The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-02-20

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t was the blockade that made
ithc battle possible. The battle was
la direct consequence Of the block
iade. and upon the method and ef-
Ifectiveness Of the blockade was
very largely dependent the issue Of
the battle.
: Under the orders of Admiral
I Sampson the blockade was conduct
ed with a success eNemplified by
Others. When the Spanish
Admiral at last made his dash to
escape, we were ready-ready with
our men. with our guns and with
our engines
Describes Fight.
It was only a few minutes after
we had seen the leader Of the ad-
vancing squadron that IL became
apparent that Cervera's plan was
10 run his ships in column west
ward in an effort to escape.
7 Before he had fairly found himself
outside the Moro the entire block
aiding Observation-Disclosures, Oregon,
Iowa, Brooklyn and Texas-wss
pumping shell into him at such a
sue Of the battle in the first few
moments.
All our ships had closed in stimuli
taneOUsly. Then occurred
the incident which caused me for
a moment more alarm than any
thing Cervera did that day.
Z Suddenly a Whit of breeze and a
luH in the firing lifted the pail. and
r,ea-1 r-fr7cr T0r1-ea ri ms and 1r-u-E
T our bows. turning on her port helm.
with big waves curling over her
~ " and great clouds Of black
~ ,5ke pouring from her f@nnels,
= the Brooklyn. She looked as
slpig as ha]f q dozCn Great Easteras
and seemed so near that aaiszpaF
breath away. Back p0S4L1, elelhes. -
went down the pIbGCo the aston
ished engineers. and in a twinkling
the old ship was racing against
herself.
A collision which seemed immi-
nent. even if it was not, was avert
ed. and as the big cruiser glided
past all of US on the bridge gave a
sigh of relief. Had the Brooklyn
struck Us then it would probably
have been the end of the Texas and
ten minutes to 10 (the Spanish ships
appeared at about $500 the
Oregon and Texas and Iowa were
pretty we'll punched, holding a
DaraIleI course westward with the
Spaniards The Indiana was also
coming I'D. well inside OF all the
others of our squadron, but a lit
tie to the rear owing to her far
I'D eta
About q quarter past 10 the Teresa
which had been in difficulties from
the moment she left the shelter Of
the Moro, turned TO seek beach
inc place. She was on fire and we
knew that she was no longer 10 De
reckoned with. Five minutes later
our special enemy. the Oquendo,
also turned in shore The
Viscaya kept blazing away vicious
" but the pounding she got from
our four ships. more particularly
the Oregon. was too much for her
and in half an hour she. too, head
ed for the beach I deter
mined TO push on with the Texas
1t gives me pleasure to be
able to write that, old ship as she
is. and not built for speed, the
Texas held her own and even
gained on the Colon in that chase
Admiral Sampson was
commander-in-chi before, during
and after the action
Statement of Captain Clark.
Captain CIark's statement follows;
The credit for the blockade which
led up to the fight is, Of course,
Admiral SampsOn's. The position
of the ships on the morning Of the
fight. in a semi-circle, head-On 10
the harbor. in consequence Of which
We were able TO close IL at once,
was his. In closing in, that is, in
making the first movements, We
were obeying his Instructions
though. as a matter OF fact, we
would all have closed in anyway,
instructions or no Instructions
When the Spanish ships came out
of the harb0r the navigator Of my
ship saw the New York To the east
ward. but 1 received no signal Of
any kind from the New York dur
inc the action. nor was she near
enough 10 signal directly TO me IN
til after the Colon surrendered
The engagement may be said to
have been divided into three parts
First. the fight proper, while the
Spanish squadron was coming out
of the harbOr. and until il was
clear of the Diamond shoals and
definitely headed westward second,
The running fight WITH the already
damaged vessels as they fled west
ward until the Teresa. OquendO and
-Nfscaya ran ashore: and. third. the
chase Of the Colon. during which
there was practically no fighting
During the first stage I did not see
the Brooklyn or receive any signals
from her
OREGON and Iowa.
At 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
uninjured. and followed hard after,
at the same time observing the
I Brooklyn a little ahead and of
! shore. She was brOadside TO the
/ Spanish vessels and was receiving
the weight Of their fire and was re-
/ turning IL The Brooklyn and Ore
I gon thereafter occupied substantial
/ " these positions as regards each
/ other. being about equally distant
! from the Spanish ships as We sue
! cessfully overlook them. except