The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-08-01
admiral CerVera,
the Man Who Lost
From the New York Sun.


sailor a loving cup, in recollection of his
Chvalric treatment Of liobsun and his associates,
was announced. Mr.. Arthur Bird, resident OF
Sidney. New York, appeared at the head Of the
movement. On sunday there appeared an ap-
proving letter to Mr. Bird from Lieuen
Commander Hobson We beg leave to ampli'y
here a reason known of all Americans why
loving cup or a mcmento of some Kind should
60 from this country to the spanish admiral.
Scraps Of Ccrycra's history have been printed
picCcmcal, but never in a manner TO spread any
adequate knowledge Of its remarkable character;
| and after it is told we shall leave people TO
seek il they arc moved by that kind Of curiosity,
| for a more inspiring record Of hcroism. 1t IL
the story of public man in whom foresight
| and courage combined to make the ideal patriot,
| in crisis of his country which put his qualities
| to the last test. Whoever reads the account OF
| Ccrvcra will say There was man. and very
| likely communicate with Mr. Bird The story is
| found in various Spanish documents concerning
| the war, which have been pIblshed by the Amer.
| lean Navy department.
Pascual Cerycra one Of Spain's highest
naval officers, he was one Of her most OH
| serving and devoted citizens. How long before
lSpS he realized the impoSsimlity for Spdin's
weak and waning strength to prevent the hercely
| rehellious island Of Cuba, at whose side there
| stood the great and growing power Of the United
| States. from making herself American, We do
| not know The first evidence bearing upon this
| point is that of letter written in 1896, 10 his
| cousin, Juan Spottorno, Of tartaGena, showing
| that in Caryera's mind idea OF the catastrophe
| which subsequently overwhelmed his country
| was then clear. Tie previous disparity in war
| strength between Spain and America, which Ger.
| Scra thought thus early to he destined c- trial,
| he wrote to his cousin on Jan. 80. 1s9s, lad
| grown greater. eve are" he said, absolutely
| pcunilcss and they are vCrv rich" American
7 ind yyng pr snoring hIll ard
| Suan's was prostrate. W the few ships in
| Span's possession, not oAr was fit for service,
| snd udGins from the governments potrty OF
| resource, adequate preparation Of them was be-
| yond reasonable hope. My purpose is not 10
| accuse hut to explain why may and must
| expect disaster. But il is necessary to 20
| 10 the bitter end, and as it would be a crime
| To say that publicly today, | hold my tongue
| aud go forth resigned 10 face the trials which
God may he pleased TO send me-" This to his
| cousin; hut il was the prevailing note OF his
| Subsequent active correspondence with Admiral
| Rcrncio to whom, as the Spanish minister of
| marine and to other officials, Cervera never
| failed TO picture the unhappy facts If the Span.
| ,h navy, or to record without the slightest
touch OF bravado, his readiness for any duty.
|
We shall not GO over in detail the wretched
| condition Of the spanish shirs and their equip.
| mcut. but things being they were, it is in.
| apparent seriousness in Spain Cervera having
| asked BcImco. three days before the destruc.
| tion Of the Maine, for tho "ohiectYe OF the op.
cratons of this squadron" the latter wrote to
| him: ''ln Cuba the Carlos v, pclayo Colon,
| Vizcaya Oouendo, Maria Teresa. three destroy
| Crs, and three torpedo boats, in conjunction with
the eight larger vessels Of the Havana navy
yard, would take up a position tc cover the
| channels between the Gulf Of MeSlco and the
Atlantic and thy 10 destroy Key West, where the
| United States squadron has established its prn
| cipal base Of provisions, ammunition, ana coal.
II succeed in this, and the season is favorable
the blockade could he extended to the Atlantic
| coast, 50 as to Cut off communications and COM
merce with Europc-dll this subject to the con-
tiugencies which may arise from y"ur becoming
engaged in battles in which it will be decided
who is to hold empire nj the sea-"
Ccrvera primly shook Bcrmeio out nj his
trance, saying: THE eight principal vessels ot
the Havana station, to which you refer, have no
military value whatever, and, besides, are badly
worn OUT therefore they he of very little
use In saying this am not moved by a fault
finding spirit but only by desire to avoid
illusions that may cost us very dear. Taking
things as they are, however sad il may be- il is
seen that our naval force when compared with
| that Of the United States is approximately in
| the proportion of | to 3. II therefore seems 10
me dream, almost feNerish fancy, 10 think
that with this force, attcnuatrd by our long
wars, can establish he blockade OF any port
=, | nj the United States. 4 campaign against that
country will have 10 he, at least for the present,
a defensive or a disastrous one, unless we have
some alliances, in which case the tables may he
| turned"
alas" replied BCrmcjo, 1--WE have to reckon
with the eXcitabe nature OF our nation"
--O--
As the days went and the condition of the
Spanish fleet continued to he revealed more in
| all, the aspect Of affairs steadily grew worse
Three sailors fell overheard through the break
| ing Of an old bridge rope, and at the time Of
! Cereras incidental reference to it fifty DAYS
| had gone without an answer TO the request for
repairs The rope fairly typihed the situation.
In the beginning Of April Havana began to
| clamor 10 the home government for the "com.
, | ing OF the squadron" aud April 5 Cerycra,
with his four ships the victim Of his country's S
iucpressihle passion and of tho Thrones political
! necessities, sailed from CadiL for the Cape Verde
islands AZ an embodiment Of faction" No plan
, of campaign was supplied to linn in accordance
with his request and there was nothing in the
one which reached him at Cape Verde lie went
literally without purpose, for under the cirCum'
, stance, no rational purpose Vas conceivable.
Again from Cape Verde Cercrs wroto: ut Is a
disaster already But | will trouble YOU M
/ more" on April % the council of war at Mad.
rid confirmed the orders Of the ministry and
on April 20 the squadron, H. which it is saie Ia
say there was little that was waTke but the
mems spirit, lett for America.
o
They reached our shores scarcely hetter in con
dition than tho shnwrccked sailor who hs,
barely raised himself clear II the breakers, Their
. coal was gone; there was none 10 be nal al
! Martinique, hardly any at Curacao, Like a nun