The National tribune., 1898-07-14

would now. and then be heardHwhen {
shell from the enemy would burst from
half a mile 30 a mile away from us.
The Isabel was almost out of range and
the Terror was Steamlng eastward, still
inshore. Surely, with heavier armament
the two Spaniards would not fail to close
with us in battle, especially against an
antagonist who presented a broadSlde a
little over tenth of mile long and 5u
feet out of water. Are the SpanIards
really plucky in open battle, or are they
better adapted to the stealthy movements
of the guerrilla, the warfare that baffied
the great Napoleon himself?
The St Paul, that for some time lay
without headway, now slowly moved east
ward parallel To the shore and the course
OF the torpedG-boat, so manuverlng as TO
throw the Isabel completely out of range
and to separate her from the Terror, and
10 compel the latter to advance in the
trough of the sea should that vessel, with
its 2S-knot speed. make dash for the St
Paul to torpedo her. The ST. Paul would
accept battle, but on her own terms.
The Terror was working out towards the
st. Paul and when about within range
made a sudden dash. Now came the
critical moment, for. besides two torpedo
tubes, the Terror mounted two 14pounder
and two 6-pounder -Nordenteldt
rapid fire guns, against which, at close
range. the sides of the st. Paul would be
as paper.
Commence firing,'' was given, and like
a burst of thunder, the gunnerS, who up
10 this time had reserved their fire, sent
forth furious volume of shot and shell.
No less than hundred were fired wlthln
the space of six minutes.
On came the Terror, firing rapidly, but
ineffectively, while our shots fairly ralned
about her. Many a cheer did our men
give as our shots seemed TO strike closer
and closer, and the groans that were
given TO, her shells as they fell away
harmlessly would have done credit to the
"rooters" at a baseball game.
Suddenly the Terror stopped as If
struck, firing now from broadside. She
was struck; shell had carried away her
smOke-pipe and raked her deck. She
was now at 5, 400 yards from the st. Paul,
ard if she ran risk when head-on under
high speed, surely now she. was danger
ously exposed. We did not give her long
10 consider upon course OF action, Tor
one of our shells pierced her side just
above the water-line, making a hole
through her big enough for a man 10
crawl through, crippling one of her en-
gines, carrying away her feed-pipe and
killing the Chief Engineer. Another shell
burst over her, killing sailor and wound
ing others of the crew. She put about
and made for the Moro. We of course
could not follow.
The Terror seemed to list to starboard,
moving slowly, as if injured, and instead
OF making directly for the entrance of the
harbor, fell away TO leeward. She then
entered the harbOr, and, as we afterwards
learned, was taken in tow by two tugs
and beached TO save her from sinking.
The Isabel apparently showed concern
and followed the Terror in, firing all the
while, though out Of range. Soon after,
however, the Isabel, accompanied by a
gunboat, reappeared around the MORO
and took an easterly course under cover
OF the shore batteries. Another gunboat
hppeared in the harbor, but did not come
Out.
The st. Paul was headed westward, but
after the Spaniards had proceeded some
distance she changed her course TO one
parallel TO the shore, with the hope of
bringing the Spaniards within range. But
the SpanlardS no sooner saw our mdnuver
than they put about and a little later
disappeared IN the port of San Juan,
unwilling TO further dispute the st. Pauls
ability TO maintain a blockade. Had the
St Paul been driven away or retired, the
blockade would have been broken, and il
would then have had 10 be Enthusiastically
established by superior force TO ours in
order TO avoid any complications that
might arise should a capture be made.
We learned from the harbor, from those
who had seen the Terror, that pumps were
being worked day and night on her in
order to save her, and work was being
pushed in order to make her effective
again. From the poor facilities for repair
in San Juan, it is thought doubtful if the
Terror will again. be effective, as probably
one engine cannot be repaired.
The Spaniards had picked crew on the
Terror, and indeed they showed great
bravery, If not gunnery, and those vino
were uniniured IN the engagement were
declaring on shcre that they only wanted
10 repair the Terror in order to get at the
st. Paul again.
IN the harbor of San Juan, we learned,
there are two cruisers, two gunboats, and
one torpedo-boat destroyer. Perhaps they
did not think it necessary to send out
more vessels. The Spaniards mistook
the st. Paul for the ST. Louis, which has
a lighter battery, and doubtless the Span
iards anticipated an easy victory. The
town people crowded the bluffs, no doubt
thinking to see the Yankee sink or run,
and the Isabel flew flag which everyone
declared to be the largest they had ever
seen on ship. However, the Isabel was
careful TO preserve her flag.
The st. Paul was not hit during the
engagement, though two shots from the
Terror fell close to her. One burst within
so yards and another within 300 yards,
both line shots.
The Infanta Isabel (or Isabel IT. is
third-class steel unprotected cruiser,
built in Spanish dock-yards and launched
in 1885, Her dimensions are: Length
between perpendiculars, 210 feet; beam,
81 feet; draft forward, IL feet; aft, IA feet;
displacement 1855 tons. For motive
power she has single-screw compound
engines, designed to develop 500 i. III. p.
and give speed of IA knots; but this is
on paper. She can probably speed no
more than 10 or II knots. Her armament
consists Of four 4.T-inch and four 2. 7-inch
Hontoria b. ID. r., and eight machine
guns. Also, two tOrpedO-tubes. She has
a complement of 173 men.
The Terror, Cf which the Furor is a
sister ship, is one of the most powerful
torpedO-boat destroyers yet built. Her hull
is. OF steel, and she is very low in the
water. Her dimensions are: Length, 22O
feet; beam, % feet; depth, 13 feet; draft,
SIS feet; displacement, $50 TONS For mo-
tive power she has twin-screw, 4-cyIin-
ders, tiple-expansion engines, designed
70 develop 5000 i. III. p. and give a speed
Of 26 knots. Her armament consists OF
two IA 4pounder and two 6-pounder Maxim
Nordenfeldt rapid-fire guns, two Maxim
Nordenfeldt automatic 1-pOunder guns,
two i4-inch torpedo tubes, carrying four
Schwartzkopf torpedoes.
Won Medal.
~ Y