The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1898-07-28
Terrific Effects of the
American Fire on
Cervera's Ships.
WHAT THE EXAMINATION DISGLOSES.
The Almirante Oquendo
and Infanta Maria Teresa
We're Sunk in 40 Minutes
FROM THE TINE THEY LEFT THE HARBOR.

lhVW I'LL llWL lILI LII I'LL HHuDUH,
OFF SANTIAGO DE CUBA, July 12.-
ANY doubt that may have existed
that the Maine was blown up by an
outside explosion has been dissolved
by the examination of the destroyed
Spanish ships said a member of the
board of survey that examined the
remnants of Admiral Cervera's fleet.
"Of four ships examined three had
been blown up by their magazines"
he continued, ''and of these one had
every magazine exploded and torpe-
does in addition, yet on none of them
was there the same effect as that pro-
duced by the explosion on the Maine
There was no upheavel of the keel
and little bulging of the plates except
in the immediate vicinity of the ex-
plosion. The effect was nearly alto
gether upward, in some cases the pro-
tected deck being lifted; but outside
of the springing of few plates the
hulls We're intact"
The examination of the wrecks of
the Spanish ships, three of which were
burned and all of their magazines eX-
ploded, was made first for purpose of
ascertaining the effect Of American
gunnery and secondly to find the eff
feet of internal explosion. Both sub
jects bore upon the Maine incident ,as
noted above, and the awful effect of
well-aimed shots was demonstrated in
the rapid sinking of the fleet.
When it is remembered that the AL
mirante Oquendo and the Infanta Ma
riaTeresa We're both sunk within forty
minutes of the time they left the en-
trance of Santiago harbor, the work
of American gunners may well be con-
sidered as remarkable. The Almi-
rante Oquendo was struck over 55
times and the Infanta Maria Teresa
81 times, but by larger projectiles.
The record of the damage to these
ships is one of great interest. The
fight started at range of 5000 yards
or three miles. At 2000 or $500 wards
two torpedo boats and two cruisers
We're annihilated. The closest fight
ing was done at 100 and 1000 yards by
the Brooklyn and Vizcaya, with an
Initiating effect on the Spanish ship.
But two proiectiles larger than S-inch
struck a vessel, both of these, either
II or 13-inch, being put through the
Infanta Maria Teresa. The S-inch,
G-inch, 5-inch and 6-pound proiectiles
did the bulk of the work and We're
frightfully destructive.
Briefly, these officers found the Girls
tobal Colon, battleship, first class,
with six inches of steel for protection.
not only on the water line, but around
the 6-inch guns.
This ship was hit with large proiec-
tiles but six times, as it kept out of
range nearly the whole time, passing
behind other ships for protection and
finally making a run for it. The hits
were made by the Brooklyn and Ore
gOn, one S-inch shell went into the
port side of the wardroom and left on
the starboard side without exploding
but cleaned out everything in the
room. a 5-inch hit just above the
armor belt and 6-inch struck her on
the bow. None of the injuries was
sufficient to put her out of action nor
as serious as those received by the
Brooklyn, at one time her sole antag-
onist. The assertion that the Brook
lyn was overhauling her and the Ore
CONS terrific 13-inch guns were shoot
ing nearer and nearer and that es-
cape was impossible, seems to be the
correct solution of her surrender
The Vizcaya, armored cruiser, is of
the same class as the battle-ships Ter
esa and Maine. She carries two II .5-
inch guns and 10 5.5-inch guns, with
projections 10 and 12 inches thick,
double and triple that of the Brook
lyn. This ship was the special prey
of the Brooklyn and the Oregon, al
though the Texas, after her destruc-
tive work on the Almirante Oquendo
and.Teresa, aided little at long range.
The Vizcaya, exclusive of 1-pounders
and rapid-fire hits which swept her
deck, was hit with large projectiles IA
times and by 6-pounders II times. The
S-inch guns of the Brooklyn and Ore
gon and the 6-inch guns on the Ore
gon and 5-inch guns on the Brooklyn