The Jersey City news., 1898-07-05

passed under the wall of Morro Castle
and steamed out to sea. She was folloW-
Oqueando, and last by the torpedo poat
deStroyers Plufon and Furor.
The lookout on the American vesseis,
which were lying five or ten miles OH ihe
medfately. Most of the American cruis-
ers were at the usual Sunday morning
quarters without thought OF anythlhg as
surprising as the Spanish meet getting
they had been deluded into believing Ell
fectualiy blocked the exit of the fleet
There was great excitement at once,
and very rapid action all along the Amerl,
can lines The signal for full speed
ahead was running from bridge TO en-
gine room of every ship. and the entire
fleet commenced to move 1nshore loWaro
the Spanish, and the great Twelve ahg
thirteen inch guns of the battlesnips ana
the smaller batteries on the other yesseis
fired shot after shot at long range.
AS the ships ran in towards the shore
it soon became evident that the spanlaT.as
had not come out to make an aggressive
fight, for they turned TO the eastward as
soon as they had cleared the harbor ana
started on their race for safety at the
same time sending answering snoes a. ,,lS tiis
load and fire the guns. The Brooklyn,
Massachusetts, Texas, Oregon and Iowa
We're nearer the Spaniards than any 9TH
sers of the American vessels, but still most
of them were too far away TO get an et-
fectiye range. They crowded on all
steam. however, in preparation for the
chase never stopping their fire for one
moment.
The Gloucester, a fast little yacht that
cannot boast of any heavier battery than
several six-pounders and three-pounders,
was lying off Aguadores, three miles east
of Moro, when the Spaniards came out.
At first she Joined in the attack upon
large vessel and then held off some, Cap
tain Wainwright concluding to reserve
his efforts for the two torpedo boat de-
stroyers in the rear.
The Gloucester steamed after them
when they appeared and chased them TO
a point five miles west of Moro, pouring
Her efforts bore abundant fruit, for to
her belongs the credit for the destruction
of both of the destroyers. She hred l,4oo
shots during the chase. and It was not
long before both destroyers were on hre
and plainly disabled.
Notwithstanding this they both return
ed the Gloucester's fire and shower or
small shells fell all around the yacht.
The Furor evidently determined that she
would not stand the fire any longer and
she put about and headed back for san
tiago. Then the Gloucester simply smoth-
cred her with shots from her rapid fire
guns. and running like the wind forced
her to turn around and again head west
ward.
Smoke commenced to rise from the
Furor's sides, and she put in toward the
shore Before she had gone far what was
left of her crew abandoned her and took
to the boats, reaching the shore later BY
that time she was mass OF flame and was
drifting about helplessly
The Pluton was in the same distressed
condition, and was also headed for the
shore. running up along side of low
bluff. where she soon pounded TO pieces,
and finally broke in two completely. 1t
,es+ 5u1 landing n1aCR for
her crew. and but about half Of them
reached the shore alive.
The Gloucester did not go any further
west but lay off shore. and sent In poat
to the assistance of the crews of the des-
troyers 1t did not take the flames long
to reach the Furors magazines. and there
were two terrific explosions, probably OF
the gun cotton aboard OF her. which DleW
holes in her bottom. Her stern sunk I'M
mediately and as 1t settled In the water
her bow raised straight in the air, and she
went to the bottom in perpetual OBLIVION,
giving out a Kissing scalding sound as she
disappeared below the surface.
Meantime the larger American ships
were gaining on the Spanish cruisers and
a storm of shots was passing between the
pursuers and the pursued: Inc AnaeIledil "a,
veioDed in thick clouds of smoke and II
was impossible to tell at the distance
which vessels We're doing the greater exc exc
cution. The Brooklyn and the five battle
ships were keeping up an lncessant nre
upon the Infanta Maria Teresa, the Viz
caya and the Aimirapte Oquendo ana the
with no success. The Spanish guEners
seemed unable to get the proper range
and many of their shots We're very Wild
though a number or them Tell dangerously
near TO the mark.
The guns of the battery just east OF
Moro also took part in the game, ana
their shells fell around the Americar ,Ihaer
works of the fleeing Spaniards and must
have resulted in the killing and wound
ing many of their men
The Spanish ships had now reached a
point about seven miles west of Moro
and mile or two beyond the place where
the Furor was burning and the Pluton
broken in two against the cliff.
The flagship and the Oquendo were the
first to show signals of distress Two
thirteen inch shells from one of the bat
tleships had struck the Maria Teresa at
the water line, tearing great holes in her
side and causing her to fill rapidly. The
Oquendo suffered about the same fate
and both ships headed for small cove
and went aground 200 yards from the
shore. flames shooting from them in every
direction
The officers and crew must have been
aware of the fate which seemed to be
before them. but it was not until the
ships were on fire and enveloped In flames
and smoke that the men ceased hring-
The Gloucester after sending a boat
ashore to the Pluton, steamed along the
coast TO where the armored cruisers We're
stranded and went to their assistance.
There was danger from the magazines
and nanySof those on board jumped into
the water and SWAN to the shore, though
a number were unable to reach the small
strip of sandy beach in the cove and
were thrown against the rocks and Killed
or drowned. Many of the wounded We're
lowered into the ships own boats and
taken ashore, but this task was most
difficult one.
The Gloucester had all her boats out,
and one seaman swan through
the surf with a line from the
Maria Teresa, making it fast to
a tree on the shore. By this means
many of the flagship including Admiral
Ceryera. lowered themselves into the
Gloucester's boats. The wounded were
taken to the Gloucester as rapidly as pos
sible. and the lower deck: of the yacht
was soon covered with Spanish sailors,
rnangled in limb and body by the burst
ing of Shells The Gloucester's crew gave
the wounded men every attention pos
sible. The shore was soon lined with
those who had escaped from the Infanta
Maria Teresa and the Almirante Oquon-
vessels when the fire commenced to reach
the magazines and the boxes of ammu-
nition
A dozen or more explosions followed,
the smoke from which covered the hill
side. running down almost to the water 8
edge. Another column of smoke two
miles further to the westward was OBJ
served The Viscaya also was in flames
and was Obliged to run ashore to keep
diana were keeping up a terrific fire upon
her. and her condition was as bad as that
of he~others.
The Rrooklyn. Oregon. Massachusetts