The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1899-05-05
MEN GOTT, 1T is UNHEARD OF.
Austrian Officers Comment on the
Destruction of Cervera's Fleet.

Oh AcEVeTd'S 1eCIs
, CAPT. Taylor gives DIN amusing account
in the Century of his interview with
an Austrian lieutenant, who boarded the
Indiana Immediately after the fight at
Santiago:
He was i'll full uniform, with brilliant
display of epaulets and gold lace, white
waistcoat and trousers. He found us
covered with the smoke and dust of bat
tie, groups of half-naked men lining up
to salute him as he passed, their faces
streaked with powder smoke and coal
dust. He reached ME on the bridge, f.
nally, in Il state of polite bewilderment,
and presented his captains request for
permission to pass in through our block
aiding lines and bring out from Santiago
Austrian refugees desiring to leave that
besieged town. After referring hini to
Admiral Sampson, and telling him he
would be found some distance to the
westward, he asked for news, and told
HIM we had just come out of action with
Cervera'S squadron. He showed great
surprise, and said:
Then there has been a battle?'
Yes replied.
And the RESULT" he asked, eagerly
I'VE have defeated them"
But where is Cervera's fleet now?' he
inquired.
His flagship, the Maria Teresa, is
there, lieutenant l answered, pointing,
at the same time, to the beach few
miles distant
but l see nothing there but some
smoke, captain' ~
1T is the smoke of the Teresa burning
lieutenant; she is Il wreck upon the
beach,
He was silent, and continued:
"Close to her on the beach you will see
another column of smoke; that is the
OQuendo burning. On the side, nearer
to us, is the PlutOn, sunk in the break
ers; and the l'uror is near Der, but is on
the bottom i'll deeper water, and is not
visible
DESTROYED half those splendid vessels of
Cervera's!'
wait, lieutenant" l continued, land
look few miles farther to the west
ward, and you will see another column of
smoke; that is the Vizcaya, on the beach
near Aserraderos. AS to the Colon, she
is still farther to the westward, out of
sight from us here, but you will see her
presently as your captain steers in that
direction to find Admiral Sampson, who
is at that end of our line
His eyes ranged along the shore as l
pointed out the different vessels.
''NIein Colt" he exclaimed "Then
you have destroyed the whole of that
splendid squadron! 1 did not think it
possible.
. After a moment more Of silent aston
ishment, he said, with polite sympathy
which concealed eager professional curl
osity:
"And your injuries, captain? What
losses has the American squadron sus-
tained?"
None" l replied.
"But, captain, you do not understands;
it is what casualties-what ships lost or
disabled-that I ask"
'None, lieutenant 1 said. ''The In
diana was struck twice, suffered no in
jury. no loss. The other ships are virtu-
ally in the some condition. We are all of
us perfectly ready for another battle-:,s
much so rs before Cervera came out this
morning."
His establishment was now complete
"Mein Gottw he exclaimed again.
admiral SIMPSONS fleet has destroyed
these great Spanish ships, and without
injury to his own squadron! Sir, it is
;unheard of! l must so to inform my
caDtuin"