The National tribune., 1903-06-04

teries kept hammering away, straining and
jarring the ship in the shock Of their re-
coil. Sometimes the snock seemed to come
from the outside, but no casualty was re-
ported. Nor did any of our consorts drop
out of line or slacken fire. Yet the Spanish
ensigns still flew and their broadsides still
thundered when we had completed our
third run past their linetand had been en-
gagged for an hour and a half.
There was some natural impatience for
visible results. As We headed to the east
ward for the fourth run, preparations We're
made to close, in order to try the effect of
stationary practice. The Olympia was
headed southeast to cross the fve-fathom
curve. At this instant the Reina Cristina
was seen to move to gap in the line and
to turn her bows 20 seaward. The two
tiaSships drew together as if for duel,
but the Olympia was covering more
ground than her opponent, who was exposed
to the concentrated fire of several broad
sides. The slow advance was continued
until the CriStina was within 200 yards
and we could see our shells strike home.
Dark clouds of smoke poured up from the
bow and stern and plume of white steam
made another signal of distress. A shell
had pierced the superheater, the ship was
on fire in two places, the steerinS-gear was
shot away and most of the guns were dis
ab!ed. So the ship turned inshore and
sought relief in shOal water close to the
Arsenal The object of her charge need
not be considered. AS usual, the Span-
iards were reduced to counsels of despera-
ton. Perhaps some dream of attack by
ramming or using torpedOes inspired the
effort. The Don Juan de Austria had made
a similar movement earlier in the fight,
but her rush was still more brief and in
effective. This battle had to be fought out
with guns, though the enemy found that q
hard saying.
STOPPING FOR BREAKFAST.
Again we steamed to the westward,
while Admiral Montojo was shifting his
flag to the Isla de Cuba. In passing the
Castillo, it was noted that she. too, was
on fire. Turning within !, 500 yards of
the batteries on the point, the fleet stood
ont toward the middle of the bay. The
fine rihed guns on shore were as ineffective
at 1,2O0 yards as they were at 10000
They followed us with steady fire as we
steamed to the northward, and the heavy
guns outside the walls of Manila resumed
their task of bombardment. Their shells
of 90 inches caliber might have been
powerfully destructive had their descend
ing fight landed them on our decks, but
they all missed, even when our two groups
made n motionless cluster of nine vessels
within range of their crOss-fire. The
Spanish Captain-Genera telegraphed to
Madrid that we withdrew behind the
merchant shipping to transfer the wound
ed" The rest of the world insists in prose
and verse that we stopped fighting to get
breakfast. There may have been other
considerations, but we had done morn
ing's work--a bigger one than we knew
and breakfast was welcome. There were
sardines. corned beef and hard-tack on 4
corner of the wardroOm table, still en-
numbered by the Surgeons ghastly gear,
which was all unstained. however. Indeed,
the answer to the signal. "Report casual
ties had been comfortable. Half-a- dozen
men slightly wounded by the shock of that
erratic shell which traversed the Balti-
more's upper deck covered everything. a
capable observer watching the fight from
one of our Golfers was able to give the
net result of our work as soon as we
stopped firing. but he estimated the Ameri-
can loss at not less than 400. Let lis be
thankful that it was mot so. though we
may not know why ogr mems lives were
spared. IL
The crews had gloriq;;is. opportunities for
cheering each other. The7bis Baltimore and
the little Petrcl drew Special attention as
the two extremes of our fleet but not one
ship was sighted nor was there n word
of captious comparison mixed with the gen
erous burst of applausc.l All had fought
Sallantly and Loyalty, and all had escaped
unharmed. Natural selection had done its
work on the niceties.o of naval uniform
while we were cleared for action. Golf
caps and pith helmets wern seen in high
places; officers and men came on the bridge
in obsolescent pajanlas or Inadequate
undershirts; the turret crews were frankly
prmeval in their attira., But good spirits
and prompt obedience were the natural
order of the day. There had been no need
to promote them by signalling common
place maxims. There was neither shirk-
ing nor finching among the LOO men
under the COmmOdore's pennant on the 1st
of May. ..... .... 49,.
FINISHING UP THE WORK.
The smoking hour and the consultation
of Captains after breakfast were enlivened
and inspired by frequent explosions of
ammunition in the burning ships off
Cavite. The inevitable decision was that
the work should be finished. The record
shows that this movement began at 1915
a. m. but it might have been six hours or
q week later if one had to trust individual
impressions. The Baltimore was desic-
mated to lead the line, and the intervals
were closed, as Sangley point was ap-
preached from the westward. One gun
from the point was still in action when the |
baltimore stopped her engines and turned
her heavy broadsides on the earthworks.
Her siX-inch and eight-inch shells were soon
bursting and throwing up showers of sand
close to the guns. The other ships ranged
past in succession, and the Olympia poured
in a Calling fire from her sx-pounders at a
distance of 800 yards. In passing the Bal
timore each ship had to stop firing and
take to cheering, which seemed to have a
decisive effect, as the batteries were 81
fenced and deserted by their demoraized
Garrisons. One ship attempted to keep up
the battle. The Don Antonio de Ulloa |
FREQ two or three shots. but she was soon |
silenced and sunk by .,hells from the Bos-
ton and X; leigh. which were turning the
point to approach the Arsenal She was |
the only ship sent to lhe bottom by our
projectiles. Others were burned, blown |
up, or driven ashore by our fire. The |
Spanish flag still waved from the lofty |
shears at the Cavite Arsenal, but few |
well-amed shells from the Raleigh shat |
tered buildings and scattered troops about |
the navy yard. The red and yellow flag |
came down; white sheet was shown from |
the Commandant's quarters, and Cavite |
was surrendered.
The Petrel had stood in ahead of the |
other ships assisting in the bombardment. |
and she was now sent in to finish the task |
Of destroying the Spanish vessels, which |
had taken refuge behind the Arsenal and |