The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1902-02-20

big as half a dozen Great Easterns and
seemed so near that it tooR our breath
away.
Back both engines hard went down
the tube TO the astonished engineers. and
IN a twlnkllng the old ship was racing
against herself The collision which seemed
Imminent, even II Il was not was averted.
and as the big cruiser gided past. all Of MS
on the bridge gave sigh OF relief Had
the Brooklyn struck MS then II would prob
ably have been the end OF the Texas and
her half thousand men. Admiral sampson
was commander in chief before, during and
after the action"
Captain Clnrk's statement is MS follows
The credit FOR the blockade which led up
10 the fight Is, OF course, Admiral Samr.
sons. The position Of the ships on the
morning NJ the fight in a somi-circle head
on 10 the harbor In consequence Of which we
were able to close in at once was his In
! closing in, that is, In making the first move
ments, We were obeying his instructions,
| though as matter Of fact. we would all
| have closed In anyway, instructions or no
| instructions. When the Spanish ships came
out OF the barbor the navigator OF my ship
| saw the New York to the eastward but |
received no signal OF any kind from the
! New York during the action, nor was she
near enough to signal directly to mo untl
after the Colon surrendered. The engage
rnent may be said 10 have been divided into
three parts; First the fight proper while
the Spanish squadron was coming out Of
the harbor and until It was clear Of The
diamond shoals and definitely beaded west
ward; second, the running fSht with the al
ready damaged vessels az they fed west.
ward until the Teresa Oquendo and Wis.
caya ran ashore and third, the chase OF
the Colon, during which there was practi
callv no lighting. During tho FIRST stage
/ did not see the Brooklyn nor receive any
signals from her. Al the close Of this stage
the Oregon had passed the Iowa and Texas
and when we burst out Of the smoke
saw the four Spanish ships going WESTWARD
apparently uniniured and followed hare
after at the same time observing Tia,
Brooklyn little ahead and oishore. Sh'
was brOadside to the Spanish vessels an,
was receiving the weight Of their Ore an,
was returning II. The Brooklyn and tn
Oregon thereafter occupied substantial,
, these positions as regards each other, hein
about equally distant from the Spanis
Z ships as we successfully overlook them. Ell
cept when tue oregon attempted 10 clos
n with the oquendo. The heaviest hghtin
& was at the harhor mouth and while IN
/. enemy was breaking through or passln
3. our line Not long after the running hsl
!. began the Teresa and then the Oquend
turned ana went ashore, the Viscaya co.
d tnuing for some distance farther befol
n she also was beached, Throughout the rui
q ming night The Brooklyn and tho Greg,
n we're both bouy engaged, being ahead
" any Of our other ships, aud we then 90
re stltuted the western and what I regard
II. The then hghting division Of our fleet.
II considered Commodore Schley In respo
lg sible command during this running hg
81 and chase. 30 FAR as was concerned. IA
in acknowledged and repeated signal he hi
NJ flying for close action or something Of I
M kind A. however. the problems were p'
q fscrIy sinplc. namely, 70 pursun the Spa
he lsh ships as ! had heeu doing before ] 50
o. rhe Rrooklya. he did not as q matter
n fact exercise any control over any MOI
10, usnt or seton Of the Oregon nor did p
as farm any Astian Of Azy Kind rhAteTsF