The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-04-03

an obstruction. It is true that Admiral
SIMPSONS report-on the might block
ade states that the lightships We're ly-
ing from one to two miles from MORO
castle, according to the state II the at
mosphere, and that they lighted up the
channel for half a mile inside. Even the
best searchlight, however, does not
reach further than one mile. There
fore the illumination could not have
been very effective. Moreover, the shore
batteries, by opening fire upon the
lightships. could have compelled them
to change their position, but, strange
to say, this was never done. The dark
nights at the time of the new moon
about the middle of June would have
been best suited for the enterprise.
A BOLD ATTACK.
eff the feet did not dare attempt a
night sortie and was, nevertheless, COM
PEELED to leave the harbor in obedience
to orders, then the ships should have
been headed straight at the enemy.
All the weapons, including the torpedo
and the ram, should have been used.
A bold attack in close formation was
the only chance of success against the
superior hostile fighting forces, who
would hardly have found time to form
their lines"
riveS from the battle, briefly stated,
are: Abolition Of all woodwork; no
unprotected torpedo tubes; protection
for all gun crews against shell hre;
protection of the fire. Xtingu1Shing ap-
paratus against shell fire; smokelesS
powder; greatest possible simplicity in
the service Of the guns, and the great
est possible rapidity of fire; good speed
of vessels under normal conditions,
and thorough training of the crews in
all branches of the service.
Commander jacobson also gives some
of his observations of the Porto Rican
campaign, but these contain nothing
of special moment, except an account
of the attack of the Spanish boat Ter
ror and the gunbo9t Isabel II upon the
st. Paul outside " San Juan harbor
on June %, 1898, concerning Which many
conflicting accounts have been pub
lished. This was the only attempt
made during the war to torpedo one Of
our vessels.
TORPEDO ATTACK.
Commander Jacobson gives the fol-
lowing account of the occurrence,
which he obtained from the commander
of the Terror: "At a. m. on June %
the lookout at the fort signaled a. sus-
picious vessel. The commander gave
orders for the Isabel II to go out TO
reconnoiter and the Terror to be ready
for action. By 1850 the vessel had
come closer, and the Isabel II went
out Upon sighting her the hostile
cruiser Immediately hoisted her flag
and waited The Isabel II opened fire
on the foe. The destroyer then re-
ceived orders to go out and assist the
Isabel II. The Terror had been left
by her fleet at Martinique and had not
been able TO recover her guns and am
munition, which during the voyage
had been transferred to the Maria Te-
reSa in order to make room for coal.
The Terror, therefore, had no other
weapons then her torpedoes and two
fifty-Seven- milimetre guns, with am
munition- The Isabel fought the St
Paul at a distance of from 10000 to
II, 900 metres. AS the utmost range OF
our guns was only 1000 metres. we
could not assist the Isabel by going
closer to her. l. therefore, gave orders
to head the Terror east, so as not to
interfere with the Isabel firing north
on the enemy. When we We're Suffi-
GENTLY clear of her and had the open
sea before US, I headed straight for
the St Paul at speed of from twenty
TO twenty-one knots.
1.-THE enemy, who hitherto had been
firing on the Isabel, now directed upon
us the well-aimed fire of both her bat
teries, the lower one of which APP
peared to have eight, the upper one ter
to twelve guns. AT 1900 metres we
opened fire with our guns, in order tc
keep up the spirit Of the crew during
the long interval between the begin
ming of the hail of projectiles and the
launching of the torpedo. Our fire was
very accurate. AT the first shot we
saw the shell explode on the stern
Several other shots also hit their tar
get and our men were wild with joy
H. al. -
tres and We're about to launch the tor
pedo, when the Terror commenced to
veer to starboard. l had the helm
shifted to port, but the ship kept on
turning. Then l ordered the port en-
CINE stopped, and still the ship con-
tinued to turn to starboard. I then
learned that a shell had exploded on
deck and destroyed the leads to the
steering gear and telegraph, so that the
vessel followed the movements of the
screw and was unmanageable. The
hand steering gear was at once put in
operation, but as we passed the enemy
at close range, several projectiles hit
us, one bursting the telegraph on the
port side, passing into the engine-room
The engine-room became flooded and
the engine appeared to have been dis
abled. We just managed to steam into
the harbor."
From an inspection of the Terror, say.
Commander Jacobson, is appeared tina
the fatal shell, ranging obliquely down.
ward, had passed through the ship!
side, torn off a steam gauge, killed thre,
men and struck the lower edge of tn,
main steam pipe, tearing off its GOV.
srfng. This had detected the shell anC
had passed out through the starboarC
mde. It was through this hole made by
che projectile in passing out that tn,
engine room had been flooded up to tn,
lower edge OF the steam cylinders bu
the engines continued to run, SO tina
the Terror, though with gradually
Elackened speed, was able to reach I'll,
aarbor under her own steam. TIL,
shortest distance between the Terror
and the st. Paul had been 500 metres
The gunboat Isabel II, it was told b,
aer commander, had not gone closer
.han within 5000 metres of the enemy