The record-union., 1898-11-30
.CAPITULATION OF
SANTIAGO De CUBA.
Bureau OF Naval Intelligence Issues
Another War Series.
The Author Being the Second In Command
of the Spanish Naval Forces.
At the Battles Of Ell Caney and San
Juan the Americans Fought
With Truly Admirable Courage
and Spirit-Losses to the Span
ish in All Attacks Upon San
tiago.

WASHINGTON, Nov. 29.-The Bu-
reau of Naval Intelligence to-day is
sued another of its war series, this
time the Battles and Capitulation OF
Santiago de Cuba, by Lieutenant Jose
Miller Tejeiro, the second in COM
mand of the naval forces of the prov
ince of Santiago de Cuba
Captain Clover, Chief of the Intelli-
gence Bureau, explains in an intro
ductory note that the writer was an
eyewitness of most of the events that
he describes. and from his position had
access to official information The
style is peculiarly interesting, free
from bias, and has an air of authen-
ticity which will give the book a place
in history, though it is not an official
publication.
The author began, according to his
own statement, to keep an exact diary
of events at Santiago from the mo-
ment of the appearance there of Ger
vera's fleet, realizing, as he says, that
the vessels were to have a most pow
erfu1 influence on the war.
The publication begins with a chap
ter entitled 1.-The Two Fleets telling
of the arrival of Cerveras squadron on
the 18th Of May, and of the disappoint-
ment of the people, who expected no
less than eight battleships instead Of
five.
The picture he draws of the condi-
tions in the besieged city is quite ter
rible, owing to the shortage of food
and supplies. He speaks of the diff
culties of coaling, and shows that the
fleet was very badly supplied.
Concerning the opinions as to why
the fleet did not go out, he refers to
the great joy caused by it's arrival
and then says that the ships in the
harbor were compelling the enemy to
sustain with superior force the block
ade, with all it's difficulties and dan
gers. 1t was not believed that the
Americans would expose themselves to
serious disaster. or would force any
one of the ports which were being
blockaded. The Spanish ships did not
have to give battle in order 70 obtain
results, and he says that If provisions
had not been wanting in Santiago, and
the Spanish feet had remained there,
no one could tell to what extremes inn
patience and despair might not have
carried Admiral Sampson. The move
ments of the American fleet were a
puzzle to the Spaniards, as they did
not know why they remained on watch
all day and disappeared at night. But
it was supposed that the Americans
were afraid of the destroyers.
He speaks of the destructive work
of the Vesuvius whenever the bombs
fell upon any point where there were
works or guns.
Speaking of the battles of FL Caney
and San Juan, he says the Americans,
it must be acknowledged, fought with
truly admirable courage and spirit.
While the battles were going at Ell
Caney and San Juan the enemy had
sent forces against the whole Spanish
line, for the purpose, no doubt. of
harassing and making the attack more
general. The casualties of the Span
ish side are stated to be sixty officers
and 5S3 men. He claimed that only $50
men defended Ell Caney for ten hours,
and that 250 defended San Juan for
four hours
8 He speaks of the lively bombardment
by sea and land on the I'd of July. and
the sortie of the Spanish fleet on July
Sd. For some time the Spaniards did
not know whether the ships had sue
ceeded in making their escape. but
having been informed they had, there
was great rejoicing. 1t was 6 o'clock
that the pilot came in and informed
them that the Teresa, Oquendo and
the destroyers had been lost
The total losses in all the attacks
on Santiago are given as follows: Off
GERS killed, 16: men killed, ,/1O7: off,
GERS wounded, SO: men wounded. 556;
prisoners and missing, officers sand
116 men.