The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1898-07-30
THE PRECISE GUNNERY
OF THE AMERICANS WROUGHT FEARFUL
HAVOC TO THE SPANISH FLEEf.
What an Examination of the Wrecks or
Ceryera's Squadron Proves...Two 1" or
E13.Inch Projectiles Hit the Flagship'--A
Pen Picture c. lie Great Battle.

and all their magazines exploded, was
made first for the purpose OF ascer-
tanning the effect of American gun
nsry, and secondly to find the effect
of i0ternal explosions. Both subjects
bore upon the Maine incident and the
awful eAfeot of well-aimed shots was
demonstrated in the rapid sinking OF
the feet.
When it is remembered that the
Almirante Oquendo and the Intants
Maria Teresa were both sunk within
40 minutes Of the time they left the en-
trance of Santiago Harbor, the work OF
the American gunners may we'll be
considered remarkable. The Ami
rante Oquendo was struck over %
times, and the Infanta Maria Teresa
81 times, but by larger projectiles.
The record of damages to these ships
is one of great interest. The fight
started at range of 5000 yards, OF
three miles. At 1900 or $500 yards
two torpedo boats and two cruisers
were 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 projectiles larger than eight
inch struck vessel, both of these,
either 10 or 10 inch, being put through
the Infanta Maria Teresa. The eight
inch, six-inch, fve.inch and six-poun'
der projectiles did the bulk OF the
work, and were flightfully destructive.
Cristobal Colon, battleship, first
class, with six inches of steel for pro-
lection, not only on the water line,
but around the six-inch guns. This
ship was hit with large projectiles but
six times, as it kept out of range nearly
the whole time, passing behind tho
other ships for protection and finally
making a run for it. The hits were
made by the Brooklyn and Oregon.
The Vizcaya is of the same class as
the battleships Texas and Maine. She
carries two 11.5-inch guns and 1855
inch guns, with projections 10 and II
inches thick, double and treble that foe
the brooklyn.
This ship was the special prey Of the
Brooklyn and the Oregon, although
the Texas, after her destructive work
on the Almirante Oquendo and Teresa,
added a little at long range. The
Vizcaya, exclusive one-pounders and
rapid-fre hits, which swept her decks,
was hit with large proiectiles 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 on the Brooklyn tore
her structure above armor belt almost
into shreds, while the 6-pounders and
1-pounders made it too warm for men
to stand at the guns The Texas got
in few 6-inch shots, and the lowe
landed couple of 4-inch shells. No
13 or - inch shells strack her.
The Infanta Maria Teresa, the flag
ship, of the same build as the Vizcaya
was badly punished, and was the only
one of the four ships hit by 70 o.
13-inch projectiles. She has two o
that size clean through her, and the
position of one would tend to demon
strate that it was fired by The Texas
This is the shot that Cervera sale
came from the Brooklyn and set fire tx
, the ship. The Teresa's difficulty aal;;
, one that compelled her hurried sur
, render was that all her fire mains wer
cut and she WAS unable to extinguisl
the fires that were driving her mel
: from the guns.
, The Almirante Oquendo. armoret
cruiser, same class as the Vizcaya ani
f Teresa, went through the most terri
l BILE ordeal of any Of the ships, excep
: the torpedo boats. Her upper work
? were one ragged mass of cut-up stee
: and her decks were covered with dea{
and dying. She was hit on the port
side four times by four-inch shells
probably from the Iowa; two times b
six-inch, and AZ times by six-pounders
= The innumerable number of one
=. Founders that struck her show tina
" she met the fire of tho entire fleet a
! she turned last out of the harbor. Th
- - torpedo boats followed her and tn
~ ~ secondary battery shots intended 70
I, them hit her. Whom she returned
u u the shore it was in dilapidated col
y dition.
One of the findings of the board {
y survey was that an eight-inch she'll In
- struck the forward turret just whel
u the gun opening was, and that ever
- man in the turret was killed, the of
Ger standing i'll the firing hood beir
still in that position. Another ia
~ learned was that the torpedoes in son
- of the ships were already loaded in Il
:, tubes and prepared to fire.
o. Camara at Cartagena.