The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-08-20
MOREU EXPLAINS.
Captain of the Colon Tells How It All
Happened.

Happened.
New York, Aug. 20.-The Press says.
Captain Emilio Diaz NToreu, of the
Spanish ship Cristobal Colon, in an in
terview, discussed the events of the last
few weeks without bitterness. There
was even a playful suggestiveness in
his tones when he replied to the in
Quiry whether he would say goodbye
to the American fleet as he passed
down the bay on the NOrmandie.
Yes he went on, why shouldn't
have friends on board your ships? We
did not fight friends on board your
ships. We don't fight as personal foes.
Captain Cook of the Brooklyn-you
don't know him, all, a fine man. Half
an hour after the battle I had given
me his. On mine wrote:
Z" We have just fought two hours and
a half Each did his duty. We We're
not personal foes. Now that it is all
over we are comrades and friends.
That is the way I feel toward the
Americans. I believe they have a diff
ferent opinion of the Spaniards from
what they had before the war"
Captain, do you think Hobson will
raise the COlOn?'
mo, he will not She is tipped on her
side and her 1000 tons have smashed
her. Any vessels saved there will cost
twice their value"
1.-The Colon was a beautiful vessel"
ventured the reporter.
Beautiful and every inch a fighting
ship. 1 would have got away; none of
them could have stopped me, but -,'
the captain paused and said: Got
away, said, you understand. I mean
it. Schley knows it, Sampson knows it
and SO does Cook told them it was
not the Brooklyn nor the Oregon that
kept me from escaping. They say I
went only "a miles. tell you it was r.
Divide that by the time and you will
see my average was 17.2 knots an hour
and at times Is. The Oregon could only
90 I steadily 6rnTDirc~
Brooklyn behind. Oh, no, neither of the
two kept me from escaping, but can
not tell you now why 1 was not able
to save my splendid ship" and the cap
tain's voice trembled.
You won't have long to wait, though,
you won't have long to watt he re-
peated. When tell why, it will be on
the floor of the cortes. 1 am a member
of the Spanish parliament. represent
the MOntril district in Granada pro-
vince. I have been permitted by the
president to go home now, that 1 may
be present at the opening of the cOrteS,
which will take place in a few days.
Then I will explain and many things
dark now will seem clear. know many
Americans don't seem quite clear from
their own accounts as to why did not
escape when was in the lead and
gaining. They will soon know.
II am not saying this to detract at all
| from the achievements of the Amert-
can fleet. The men did all they could,
| but there's an unWrltten chapter yet TO
| be known before history is written.
mo one will say the Colon was mate
| rally damaged by the American fire, y
! he went on. she was mt only SIX
| times. By your own reports made
| twenty-six holes in the Brooklyn and
! there were forty traces of hits on her
/ sides. Does that not speak well for
| Spanish gunnery? They say our gun
ners could not shoot. Well, the Brook
| lyn's sides tell a different story"
why did not you sink her then?''
| 'Our guns were too small. The three
| vessels with heavy guns-the Vizcaya,
the Maria Teresa and the Oquendo-
were on fire. I was left alone with on
| ly rapid fire guns of a comparatively
small calibre. IF I had had 13-inch
| guns or II or 12-Well, there might have
| been a different story. Those holes in
| the Brooklyn would have meant more.
| your naval men have learned a
| great deal with their fight with the Co
| lon. They will not give up their heavy
| guns for the light, rapid fire. Sampson
/ told me as much. told him they could
| not and they smiled when asked them
where they would be if I had heavy
1T was the fortune of war that the
| heavy guns were on board the ships
| with woodwork that would catch fire.
| There was no fire on my ship, because
! she had no woodwork She was like
| the Brooklyn and would not burn"
What do you think of the New
| York?''
"A bad ship. It was lucky for her
/ that she did not get into the fight. She
| would have burned like our three ships.
Rear Admiral Sampson was in perfect
| accord with me on that subject and
| agreed that a shell might have set her
| on fire and with her woodwork she
would have gone the way of the Viz
! caya-"
.'Who should get the credit for the
! victory-Sampson or Schley?" he was
/ asked.
Both officers are men of great intel
| Iigence and high character" he said.
| But Sigsbee! All what shall I say of
| him?" said the captain bitterly. ''Af-
| ter the Maine explosion he was in Cap
! tain Eulate's cabin in the Vizcaya.
| There, with tears in his eyes, he said
! his career in life was ended, because
| he had lost his ship. We rescued the
| American seamen while their officers
| were drinking champagne on shore and
! then Sigsbee goes into court, forgets
| all about his tears and lamentations in
| Eulate's ca bin and tries to shoulder the
/ blame on US. Never did we have a hand
! in blowing up the Maine, and am con-
! WINGED that after the raightfOrWard
| square way we have fought this war,
! the American people do not believe that
we blew up the Maine"
] DO you expect to be brought before
a court martial on your return?'
I'VE will appear before a court of
| inquiry. That is regular and formal.
/ No matter whether it is a defeat or a
victory, if anything happens to a Span
| ish fleet the proceedings go before a
| court of inquiry