The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-07-23
span ISL ADMIRALS TALK

Chicago, July CIV. +. Curtis sends
the following from Annapolis 10 the Rec
ord: While the officers of Admiral Ger
vera's squadron decline to discuss the
probabilities OF peace or the consequences
that may follow Watson's expedition and
the invasion Of Porto Rico, they talk very
freely OF their own experience and con-
slider themselves as having been sacri-
feed to atone for the sins Of the ninistr
at Madrid. This expression was used by
one of them in discussing the fate of
their fleet. They declare that the dis
patch OF their vessels from Spain to the
West hides under the circumstances
the n existing was an unprecedented ex-
ample of administrative folly, for which
Mr. Moret. then minister Of the colonies
at Madrid, was directly responsible, but
he was supported by all of the members
of the cabinet except the minister of
marine who finally and with great re-
luctance consentde to issue the necessary
orders to Admiral Cervera. They explain
that public sentiment in Madrid and else
where throughout the peninsula, as rep
resented by the politicians and newspa-
pers. demanded soma offensive demon
stration toward the United States. They
were not satisfied with the defensive pol
icy of the administration. They were i'm
patient because the Spanish army in Cuba
was bottled up in Havana, Santiago and
other ports by our blockade, and because |
evry vessel sent out to its relief was cap
tured as prize of war. They insisted !
that fleet of cruisers which was idle |
at Cadiz should be sent out to destroy our |
commerce, take prizes among our ship |
ping, and blockade and lombard the ports |
OF the United States in retaliation for |
what our fleet was doing in Cuba.
Admiral Cervera's officers say that these |
demands were made by people who were |
not aware Of the unftness of the navy,
and the ministry could not make il known |
without exposing the long-centinued cor
rupuon of the marine department and the |
robbery OF the government by the diver
SION Of funds appropriated for naval de-
lenses They think it possible the true
state Of affairs was unknown 10 some o
the ministers and that perhaps Mr.. Moret
shared the delusiOn. The minister Of ma
rine. who was fully aware of the sitga-
ton. demonstrated and was sustained by
prominent officers of the navy. But he
was compelled 70 yield, and finally Issued
premptory orders for an expedition which
every man familiar with the navy knew
was not only hopelesss. but suicidal
The vessels lacked arms. men and fuel.
and one OF them. the Cristobal Colon. did
not carry guns enough for a ship of one
tenth its tonnage. When Admiral Ger
vera was asked where the guns were he
replied: In the pockets Of the contract
~ fe oil ~,
sels-the Cristobal Colon. Vizcaya, Oquen-
do and Maria Teresa-there were only six
guns of large caliber. TWO each upon the
three last named
When Iasked what the government ex-
Pected 10 accomplish by sending over this
fleet. one Of the captains. with = sarcastic
smile. replied that Moret. who is a dream
er believed 1t was possible to bomhard
New York. Boston. Washington. Chicago.
St Louis and blockade az The rest of the
cities OF the United States with four half
armed men-of-war and threetorpedo boat
destroyers.
We al protested" ne declared. we
knew that The moment We left Spain we
were lost; that our destruction was merely
a matter OF time. We felt that We were
sent as a sacrifice by the government 20
cdN-Sl9 pupAc Nldinor. ana that u a /
matter OF indifference whether We were
properly armed or not. The less guns the
better. The less guns the less loss. That
Is the dreadful story.
We We left Cadlz we were promised
men. coal and other supplies At ST. Vim
cent. and we did receive there some stores
OF food and provisions and some guns
but the torpedo boats could not go any
farther. Their machinery was unfit and
We had 10 abandon them. They never
could have crossed the Atlantic They
were not built FOR heavy weather
We sailed from Cape Verde on April -
-four cruisers and the torpedo boat de-
stroyers Furor. Terror and Pmtou IN tow
about eight knots an hour. ana
were accompanied by the hospital shin.
the Alicante We did not have sufficient
coal 10 reach Havana. but the minister
Of marine promised that we should meet
two English brigs, the Restoruel and the
laden with Cardiff c,oal. az !
But they were not there.
The French authorities refused TO allow
~ 70 buy fuel, and the Only way we could