The sun., 1899-07-22

The Almost Forgotten story of Ten Min
utes' Engagement.

Santiago. Tho review OF the work done by
Commodore Schlov. as published In THE SuN
Of July ID. was so clear and fair that 1t would
seem there is nothing more to I've said. Yet
THE SuN has overlooked an incident which
moro than any other in the cruise OF the Flying
Squadron occasioned feelings Of dsappuint-
mcnt. perhaps it may be said Of grief in the
hearts OF all officers and men Of tho navy who
Witnessed the AFFAIR.
The incident referred to was the so-callcd
attack on the Spanish cruiser Colon as she lay
moorcd head and stern across tho channel
leading Into Santiago hnrbor on May 81. 1873.
The grief and disappointment felt was due
to the shock to all the traditions OF the Amcri-
can Navy which the affair gave. There is Il
clause in the Articles for tho Government Of
the Navy OF the United States" which requires
every commanding officer ito set good cX-
ample OF virtue honor" &c. There Ia another
clause which imposes trial by court-martial
on every officer in command Of feet or squad
ron or vessel acting singly who. when an
armed vessel Of an enemy Is in sight. does not
do his utmost to oyertake. capture or destroy
her" Let us see the situation at Santiago on
May 81 And. further. let tho story be told
only by official reports mnde at the time. and
principally by the official reports OF Com
modore Schey:
To n, Secretary ot The Navy, Washington. B..r:
Enemy in port. Recognized Cristobal Colon. In
fanta Mara Teresa and two torpedo boat destroy
ers moored inside Moro. behind point. Doubtless
the others are here. . The BROOKLYN, Iowa
Texas. Massachusetts, Marblehcad. Vixen and col.
lier compose squadron here scnLEY.
MAY ai.-To same: New Orleans and Sterling ar
rived Have seen one more vessel of the Niscaya
class i'll port Smooth sea now. AIN coaling the
Iowa and the brooklyn. SCHLEY.
In hls letter Of May 30. Commodore Schley
explains the situation little more in detail as
follows:
The next morning. 29th inst. steamed In TO ex-
anime the entrauce 10 the harbor. and sighted the
tr sluDl Colon apparently moored. head and stern
across the western channel around Cay smith; also
one of tn" vessels of the Niscaya or lnfanta Maria
Tore lass muurcd in tho eastern channel, AN two
small torpedo b ats Later in the day made out the
military topsof third vessel further up the harbor
This then. was the situation on Nav 81: : One
Spanish armored cruiser. the Cristobal Colon.
lying moored across the channel; a second
armored cruiser in sight 1t is q safe assump-
ton that the Colon was placed to protect the
channel from such force as was believed by
the Spanards likely to be cruising in those
waters. and while she lay across the channel
the ships inside were unable to direct their
fire to sea. The force Of the United states
Navy under the command Of Commodore
Winfield Scott Schey. opposed to this one
arnored cruiser consisted Of:
Iowa, hrst.class hattlesh,p OF latest type
Massachusetts,. first class battleship of late type.
Texas, secnnd-class battieship.
Br 'uklyn. hrstClass arnhoied cruiser.
New Orleans, second class prot,, ted cruiser.
Marboh,ad. thrd'rla's cruiser.
Vixen. gunbuaI.
Now. let us SEQ how this ovcrwhnl ming force
ot the nitcd states Navy, IN ~ il" immediate
command OF Commodore " uiIrld scott Schrv
|
June l. 1898. Commodore HchIey says:
As the BROOKLYN, Texas aud Marb!eh,al were coal
sets and together With a The iowa az and M New oeans
steamed IN from position about h,e miles south
for action" and at l:D5 the signal for General
quarters" lhe .ps"d was set a, ten knots. with the
seus ieIding. and the Iowa following the New Or
stood in, with port helm. heading gradually to
about northeast then casing TO east northeast. The
distance having decreased TO about 1000 Yards,
out in the entrancr commenced frnS with our port
Colon. and the smaller ones against the fortiica
Our hre was at once returned by the ships ins de
the harbor thrinG at random over the land and by
the forts to tho eastwari aud westward of the en-
ceased hring. turned with port helm to west by
south and slowed. Headed off shore at 223 and
stood out of range.
class bnttIeships and one second-cass cruiser
with an armed vessel OF an enemy IN sight "
executed the manrurre OF steaming by at ten
knots and firing at stationary target at n re-
ported range of 1000 yards the whole time un-
der fire ut this distance OF three and half nau-
tical or four statute miles being. according to
Commodore S>chley, ten minutYs-an interval.
considering the distance and speed. hardly
sufficient to destroy d house of glass for an
armored cruiser Is intended to stand heavy
fire at close range from, another ,armored
cruiser, but Is helpless before ilrst-class
battleship.
Let US sec some further reports on this re-
The report OF the commanding officer OF the
Massachusetts. COmmodore Winfield Scott
SchIey's temporary flagship. is as follows:
At 1870 P. NJ. the Massa ,husrtts. leading the New
Orleans and the Iowa. steamed in to about 1000
Yards. then turned to the eastward, passed tn. en-
l3.nch guns tho range used increasing from 800
to $500 yards. At ZOO the column turned T. the
with starhoard battery. Hauled OF at ana p NJ,
the total time OF nrlng being seven minutes thirty
hvc seconds.
The report from the Iowa is as follows:
Atl:i5 went to general quarters. The Ma<sachu-
sets carving br9al rennant Of Commodore Schlcyl
dis ancr ny. tue New Orleans and Iowa. ami heading
about East nor'h; Began steam'ng in column at
into view the Massachnscttr open. IRE time s",
The New Orleans opcnel at 1:51 and the Iowa at
but the sn"ts iii short The ranxr s't,ins of the
sights was lnally increased to 5000 Yards dur
other SPAN ship iono of thr vscaya class being
no longer visible. rhe Massachuset had already
At ao Tn h S%rs "na sG sa
by the New ORLEANS at 2:uG and the Iowa at . .us
During the second passage the speed was rr,,nrnd
Tho sights wer" set At $500 yards. gradually III.
creased to / 900 yards Nearly all shots fell short
AT .lN the Iowa ceased firing.
Total time Iowa was firing. J so to POI. or
five minutes. anL pos to 2:l6. or eight min
utcS-thirt-en minutes in all.
The log or official journal Of the Spanish
cruiser Colon says OF the engagement Of May
81. lSS:
II short time the other battleships returned and
then the u ton continued on both sides. but our
shot falling short on account of the enemy keeping
at too great distance.
In the early history OF the United States
Navy II was necessary to cut ont the Philadel-
phia at Tripolt; II was n point OF chivalrc
honor that sent Commodore Porter out Of Val
paraiso with the Essen to fight the Phube and
the Cheruh: il was necessary to meet the Mcr-
rimnc ut Hampton Roads: it was necessary to
pass the forts at New Orleans and Mobile: il
was necessary to cut the cables at Cienfucgos
under fire OF the forts: and all these things
were done. Such traditions such EXAMPLES
constitute what the officer and man Of the
United States NavY Of to-day understands hy
the language, When nm armed vessel Of an
enemy is in sight. shall do his utmost to over
take. capture or destroy her"
VIII the exploit OF Commodore Winfield
Scott Schlcy with his battleship squadron AT
Santiago on May 81. 1898. make another ira
ditiOn for vnor in tho United States NAVY {?
II Nla.a WAnAUN l.aaW 4. -