The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-07-12
ERICSSON N ACTION
Had a Torpedo Ready But the
Vlzcaya
SURRENDERED TOO QUICK
So That Great Naval Problem
is Still UnsoIved.

New York. July IA special 20 the
Herald from Portsmouth. y. H says:
Out OF the many scraps an deeds %
daring OF that never-to e-forSotten day
on Santiago the adventures ana exploits
Of the little torpedo boat Ericsson should
be brought 70 light
The Ericsson was OF Ss5ony when the
spaniard made their desperate sor;i. and
me torpedo boat went racing down TIA
coast line stearing straight for the thick
OF the battle The big battleship Indiana
eastward guard Of the blockadinE SQUAD
ron. was heading straight fer the entrance
OF Santiago harbor in order 10 block he
return OF the flying fugitives In case their
night was baked and they attempted 20
return.
Through the smoke OF their bow guns
the Ericsson darted. bIunginE into the
swirling cloud OF the smoke enshroudei
fleets. A BIT on the starboard A hush
hull doomed through the mist OF bursting
shells and through the whiriinK white A
glimpse was had OF the flag OF Spain. al
most riddled but stiu nyin.e
over went the helm OF the torpedo boat.
around swung the torpedo tubes. The
looked for opportunity to sink ar Enemy's
snip at last was az hand. Nearer and
nearer the great hull doomed through tas
smoke At last the mark was fair. Walk
Tor the next roll to plant the splitting
mine well under her armor belt stand
by, IS the order. There she goes over.
Hold on. sir comes the quick han
from forward as the order 20 FIRE is given.
She has hauled down her colors".
And so il was. Cut TO pieces BY shells.
her decks a shambie and on FIRE. no
Vizcaya had struck her flag. Biindly
cropping. she found a lebge on which 70
rest her keel and the Ericsson. intent on
her destruction a moment before. came
near 20 rescue, Many OF the Vizcaya'S
men were in the water Teh nagship
signaled the Ericsson 10 range near the
Nizcaya and rescue the survivors Of thu
now nercely burning wreck
In prompt obedience the Ericsson ran
as close 20 the burning hulk as the hea,
would permit a horrible sight was ,hers
On the port beam, of which the Ericsson
lay. frightful wounds had been torn in
the vessels side. and through the gaping
or.fces the crew OF the Ericsson could
see the men OF che Vtzcaya's Gre room,
force being brolled alive in the fierce
flames OF the shell wrecked compartment.
Il has been since learned that they had
ben battened down and had no means OF
egress.
But that was not all the horror Swing
ing from boat falls were dozens OF men
who apparently could not swim and who
had been driven 20 those scorching threads
OF Of life by the fierce neat OF the burn
ing ship. The Ericsson could approach
no nearer for fear OF being dashed 20
pieces against the wreck. Her men shout
ed 70 hte wrecked victims n Jump. but
they would not or could not he made 70
understand thar efforts would BE made 90
save them, and not until a number OF ne
Ericsson's men made lines fast around
their bodies and flung themselves into tho
sea did the Spaniards seem 20 understand
One by one they dropped OF and some
were hauled on board the Ericsson. but No
majority were drowned The engines az
the Vizcaya had not been stopped. and
for hours after she had struck they were
faithfully throbbing at their useless task
Her guns TOO. had been left loaded. and
one by one those doomed a requiem over
the diving ship.
In AL the Ericsson picked up nearly q
hundred survivors. among them he viz
caya's commander. Captain Euiats. Of
Competitor fame. be being re offlcer who
OF that vessel. Al OF the survivors were
barefooted and scantlly clad and this I'D
ded 10 the terror Of the CHASTITY tragedy.
The steel decks Of torpedo boat are an
comfortably hot and the bsrsfootsd Span
iards were compelled 20 execute a con-
tinual dance on the treated plates 20 pre-
vent the solcs n their feet from blister
ing Many D the ~ wers frfghfly wounded
and here the grim zeriousnes u war shuts
IN aga.n.
The Padre OF thsvlscaya vas asked By
Lieutenant rIeher % lend a hard In help
Ing the wounded. but ne gss uuconrsrned
about their suffering. Turning deaf ear.
be seated himself on acaaet That chest
10 be NEEDED for wounded rnsa
VINO was writing On The heated deck.
5ut the ps9ss refused 70 surrender o.
Usher mouonef 20 his muscular younK
executive Ensign Edo. and SO padrs
vacated the chest Immediately and With
sorne los % dignity