The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1901-10-02
AN AUSTRIAN 5 SURPRISE.
Was Bewildered at the Result Of the
Fight at S.ntiago Bay.

Capt. Taylor giv:s an amusing ac-
count in the Century of his interview
with IN Austrian Lieutenant who
boarded the India3:a immediately al
ter the fight at Santiago:
He was in full Uniform. with bril-
! liant display OF epa;:lets and gold lace,
white waiStcoat ard trousers. He
found lis covered with the smoke anu
dust of battle, groups Of half-naked
men lining up to salute him as ne
passed. their face streaked with pow
der smoke and coal dust. He reached
NE on the bridge E1ally in state OF
polite beWildermen. and presented his
| captains request for permission TO
pass through our biockading lines and
bring out from Santiago Austrian relu-
gees desiring to leave that besleseS
! town. After referring him to Admlrai
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 Ger
yera's squadron. He showed great sur
| prise and said:
Then there has been a battle"
Yes" I replied.
"And the result% he asked eagerly.
;'We have defeated them"
"But where is the Cervera's fleet
now" he inquired.
"FIis flagship, the Maria Teresa, is
there Lieutenant" I answered, point
| ing at the same time, to the beach 2
few miles distant.
But I see nothing but some smoke.
at is the smoke Of the Teresa burn
| ing. Lieutenant; she is wreck upon
the beach,"
He was silent and I continued:
"Close to her on the beach you will
See another column Of smoke; that IS
the Oquendo burning. On this side
| nearer to US, is the Pluton, sunk ln the
breakers, and the Furor is near her,
but she is on the bottom in deep water,
and is not visible"
But he interrupted, "you have
then destroyed half those splendid YES
sells of Cervera's?"
wait, Lieutenant" continued,
and look a few miles further to the
westward, and you will see another
| column of smoke; that is the ViZcaya,
on the beach near Aserraderos. AS to
| the Colon, she is still further to the
| westward. out of sight to US here, but
you will see her presently as your Cap
tain steers in that direction to find Ad.
miral Sampson, who is at the END OF
| our line"
His eyes ranged along the shore as
I pointed out the different vessels.
"Mein Gottr' he exclaimed. Then
you. have destroyed the whole OF tina,
splendid squadron? I did not think II
possible"
After 2 moment more Of silent aston
ishment, he said, with a polite sym
pathy which concealed eager profes
sional curiosity:
And your injuries, Captain? What
losses has the American squadron sus
| tained?"
"None," replied.
.But, Captain. you do not under
| stand: it is what casualtles-Wha'
ships lost or disabled-that I ask"
"'None. Lieutenant" said. "The
Indiana was struck twice, suffered NJ
! injury, no loss. The other ships are
virtually in the same condition. w
are all Of us perfectly ready for anoth
er battle-as much so as before Ger
vera ca me out this morning"
His astonishment was now complete
"Mein Gottv' he exclaimed again
admiral SIMPSONS fleet has de
stroyed these great Spanish ships. ant
without injury to his own squadron
Sir, it is unheard of. must go to ID
| form my Captain"