The times., 1899-10-01


thought that the situation was insuppoftable, and
| that should 20 to the bay Of Manila in order
to accept there the battle under less uniayorabie
conditions.
The Return to Manila.
refused TO have our ships near the city of
Manila because, far from defending it, this would
provoke the enemy to lombard the plaza. which,
doubtless. would have been demolished on account
Of its few daienees il was unanimously decided
that should take position IN the bay OF Can
acao, in lie least water possible, in order to
c mbine our fire with that OF the batteries OF
Point Sangley and Jlloa
Immediately ordered Del Rio TO concentrate
his force in the most strategic point OF the arsenal
taxing every precauticn 10 bum the coal and
stores before allowing them to tai into the power
/ OF the enemy ! sent the Don Juan de Aus;lI to
4 Manila 10 get a large number Of lighters filled
With sand to ill the water line Of the Castillo
j (Which ooad not moyel against the enemy shells
and torpedoes. At TO a. m. on the 29th, leit
Subir with the vessels q my squadron towing the
Castillo by the transport Mania.
In the Gulf OF Canncao.
in the afternoon OF the same day anchored
I in the Gull of Canacao in s metres OF water. On
/ the following morning anchored in line of bat
/ tle-the Christina, Don Juan de Austria, Don
Juan de Ullea, Luzon, Cuba, and Marques del
Duero while The transport Manila was sent TO
/ tLe Roads of Bacoors, where the Neiasco and
LEO were undergoing repairs.
At p. | IeceIyed telegram from Subic
] announcing th8t ire enemy squadron iaG en-
tered the port at 8 O'Clock, reeennotring, doubt
less seeirg ships, and from there they sailed
with course for Manila. The mali steamer Isla
I Miadanoa arrived in the bay. j advised her cap
tain TO save his vessel by going TO Singapore,
/ as the enemy could not ger into the entrance
! probably before midnight
/ As he not authorized from the Trans At
lantic c. mpany. he did not do so, and then told
him that he could anchor in shallow water as near
/ as possible to BaGeor.
The Guns of Corregidor.
At midnight gun fire was heard of Corregidor,
and at > on the morning OF the 1st OF May l re-
/ ceived teegEaphc advices that the American yes
sells were throwing their searchlights at the bat
teries at the entrance, with which they had
changed several shots. notified the commanding
general of the arsenal, Senor Sostoa and the gov
ernor general of the plaza, Capt. Senor Garcia
/ Pana, that they should prepare themselves. l
directed all the artillery TO be loaded and all the
sailors and soldiers to go to their station for bat
tie, soon to receive the enemy. This is all that
! occurred since / sailed to Subic until the en-
| trance Of the American squadron in the Bay OF
Manila.
Arrival of the Americans.
| The squadron being disposed for action, and
everything in proper place, waited for the
ene1ny's arrival. All the vessels having been
painted dark grey in color, had taken down their
masts and yards and beats to avoid the effects OF
projectiles and the splinters, had their anchors
bueyed and cables ready to slip instantly.
Signals for Action.
At a. N. ! made signals 10 prepare for action,
and at 4:45 the Austria sgnaled the enemy's
squadron, few minutes after which they were
recognized with some confusion. in a column
parallel with ours at about 5000 metres distant,
the flagship Olympia ahead, followed by the Bal
timore, Raleigh, Boston, Concord, Helena, Petrol,
and MeCulloch and the two transports Zatiro and
NaGshan.
The force of these vessels, excepting transports
that were non-combatants amounted 10 2lil0 tons,
40 go horse power, l63 guns (many OF them rapid
fire), l,759 in their crew, and OF an average
/ velocity OF about seventeen miles. The power OF
our enly five effective ships for battle was repre-
sented by 10Th TONS 200 horsepower; 70 guns
(veTy short OF rapid fire., l,S75 crew, and maxi
I mum speed OF twelve knots.
The Fire From shore.
4 At the batteries on Point sangley opened fire.
The two first shots fell short and to the left of
the leading vessel. These shots We're not answered
by the enemy, whose principal object was the
scuadrcn
This battery only had two ordonez guns of
/ u eentimetres mounted, and but Sne OF these
could FIRE in the direction of the opposing feet.
In few minutes OF the batteries Of Manila
opened Ere and at 5:15 i made signal that our
squadron open fire. The enemy answered imme-
| diately The battle became general We slipped
/ the springs ard the cables and started ahead
1 with the engines, so as not to be involved by the
enemy.
NumberIess Projectiles.
The Americans fired most rapidly. There came
upon us numberless projectiles, as the three
cruisers eft the head of the line devoted them
selves almost entirely to fight the Christina, my
I flagship A short time after the action com
menced one shell exploded in the forecastle and
put cut of action all those who served the four
Iapid-fre cannon, making splinters of the forward
mast. which wounded the helmsman the
bridge, when Lieut.. Jose Nunez took the wheel
nat,-
dation, steering until the end OF the fight. In
the meanwhile another shell exploded in the or
lop, setting fire to the crews bags which they
fortunately able to control.
4 Rain of Shells.
The enemy shortened the distance between us,
and reetifying his aim, covered with rain
of rapd-hre proiectiies. At 7:S0 one shell de-
stroyed completely the steering gear. ordered
to steer by hand while the rudder WAS out OF ac-
ton In the meanwhile another shell exploded
on the poop and put cut OF action nine men. An
ether destroyed the mizzeH masthead, bringing
down the flag and my ensign, which were re-
placed Immediately. A fresh shell exploded in
the officers cabin, covering the hospital with
blood, destroying the wounded who were being
treated there Another exploded in the amniu-
milton astern. filling the quarters with
smoke and preventing the working OF the hand
steering gear. AS il was impossible TO control
the fire, / had 10 food the magazine when the
cartridges were beginning TO explode.
Ainidships several shells OF smaller calibre went
through the smokestack, and one OF the large
ones penetrated the fire room, putting out OF ac-
tlcn master gunner and twelve men serving
the guns. Another rendered useless the starbeard
bow gun; while the fire astern increased, fire
Was started forward by another shell. which went
through the hull and exploded the deck.
The broadsidc guns, being undamaged, con-
finued firing until there only gunner
and one seaman remaining unhurt for firing
them. as the guns crews had been frequently
called upon to substitute those charged with
steering, all OF whom cut of action.
Destruction of the ships.
The ship being out OF control the hull smoke
pipe. and mast riddled with shot and confused
with the cries of the wounded; half OF her crew
out OF action, among whom were seven officers,
/ / gave the order TO sink and abandon the ship
before the magazines should explode, making
| signal at the time 10 the Cuba and Luzon
| TO assist in easIng the rest of the crew. which
| they did, aided by Others from the Duero and
/ Ihe arsenal
Abandoned the Christina.
abandoned the Christina. directing before
hand TO secure her flag, and accompanied by my
staff, and with great sorrow. hoisted my flag
on the cruiser Isla de Cuba. After having saved
| many men from the unfortunate vessel one shell
! destroyed her heroic commander, Don Luis Ca
dsrso, who directing the
The UIioa Goes Down.
The UIloa, which also defended herself firmly
using the only TWO guns which were available
was sunk by a shell which entered the water
| line, putting ont Of action her commander and
half OF her remaining crew, those which were
remaining for the service of the two guns stated
The Castillo, which fought heroically, remain
| ing with her artillery useless except one stern
| gun, with which they fought spiTitediy, unit
| she was riddied with shot and set FIRE by the
| eueuxss Siqlis and then SINK and was abandoned