenty
| minutes, unless he gets shot under
| our belt.''
Just then the officer on the bridge re
! ported that the battle-ship was sig
mailing with the international code, an,
soon translated the message: This ii
an Austrian battle-ship."
Half an hour later the commander
of the Maria Theresa austrian } was
seated in Commodore Schley's cabin.
eff you had sent your men to quar-
| tiers or moved a turret I should have
raked you; it was a narrow escape
said the Commodore, during the con-
versation. "Your flag is so like Spain
saving that you have a white stripe
where she has yellow, that it is hard to
tell them apart at any considerable
distance, and 1 came very near letting
| drive at YOU"
eve know that" returned the Aus
titan, "and we were very much wor-
ried. We signaled you long before you
answered. We had no wish to be
troubled. We have seen the wrecks
along the coast But he inquired, as
he arose to leave, do you send cruisers
to meet battleships?"
The Commodore smiled as he ans
wered: eve always make a fight with
the first ship we have at hand. We
never wait because we are outrated. We
try to win with what we have"
"You Americans are very remark
able said the Austrian, as he went
over the side of his boat.