The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-09-04

that is. by the hull Of the Maine touch
ing It while swinging at anchor. In my
judgment II was connected with the
shore by wire and some person or per-
sons knowing the state OF things ex-
ploded the mine with a current of cleo
tricity."
What happened 10 you afte- your work
at Havana was completed?"
Il came TO Washington as fast as
1 could. wanting 20 get into the war at
the earliest possible moment. but un-
Outstanding. OF course. that my rank
would preclude me from obtaining COM
mand Of u large ship. But I was de-
termined TO have something. Mr.. Roose-
welt was Assistant Secretary Of the
Navy. For a month I spent most OF my
time In the outer room OF his Office. one
day I heard that the government had
purchased the Corsair. a yacht. belong
ing 10 J. Pierpont Morgan. and would
convert It into q scout and dispatch boat.
I begged so hard that Mr.. Roosevelt
also-to get rid Of me. I imaglne-gnve
me command OF the yacht, which. on
being armed with three and six Founders.
was renamed the Gloucester It could
sail eighteen knots an hour. and hoped
its speed would carry me into some zone
Of action.
Set to Carrying Dispatches.
Il sailed from New York. and. report
ing to Admiral Remey at Key West. was
handed a message for Garcia, who was
on the north coast OF Cuba Garcia was
70 give me a message for Gen. Shafter.
and I was to wait IN the old Bahama
Channel until Shafter and his troop ships
and conveys came along on the way TO
Santiago. I showed Admiral Remey,
however, that I could make better time
by going straight to Santiago, seeing
Shafter there instead Of watching for him
In the channel. Moreover. 7 desired to
get close TO Admiral Sampson and his
feet Of battle ships, then on blockade
duty before Santiago. Cervera was in
the harbOr and I felt that a fight was
sure to occur, sooner or later"
Black smoke, around a bend in the har-
Dor. on Sunday morning. July 3. 1895.
warned the American feet that Cervera
was headed for open water. "Cervera
was ordered out by Blanco, but he knew
well enough what would happen Adj
miral Wainwright said to me-
"The American ships went forward, -
I remarked, land Capt. Taylor. Of the
Indiana. signaled you to close in"
AT all events" Admiral Wainwright
replied with a smile. Il read the signal
that way. Taylor afterward explained
that his signal was: The gunboats arc
coming out. meaning the Pluton and
Furor. knew they were coming with
out being told and closed in. thus obeying
the instructions previously given me by
Admiral Sampson"
Cervera Knew His Fate.
The Spanish ships steamed out Of San
tiago at $3.50 o'clock in the morning. "I
shall never be the one to decree the hor-
rible hecatomb." Cervera had said.
which viii be he only possible re-
suit Of the sortie from here by main
force" And Blanco had replied by teIe-
graph from Havana Main thing is
that the squadron go out at once"
At ? o'clock in the afternoon the Girls
tobal Colon. the last ship afoat. ran
ashore seventy-five miles west OF santi.
ago and hauled down her flag. The
Infanta Maria Teresa. Oquendo and viz
caya were driven to the beach, burned
and blown UP within twenty miles OF
| Santiago. Wainwright, in the wooden
! Gloucester, destroyed the Pluton and
Furor within four miles Of port-the Plu.
ton and Juror. sharks OF the sea-" that
were to creep up under cover Of the