The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-02-26
FIGHTS IT OVER AGAIN
VIEWS THE NAVAL BATTLE
OF SANTIAGO
STANDS UP FOR HIS GUNNERs

Explains Why the United States Ves-
sells Were Not Hat More Frequent
ly-An Example of Yankee Luck
Criticises the Action of Admiral
Sampson In Reference to One of
the DOn's Vessels.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 25.-The bureau
of naval intelligence has issued a fresh
volume Of its war notes series and prob
ably the last of them to appear on the
battle of Santiago harbor. The present
publication is a translation from the
Spanish of Capt. Victor M. Concas Y
Paulau, formerly commander of the crui-
Ser Infanta Maria Teresa and chief of
staff to Admiral Cervera in the battle of
July g.
The vital section Of the narrative be-
gins with the exodus of the devoted
squadron from Santiago harbor Capt
Concas says In accordance with previous
instructions the Teresa was headed to-
ward the Brooklyn, hoping to ram her
This vas frustrated by the Brooklyn's
frequently discussed loop to starboard,
which Concas says brought the Texas
and the Iowa between her and the Ter
esa''
A note inserted In the narrative at this
point reads, the turn was made to star
board though 1t would seem reasonable
Tor 1t to have been made to port" There
Is nothing in the bureaus publication to
Indicate whether this foot note is by
Capt. Concas or not
TOyTCl1E1cs-
Continuing his story, Capt. Concas tells
of the successive sinking of the Teresa
and the other vessels Of the squadron
He dwells strongly on a point which he
declares all other critics have overlooked,
namely, that coming to the narrow and
tortuous channel past the Morro, the
Spanish vessels had to come out so fal
apart that they were each attacked by
the combined force of the American
squadron and destroyed in detail, making
1T practically a series of combats each
time single ship against squadron.
He called attention also to the prob.
ability that the American estimate of 3
per cent of hits out of the shots aimed
at Cervera's feet is too low He says
the most horrible mortality in every case
was In the upper works, where the shots
left no marks except those wiped out by
fire. He says 6 per cent Of hits probably
would not be too high
In defense of the Spanish gunnery the
writer says that Cervera's ships fought
either bow or stern on nearly throughout
the battle. This reduced the number OF
guns they could bring to bear. But.
he points out, the Brooklyn, which
was the only vessel keeping up {; parallel
broadside fight at close range for any
length of time, was
STRUCK FORTY-ONE TIMES
AS she was under fire Of the Vizcaya
Teresa, and, for short time, of the best
guns Of the Colon, Capt Concas says the
Spaniards gave very good proof of their
ability as marksmen.
Another peculiar incident brought out
In the narrative, and a striking example
of Yankee luck, was that the Oregon. In
her pursuit of the Colon, remained IN
consciously in the dead angle between
the only two guns of the Colcn powerful
enough to reach her" The Colon, it will
be remembered, did not have her big thir-
ty-ton guns and in the long stern chase
the oregon happened always to keep Just
in the spot where the upper deck guns
could not be trained on her, and the Co.
4Oi1 SOdtu llOl lltS Wil1OQt uSdNlf1S TO ana
losing valuable time.
The author Indignantly denies that the
Colon was wrecked by her crew after
she had surrendered. He says she was
run ashore and her sea valves opened be-
fore her flag was hauled down. Regard
ing this incident, the writer says:
RAP AT SAMPSON.
''The Cristobal Colon was less fortunate
than all the others, for although going at
a speed of thirteen knots, she ran ashore
on sand; and if Admiral Sampson, with
more seamanlike spirit, had ordered the
divers to close the valves, he could most
certainly have saved the cruiser, but,
with feverish impatience, he towed her
off with his own flagship, the New York.
Hardly had the ship been f1oated when
she began TO list. at which moment, with
great dexterity he pushed the Coon back
again with the ram of his own ship
toward the sandy shoal, but it was too
late, and, turning over, that noble and
Inflated cruiser vent to the bottom of
the sea forever. The few Americans and
Spanards who were still on board hasti-
" saved themselves
Speaking of the nature of the wounds
inflicted by modern naval shell fire, Capt.
Concas declares that they are more hor-
rible than can be described a beatswain
of the Teresa had fourteen wounds. No he
of the men injured at all escaped with
less than two.