The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-04-03

the great distance, was probably not
very effective; but when the Spanish;
admiral turned to westward and the
other ships followed him the moral su-,
periority OF the Americans reasserted
itself. The commanders, calm and
cool-headed. had their ships follow the
came course. and the Americans, hav-,
ing every advantage on their side. re-
commenced the fire on the ileeing ships,
which soon resulted In their total annl-5
hilation. Esl I,
"I have elready spoken of the lack OF
training Of the Spanish crews. the neg
lect OF gun and torpedo target practice,
the inadequate education of the COM
manders OF the ships.
If the fleet did not dare attempt q
night sortie and was nevertheless COM
PEELED to leave the harbor in obedience
( to orders. then the chips should have
been headed straight at the enemy. All
weapons, including the torpedo and the
ram, should have been used. A bold at
tack in close formation was the only
chance of success against the superior
hostile fighting forces who would hard
ly have found time to form their lines"
rives from the battle briefly stated, are:
Abolition Of oil wood work; no unpro.
tected torpedo tubes; protection for all
gun crews against shell fire. protec-
tion Of the fire exting4lshing apparatus
against shell fire: smokeless powder;
greatest possible simplicity In the SER
vice OF the guns and the greatest possl-
BILE rapidity OF fire; good speed OF ves-
sells under normal conditions, and thor
oush training OF the crews in all
branches of the service.
Coumander 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
torpedo boat Terror, and the gunboat
Isabel II, upon the St. Paul outside OF
San Juan harbor. June %, 1888. concern
Ing which many conflicting accounts
may have been published. This was
the only attempt made during the war
to torpedo one OF our vessels. Comman-
der Jacobson gives the following nc
count of the occurrence which he OBJ
talned from the commander Of the Ter
r1r. l
Porto Rican Campaign.
"At Q a. m. on June % the lookout at
the fort slgnalled suspicious vessel.
The commander gave orders for the Is
abel II to go out to reconnoiter and for
the Terror 10 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 wait
ed. The Isabel II opened fire on the
ders TO go out and assist the Isabel. The
Terror. which had been left by her fleet
at Martinique, had not been able to re-
cover her guns and ammunition, which
during the voyage had been transferred
to the Maria Teresa In order to make
room for coal. The Terror therefore had
no other weapons than her torpedoes
and two flftY-seven-m mill!metre guns.
with little ammunition. The Isabel
fought the St. Paul at q range Of from
10000 to 1900 metres. AS the utmost
range OF our guns was only 1000 metres,
we could not assist the Isabel by going
closer to her. ! therefore gave orders to
head the Terror east so as not to inter-
fere with the Isabel firing north on the
enemy. When we were sufficiently
clear of her and had the open sea before
US, / headed straight for the st. Paul at
% speed OF from twenty to twenty-oue.
knots.
Steering Gear Destroyed.
1.-THE enemy, who hitherto had been
firing on the Isabel. now directed upon
us the we'll aimed rapid fire Of both her
batteries, the lower one OF which ap-
peared to have eight, the upper one ten
or twelve guns. At 1000 metres we OPEN
ell fire with our guns In order TO keep
up the spirit OF the crew during the long
interval between the beginning of the
hail OF project!les and the launching OF
the torpedo. Our fire was very accu-
rate; at the first shot we saw the shell
explode on the stern. Severa! other
shots also hit their target, und our ncn
were Wild with joy. We had approhch-
ed to within 200 metres and were abou.
to launch the torpedo when the Terror
commenced to veer to starhoard. had
the helm shifted TO port, but the ship
kept on turning Then l ordered the
port engine stopped, and stlll the ship
continued TO turn TO starboard. 1 then
learned that 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 unmanageab!e. A hand
steering gear was at once put in opera,
ton: but as We passed the enemy at
such close range, several Droject!les hit
US, one OF them passing through the
port side into the engine room, where 1t
burst. The engine room became flooded
and the engine appeared to have been
disabled. We just managed to steam In
to the harbor."
From an inspection of the Terror.
says Commander Jacobson, 1t appeared
that the fatal Shell, ranging oblIquely
downward, had passed through the
ships side, torn off steam gauge. KILL
ed three men and struck the lower edge
OF the main steam pipe, tearing off its
covering. This had DETECTED the shell,
and 1t had passed out through the star
board side. 1t was through the hole
made by the projectile in passing out
that the engine room had been flooded
UP to the lower edge OF the steam cylln-
der; but the engines continued to run 50
that the Terror. though with gradually
slackencd speed. was able to reach the
harbor under her own steam. The
shortest distance between the Terror
and the St. Paul had been 500 metres.
The gunboat Isabel II, I was told by
her commmnnder, had not gone closer
than within 6,000 metres of the enemy"
ROMANTIC AND TRAGIC.
French Canadian Murders His Indian