The Portland daily press., 1900-03-01
STORY OF SANTIAGO.
ria Teresa Tells OF the Destruction of
Cervera's Fleet.

The Bureau of Naval Intelligence has
issued q fresh volume Of its war notes
series, and probably the last of them
which will bear on the battle OF Santiago
Harbor. The publication Ia a translation
from the Spanish Of Captain Victor NJ.
Conoas y Palau, formerly commander OF
the cruiser Infanta Maria Teresa. and
ohisf OF staff to Admiral Csrvera In the
battle. OF July 8, 1888.
Captain Concas says that, in accordance
with previous instructions, the Teresa
was headed toward the Brooklyn, hoping
to ram her. This was frustrated by this
rrooklyn's famous ''loop'' to starboard.
which, Concas says. ''brought the Texas
and the Iowa between her and the Tere-
sa." A foot note inserted in the Darra-
tive at this point reads:-
The turn was made to star board,
though 1t would seem reasonable for 10 to
have been made to port.
There IL nothing In the brureau's publ
cation to indicate whether or NOT this
footnots Is by Captain ConoAs.
Captain Coucas dwells strongly on
point which he declares all other critics
have overlooked, namely, that. owing to
the narrow and tOrtuous channel past the
Moro, the Spanish vessels had to come out
of the harboT 30 far apart that they were
each attacked by tie combined force of
the American squadron and destroyed In
detail, making 1t practically series OF
com bats, each time q single ship against
q squadron.
lie calls attention, also. to the proba
bility that the American estimate Of thee
PER cent of hits out of the shots aimed at
Csrveras' tiest is too low. de says the
most horrible mortality in every case was
In tho upper works, where the shots left
no marks except those wiped out by fire.
He says Elk per cent OF hits would not be
too high.
Captain Concas points out that the
Brooklyn, the only vessel kes ping up u
parallel broadside light at close range Tor
any length of time. was struck forty -one
times As she was under fire only of the
Vlzcaya, the Teresa, and, for a short
tine, of the best guns OF the Colon, the
Captain rays the Spsniards gave very
good proof Of their ability as marksmen.
Captain Concss credits tina Iowa with
landing the two 12-inch or 13-inch shells
which Eurst the Terssa's main steam pipe
and put her out OF action when her CON-
mander tho Dght she had fair chance to
escape These shots, he says, have been
claimsd both by the Oregon and the In
diane, but he adduoss considerable evil
dence that they came from the Iowa.
Another pee llar Incident brought out
In the narrative. and n striking example
of Yankee luck" was that the Oregon,
IN her pursuit of the Coions, remained
urooDseiousiy in the 'deSd angle be-
tween the only guns on the Colon power
fol enough to reach her. The Colon did
not have her big so ton guns, and In the
lorg 'ern chsse the Oregon happened
always 20 keep just in the spot where the
upper deck guns could not tie trsiusd on
her, and the Colon could not fire without
heavipg to and losing valuable time.
Captain Conoas Indignantly denies that
the Colon was wrecked by her crew after
al had been surrendered. lie says she
was run ashore and her sea valves were
cyened before her fag was hauled down.
1.-THE Cristobal Colon," says the oap-
tain, Twas less f0rtuDgts than any OF
the others, for, although going at a speed
Of thirteen knots, she ran ashore on sand;
and If Admiral sampson, with more
stananlike spirit, had ordered the divers
TO CLOSE the valves. ne could most GER
tAinly have saved the cruiser. but with
fevsrish impatience he towed her off with
his own flagship, the New York.
Hardly had the ship been 1oated when
she began to list, at which moment, with
great dexterity, he pushed the Colon back
toward the sandy ehoal. nut IL was too
late, and, turning over, that noble cruiser
went to the bottom of the sea forever.
The few Americans and Sra niards who
were still on board hastily saved them
selves"
Speaking Of the nature of the wounds
Inflicted by modeyn naval she'll fire, Capt
ain Conoas declares them more horrible
tn an can be described. The total NOR
tality In the fleet reachedthe awful figure
of twenty two par cent OF tbs men en-
gagged.