The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1913-08-27
WHEN CERVERA SAILED.
4 Spanlard Tells of the Departure of
Spain's Fleet From Santiago.

Spain's Fleet From Santiago.
A Spanish impression of Admiral
Cervera's fleet i'm Santiago harboy
shortly before it was destroyed by
Sampson and Schley is given by
'nnor Alfonso Hernandez Cata, who
was in the city beseged by the Am
orican army and fleet. lie says IN
his book, la Estrella."
The piers We're alive with people
Now and again from the file Of
shops, sometimes swinging oblique.
! ly at their anchorage, but never
changing their relative intervals,
would shoot out n boat bearing mar
ines to the shore When they landed
! the crowd would open to let them
rass and respectful murmur would
! follow them. The Off ,2rs wore blue
uniforms, brilliant with gold lacing.
! They represented the common hope
son, at times feeling the eyes of the
loWG fiNcl upon th'm, 'hcy wCLlI
| bow their heads as though oppressed
with the weight Of so many hopes.
For the popu'ace Spain's power
seemed Incorporated in those sX dark
| craft. VIII ch had steamed in so trl-
umphantly one morning, glancing in
the sunbeams, flags and pennant7
fluttering in the breeze, amid plaud-
its of joy, their very salutes com
municating a dash of heroic enthus-
ism to the throng gazing at them
from the shore. In the evenings
among the groups scuss.ng the
latest rumors on the Plaza de Armas,
some expert would yanquish the pes
eimism of the timid by reading eX-
tracts from Madrid newspaper, in
VIII ch by a comparison of the fleets
Of the contonding powers, it was
demonstrated to what extent fate
and foresight combined favored Spain
in tonnage, guns and skill.
The mere names of the Warshirs
evoked an atmosphere &C patriotism
and power-Infanta Maria Teresa,
Cristoba.l Colon, Almirate Oquendo,
Vizsaya, Furor, Pluton.
And here they We're in this ins'G
nificant rort revealed to the worlds
notice by hazard of war, like six
Gristlng claws arming one of the
Spanish Lions formidable paws out
stretched from afar to guard the
prey above which the eagle was cir
cling.
"One morning the marines who had
been embarked 10 reinforce the con-
tingent in the trenches were recalled
to their ships They marched down
toward the piers formed in a column
of four files, flanked by their offic-
ers, at regular intervals. The rythm-
ic beat of the steps sounding in the
tll-payed streets announced their
coming from afar. and the people
turned out to see them pass. They
marched with long strides, unhesi-
t2'ngly. nc smile on their faces, but
with an expression testilying as much
of heroism as of unconcern An old
man watching them from a window
~ 20 a woman at his side, They
are going to their death
"From the esp'anade behind the
1icrs but few Witnessed the depart
urc of the fleet 1t took place in the
early morning. From the tunnels of
the warships arose dense clouds OF
smoke which combined in the air to
form a kind of pail that hoyerel
above them. When they got under
,'v ' profound silence ryigncj. Th'
minds Of all seemed oppressed by
the same anxious thought The sun,
causing the water to glow like a fun
eral pyre. lighted up the gay colors
rr the tlags and pennants
AS the flagship entered the first
bend Of the channel a viva rang
out through the air. 1t was a single
sonorous, enthusiastic outburst sue
ceeded by dead silence. Not n wave
ruffled the water. not a breeze stirred
the air, not cloud djmmed the sky.
One after another the warshiNs pass
ed out of sight, leaving the bay de
serted. Only the distant an' g..
tinuous booming Of cannon gave the
certainty that at this moment a su-
Trcme combat was taking place with
all its horrors Of destruction and
death, behind the serene hills gilded
hy the suns ravs.