Waterbury Democrat., 1902-02-20


 The heavy lighting was during the time when the Spanish vessels were coming out of the harbor and before t-ay had stretched fairly to the west ward. When they thus stretched to the westward we all went after them without orders-of course we could do nothing else. Until the Teresa and Oquendo ran ashore the Iowa was close behind the Oregon and ahead of the Texas. and all of us were firing steadily at the Spanish ships. The Texas then recovered her speed-for she was dead in the water after having backed to avoid the Brooklyn when the Brooklyn turned and she went ahead of. the Iowa. Both of us continued to fire at the Wis., caya until she went ashore Then stopped, but the Texas followed the Brooklyn and the Oregon after the Co., lon
 When the battle began the New York was not much farther to the eastward of men than the Brooklyn was to the westward. After the Viscaya had grounded the New York overlook me and signaled me to re- turn to the mouth of the harbor to prevent any other Spanish ship com ing out and attacking the transports. received no signals of any kind from the Brooklyn. All we had to do was to close in on the Spanish squadron as 1t came out of the harbor. in obedience to the orders of Admiral Sampson, and then, when the heavi- est fighting was over and the Spanish ships were trying to escape to the west, to follow them-and of course there was no signal necessary to tell us to follow a fleeing enemy.
 ..The machinery of the Iowa was not in condition to get the best speed. though every effort had been made 10 make it so. Her cylinder heads had not been off for more than six months owing to the service she was perform ing. Her bottom was very foul, as she had not been docekd for a period of seventeen months. The Indiana was unayoidably in even worse shape
 ''The New York had left the block ading line flying the signal Disregard the movements of the commander-in- chief, signal frequently made and we'll understood by the entire fleet. It did not transfer the command. No signal was made for the second in command to assume command of the fleet, which was usually done by the commander-in-6 sA.ef before reaching the limit of signal distance when he proposed for any reason temporarily to relinquish his command to the next ranking off1cer.''
 The following is Admiral Taylor's statement:
 At the beginning of the fight the New York was about as far to the eastward of me as the Brooklyn was to the westward. The only signal I received from the New York was at the very close of the fight, when she s1gnaled to me to return and guard the mouth of the harbor so that noth- Ing should come out to attack our transports I received no signal whatever from the Brooklyn. and should not have needed any if one had been made, as I considered Admiral sampson present and in command. From her position the Indiana took full part in the actual fight as the Spanish ships came out of the harhor When they ran to the westward tha Indiana fell behind, but continued fir- Ing at them and at the torpedo boats until all but the Colon were sunk ar beached. I saw the Brooklyn turn and run out seaward. seemingly over q mile. about the time the. rear one of the Spanish ships turned to inc west If instead of making this loop i the Brooklyn had stood straight in towards the Spaniards, as the other American ships did, 1t seemed to me that the fight would have been set tied then, without need of the long chase.''
 The following is Commander Vain. wright's statement:
 At the outset of the fight the New York was not n'al:h farther away from me in one direction than the Brooklyn was in the other and was in plain sight A signal from Admiral TayIor in connection with my moving for l ward to attack the torpedo boats was the only signal I received. I made one to the New York just before the last torpedo boat sank. The New 1 York at that time was coming up an- der the lire of the batteries, and her. 1 self fired couple of shots at the tor pedo boat Or course Admiral Samp l son was present and in command. received no signals from the Brooklyn and would not have noticed her a1 all had it not been for the fact that l when the other vessels closed in she made what has since been called the loop so that my attention was at 1 tracted by not seeing the Brooklyn be cause she went to seaward away from the Spanish vessels. In other words the left or westward part of our line was refused and this attracted my attention. because it seemed to mt from where I was that this permitted the Spanish vessels to try to escape to westward"
 Damage to Spanish Ships.
 The survey Of the damages of the four Spanish war vessels shows that ir addition to several score hits by the Stx-pounder and one-pounder guns ot the American fleet, they were struck 43 times by the larger guns of fotl inch caliber and over. The Colon which came out inside the others anc did comparatively little fighting, re ceiyed but three of these hits The other three ships, which bore the brunl of the action, received 40 among them Of these 40, II, according 10 the repor' of the board which examined into them, were by four-inch guns, 10 by ffve-inch guns, by either four or fiv, inch, Ghe board could not determine which,, while one was by either a fiy,