Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1899-08-09

speed and power with each revolution o
her screws. Classed rs inferior to an.
one of the four gigantic cruisers opposed
to her, she successfully engaged then
ALL
The Texas, the Oregon, the Indiana
all swooped down, turning to meet tn
westward course of Cerveras ships
Their heavy guns threw tons of har,
metal against the sides Of the doomed
ships, but only one had the steam anC
speed to follow the escaping leaders. Will
an experience gained in a race OF Il, OOt
miles, the stokers and engineers of the
mighty Oregon had learned lesson
which stood them in good stead With
speed greater even than that of the
Brooklyn, this leviathan passed to star
board Of the Iowa and Texas and hung
on the trail of the speedy Brooklyn gain
ing rapidly on the flagship, hurting heavy
shot and shell upon the enemy.
From out the entrance of the harbor
last of ALL lying fiat in the water with a
limited exposure TO hostile fire, came the
most dreaded Of all the ships which float
ed the flag OF CASTLE that morning. With
double the speed OF the Americans, with
deadly torpedoes aboard and with instruc-
tons to send in their deadly missiles on
any ship daring enough to await their at
tack, slipped out the Furor and Pluton.
During all the long watch off that harbor
these two had caused the blockaders the
greatest anxiety. Yet the result tends to
show how useless in hot battle they and
their class can be.
When the action began the Gloucester
lay farthest inshore in the starboard di-
vision. She Tapped over the huge Indiana
and her gallant commander sent her for
ward and then swept in a wide circle,
clearing the way for Taylor. She blazed
away with her guns-rnere toys compared
to those Of her big consort-but at too
long range for effective service Then
Captain Wainwright, knowing the speed
OF his ship, held her back to gain steam.
He was still waiting when the torpedo
boats made the outer entrance. Then
came his opportunity.
Opposing two vessels regarded as the
most dangerous in the fleet Of the enemy
by this time was but one daring Yankee
seaman with crew Of daring Yankees
aboard fragile yacht built for pleasure
and not stern war. 1t was contest none
need have felt shame in avoiding, but
Wainwright had seen the Maine sink be-
low the waters OF Havana harbor, had
seen his men in mangled heaps crushed
out OF life, and he knew no hesitation.
Like u greyhound his little vessel shot
forward. Down under the fire of the
battleships which had turned their fire
upon them the yacht bore in between the
deadly torpedo boats. Often in that bril-
liant action they tried to torpedo the
Gloucester, but the skill of the command
er and the skill OF the men behind the
guns smothered both vessels with a dam
aging fire.
In and out like snake of fame and
smoke raced the Gloucester. Back to.
ward the harbor entrance the worried tor.
pedo ships turned in vain effort TO %.
cape, but escape was not to be. Smotb-
cred at their guns by boat with fewar
weapons and lighter projectiles, but with
deadly aim, they blew up into fragments
One went ashore and the other dropped
beneath the waves, while the victor I'M
namely devoted his time to the rescue or
the few men who had survived his awfnI
hre. Less than one hour had passed
less than sixty minutes had been neces-
sary to show the limited y>lue of sucb
vessels against the deadly accuracy and
rapidly OF the Americans.
Cervera Opens Fire.
AS the Teresa opened fire she received
the return ire of all the ships of the
American feet. Sheering to stsrbas I'd