The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-03-19
Wbo Bottled Elfl1?
"Slgbting Beb'' Says
SebIsy Didn't Do II.

New York, March 1S-Captain Robley
D. Evans contributes d chapter TO W. A.
NJ. Goodies book, with Sampson
Through the War just issued. Captain
Evans describes how the Iowa joined Adj
miral Schley Off Cienfuegos, May 2 AT
ter saluting the admiral" he says, the
Iowa became one Of the flying squadron
and proceeded TO drift leisurely with it,
off and on, Micawber-like, waiting for
something-we hoped the Spanish squad
ron-to turn up"
Summing up the much discussed Ques-
ton of how Cervera was bottled, Captain
Evans, after telling Of the discovery OF
the Cristobal Colon, on May %. in the
month of Santiago harbor, writes as fol-
lows: 1--WE signalled TO the flagship (the
BROOKLYN Spanish cruiser Cristobal Co
lon in the harbor.' and the answer came
promptly I understand A moment later
a socend Spanish cruiser. supposed to be
the Maria Teresa, was discovered 20 the
left of Caya Smith, and till later the spars
Of third were seen over the land. The
Iowa was at once cleared for action and
everything was made ready for battle, as
we felt sure the Spaniards meant 10 fight
If they had wanted 10 escape they GER
tainly had had every opportunity to do
so. Later on it was found that Admiral
Cervtra had entered the harbor of Santi-
ago May Is, the day and almost the hour
the flying squadron left Key West for
Cienfuegos. It is evident that the maneuv-
ering Of the flying squadron had nothing
TO do with either forcing Cervera into
Santiago or reventing his escape there
from, up to 7:45 a. m. May 80 On June
Admiral Sampson arrived on the New
York and the Iowa ceased TO be vessel
of the flying squadron. The admirals
plan of blockade was substituted for that
of Commodore SchIey and the beginning
of the end was in sight"
In another chapter, entitled ''The Bat
tleship in and Out Of Action" Captain
Evans gives the following as the Lessons
that in general way, he deduced from
the war: First, the absolute necessity
for fast armored cruisers. capable of long
sea endurance; second, ample supply of
torpedo boat destroyers; third, the abso
lutte necessity for proper Golfers and sup
ply vessels: fourth, the absolute necessity
of mokeless powder; fifth, the need Of
some instrument by which the range can
be accurately and rapidly obtained; sixth,
the necessity for more perfect system
of communication, both as regards the
ship herself and as between different ships
of the sac squadron; seventh, the neces-
sity of smokeless fuel; eighth, inefficiency
of fire from ships against earthworks
properly constructed; ninth. necessity for
two coming towers. one fore and one aft"
Regarding the best place from which to
fight a battleship, Captain Evans whites:
II know of no more devilish place than
the coming tower of a battleship in ac-
ton" Yet the former captain of the
Iowa is forced to admit that, taking into
consideration the tactical value of the
captains life, the coming tower is, after
all, the best but by no means the most
pleasant place in action. Captain Evans
states that he believes the effect of rapid
fire has been over-estimated by the hasty
conclusions drawn from the battle of
July s.
Regarding water supply for ships Cap
tain Evans writes: 1.-The effect of using
salt water in the boilers of our battieships
during the late war was so injurious that
it seems to me it would be criminal 10
allow it 10 occur again. We must either
have distilling ship for, say. each two
battleships in our fleet. or else. knowing
the amount necessary to make up our
waste, put in the battleships a distilling
plant vapable of distilling the amount re-
ouired"