The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-07-09
Copyright, 1898, by w. r. Hearst.-Spe

| Copyright, 1883, by w. X. Hearst.-Spe-
cial Cable TO the New York Journal)
On Board the Battleship Texas. July g
via Journal Dispatch Boat TO Kingston,
July 3.-''They'Ee coming out!' This was
the cry that startled all our ships at $3.50
o'clock this Sunday morning.
1t was Lieutenant Bristol who uttered
the Exclamation. We were lying directly
In front of Santiago harbor. and he had
seen moving smoke floating over point
on the right of the harbor entrance. Hard
ly had he shouted, when out from behind
the Estrera battery poked the nose of a
cruiser. coming with a big bone in her
teeth.
''Clangi" sounded the electric gongs.
The ships company beat to general
quarters, the orders were shouted for
full steam ahead, and in dashed the Texas
to meet the foe.
It's the Vizcaya," was the general
comment.
Certainly the ship belonged to the Viz
caya class, but before we had done won
dering what she was trying to do we
saw the Cristobal Colon, easily distin-
guishable by the military mast between
the two tunnels. She was treading on the
heels of the foremost ship, tearing through
the water at a tremendous speed, the
smoke rolling from her tunnels and hid
ing what was astern Of her
CLOSING IN ON THE ENEMY.
In few minutes, however, we made
out two more cruisers of the Vizcaya type
and were then sure that Cervera was at
perate attempt to cut his way to free
dom.
On we went, getting more speed at
every kick of the screw. From the first
the signal flags had been fluttering the
message:
THE enemy IS trying to ESCAPED"
e Would see that the cruiser Brooklyn
and the big battleships owa and Oregon
responded a once and shaped their course
for the enemy. their distance from the
shore being about two and a half miles
at the time they first got our signal.
But we had little time to look around.
Hardly was the leading Spanish ship clear
of the shadows of old Moro before
boom" went one of her big guns-and the
battle had begun. The first shell went
wild.
FIRING THE BIG GUNS.
Then our old ship shook from her keel
up. The big Texas guns began to talk,
and soon our other ships were mixing in
the fray.
The Spaniards turned to the westward,
and we kept boring in on them. They
fired necessarily. and kept their engines
tending to outrun US and escape.
The Brooklyn, just as good at the run
ming game as they were, turned her
course nearly parallel with theirs. though
drawing into closer quarters a little all
the while. She was soon in good range
and her running fight must have been
great one; but we had so much on our
own hands that there was no time to
stop and admire Commodore Schley's
work with his guns.
We were still well in the lead OF our
ships. nearer the enemy than the others
and getting a large share of the enemy's
attention. We hammered away at the
foremost ships and they hammered back
as they gradually drew away to the west
ward, keeping in the shadow of the shore.
But we nailed the third ship in their
line. This was either the Vizcaya or the
Maria Teresa. We had her in fine fighting
range before she could get by and you
should have seen the first bsttleship com
missiontd in the United States navy when
she got down 20 business in her first sea
fight. They used to call the Texas the
"Old Hoodoo," but I guess the "Old Hero
Will be good enough for US after this day
SHOTS HIT THE MARK.
We were in close enough now. so we
turned west with our adversary Our
speed was not equal to hers. but what we
lacked in speed We made up with shells.
We could see that our shots were getting
home, but The enemy replied with much
spirit and some accuracy.
Captain Philip was on the bridge up TO
this time, but it soon became the part
Of discretion to retire. so he ordered the
bridge contingent to the coming tower
passage. taking control Of the ship from
the tower itself
There IS a good angel presiding over
Captain Philip. Hardly had he lef. the
bridge when big shell from one OF the
fleeing SpaniardS ripped right through
the pilot house. Il certainty would have
kiile dthe man al the wheel and possibly
every officer OF te bridge had not the
captain given his connine-tower order Just
as he ID.
So the captain, with Executive Officer
Harhor. Navigating Officer Miner and
Cadet Reynolds. who was operating the
range finder. stood or the coming tower
Platform. issuin ghis orders through mes
sengers. and keeping as cool as charity
through all the heat OF the fighting.
TERRIBLE TwELVE-INCH GUNS.
For half an hour the elemy's shells
whistled all about the Texas one more
got HON. This one bored a hole through