Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1903-08-06
SOME Interesting HISTORY
CONCERNING THE SPANISH GUN BOAT
"ALvARADO."
The Little Vessel Is Now In
Dry Dock In Baltimore
For Repairing.

The Spanish gunboat Alvarado that
towed the submarine boat Holland to
Baltimore this week is the first prize cap
tured by the United States Navy during
the Spanish-American War TO Az the
national ensign over her stern and be-
come a part of the feet of the United
States Navy.
The Alvarado was captured at Santi-
ago, and is a sister vessel to the gunooat
Sandoval, captured st Guantanamo. The
Alvarado was In Santiago when Cervera's
feet was destroyed, and was surrendered
without sinking. She was in such filthy
condition that about ton of disinfectan,s
had to be used before crew could live
aboard her. She was surrendered undeI
the terms Of the capitulation of Santiago,
and came near causing rupture between
General Shafter and Admiral Sampson,
regarding her disposition.
The Navy won, however. ITO the
victor belongs the spoils, said an officer.
''and although we got a mighty little
craft, we had rather have a single stick
of her than to have yielded her. in an
unjust contention, to the Army" In
truth, the boats are little fellows, just 10
feet from stem to stern. One OF the great
boat cranes of the vessel whose destruc
ton causes US to possess the Alvsrado
and Sandoval could have lifted either of
them out OF the water and swung them
on the Names torpedo boat davit.
For time the Alvarado was naviga-
ted in Spanish, the language OF her
engine room signals, The vessel came
near being lost in coming North. When
asked what kind OF sea boat the craft
was, an officer replied that there was a
variety of motion in her. However, she
managed to live through the gale off
Cape Mayso. in which the Spanish cruiser
Marie Teresa was lost, but she was kept
ahoat by the use of several hundred
gallons OF oil. The engineer force gave
out from exhaustion, and the engines
had to be run with sailormen. They had
avery thrilling experience on the trip.
The first commander of the Alvarado
was Lieutenant Victor Blue, who first
found Admiral Cervera' s feet in Santiago.
II Is stated by an officer Of the auxiliary
cruiser Badger that steam launch from
that vessel. armed with a gatling and a
cne-pounder, ran in and tried to cut the
Alvarado out as she lay at anchor at
night in Santiago harbor. The pluclxy
little Spaniard, however, was vide awake,
and opened on the launch at short range,
compelling her to retire. The AlvaIado's 5
sister ship, the Sandoval, is every bit as
interesting. She gave battle 10 the Amer
ican aeet in Guantanamo Bay until her
commander saw the futility OF resistance.
Her defense was as plucky. alone and
unsupported though she was, as was the
fight put up by the Alvarado under the
guns of the Moro of Santiago. She
fought until she could not check the
aggressive advance of the small Amer
Icsn gunboat that was badgering her and
then she ran away, but her engines were
no match for those OF the fine American
yacht. whose one-pounded shells were
chasing the flying Spaniard. Ii was then
that her captain was guilty of the same
perfidy that characterized the surrender
OF Cervera's fleet few days previously
He dismanted his ship, disabled her guns,
breaking the breechlocks off and casting
them into the sea, and then, seeing that
escape from the pursuing Americans was
impossible. he opened the Sandoval's $
sea-cocks and allowed her to sink.
The Alvarado was built along the lines
OF a yacht. with low freeboard, and Is
painted white, with yellow stacks. The
Sandoval and Alvarado were built on
the Clyde and were purchased by Spain
Just In time to get them out before the
neutrality laws went into effect to prevent
either the United States or Spain from
purchasing vessels or materials of war.
They were estimated to have a speed of
Io knots, but under Spanish usage they
could not do nearly so much. They can
steam but little over IL knots. They
have a I.ooo-mile coaling radius at a
speed Of 10 knots. The quarters of the
officers are forward and those Of the men
aft, just the reverse Of the vessels Of our
Navy, but this is done probably on ac-
count OF theIe being more room aft for
the men, much of the space OF the boats
being taken up by the machinery and
coal bunkers. When the Alvarado went
10 Baltimore she was in charge Of Lieu
tenant H. N. Jenson. two warrant officers
and fourteen men. She will also be dry
docked in Baltimore and scraped and
painted at the same time with the Holland.