Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-07-05

tain wainwright concluding to reserve his
efforts for tho two torpedo boat destroy
ers In the rear. The Gloucester steamed
after them when they appeared and chased
them to a point Ave miles west of Moro.
pouring shot after shot into them all the
time. Her efforts bore abundant fruit,
for to her belongs the credit for the de-
struction of both OF the destroyers. sne
fired l.i00 shots during the chase. and IL
was not long before both destroyers we're
on fire and plainly disabled.
notwithstanding this. they both returned
the Gioucester's fire and rain OF small
shells fell around the yacht The Furor
evidently determined that she would not
stand the fire any longer and she put about
and headed back for Santiago. Then the
Gloucester simply smothered her with shots
from her rapid fire guns and. running Ike
the wind. forced her to turn around and
again head westward.
Smoke commenced to rise from the Fu-
ror'. sides, and she put in towards the
shore. Before she had gone far. wha,
was left of her crew abandoned her and
took to the boats, reaching the shore later.
By that time she was a mass of fame and
was drifting about helplessly.
The Pluton was in the same distressed
condition. and was also headed for the
shore, running up alongside of a low bluff.
where she soon pounded to pieces. and
finally broke in two completely. 1t was a
most dangerous landing place for her crew.
and but about half Of them reached the
shore alive.
The Gloucester did not go any farther
west, but lay off shore and sent in boat
to the assistance of the crews of the de-
stroyers. 1t did not take the flames long
to reach the Furor's magazines, and there
were terrific explosions, probably of the
guncotton on board of her, which blew
holes in her bottom. Her stern sunk i'm
mediately, and as it settled in the water
her bow rose stE.ight into the air and she
went to the bottom in perpetual oblivion,
giving out 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. The American
fire was SO rapid that the ships were en-
veloped in thick clouds Of smoke, and 1t
was impossible to tell at the distance which
vessels were doing the greater execution.
The Brooklyn and the five battleships were
keeping up an incessant fire upon the In
fanta Maria Teresa, the Vizcaya ard the
Almirante Oquendo, and the latter We're re-
turning 1t bravely. though with no success.
The Spanish gunners seemed unable to get
the proper range. and many of their shots
were very wild, though a number of them
fell dangerously near to the mark.
The guns of the battery just east of
MORO also took part in the game and their
shells fell around the American ships.
Many of them struck the upper works OF
the fleeing Spaniards. and must have re-
suited in, killing and wounding many OF
their men.
The Spanish ships had now reached a
point about seven miles west Of Moro and
a mile or two beyond the place where the
Furor was burning and the Pluton broke in
two against the cliff.
The flagship and the Oquenda were the
first to show signals of distress. Two u
inch shells from one Of the battleships
had struck the Maria Teresa at the water
line tearing great holes in her side and
suffered about the same fate. and both
ships headed for small cove and went
aground 80 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 be-
fore them, but it was not until the ships
were on fire and enveloped in flames and
smoke that the men ceased firing.
The Gloucester, after sending a boa
ashore to the Pluton, steamed along the
coast to where the armored cruisers were
stranded and went to their assistance
There was danger from the magazines anG
many of those on board jumped into the
water and swan to the shore, though {
number were unable to reach the small
strip of sandy beach in the cove and were
thrown against the rocks and killed OF
drowned.
Many of the wounded were lowered into
the ships own boat 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 line from the Maria Teresa, making
it fast to a tree on the shore. By this
means many on the flagship. including Ger
vera, lowered themselves into the Glouces-
ter's boats. The wounded were taken to
the Gloucester as rapidly as possible, and
the lower deck of the yacht was soon COW
cred with Spanish sailors, mangled in limb
and body by the bursting of shells.
The Gloucester's crew gave the wounded
men every attention possible. The shore
was soon lined with those who had escaped
from the Infanta Maria Teresa and the AL
mirante Oquendo There were still some
men on both vessels when the fire COM
menced to reach the magazines and the
boxes of ammunition lying on the decks.
A dozen or more explosions followed.
THE NEWS AS MADRID GETS IT.
1t L. Officially Announced That Ad-
mirnl Cervera Made . Success
full SOrtie.