Evening star., 1934-11-04
A SPANISH ADMIRAL

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Continued from Fourth Page.
Weekly. written the day after her destruction.
by reporter who was on hand.
The ViZcaya and the Colon had likewise come
out of the harbor behind the Teresa. The
Colon. because of her superior speed, began to
forge ahead Of her pursuers. But the Vizcaya
was not so fortunate Blown to pieces and In
flames she, too soon turned toward shore Is
miles from Santiago Harbor.
kAY LAUNCH easily found the vizcayaS
W. grave, for her one turret and gun, extend
ing, like the Oquendos, above water, can be
seen a mile away AS jumped from the launch
to the rust-incrusted side of the turret, sea-
swallow few out of the guns stark muzzle.
crawled up the gun to examine it, and found,
inside the mouth. nest with three chicks just
learning to f1y-a hundred yards from shore.
The Vizcaya, commanded by Capt Eulate,
was we'll known in America, for she had come
to New York with a show of defiant courtesy
when the Maine was sent to Havana. But that
visit had gained her no privilege in the battle.
She received the worst punishment OF any
Spanish ship Her gunners, too, were all killed
(but not until one of her shells had decapitated
a seaman on the Brooklyn, the only American
casualty. OF her crew of $50, over 200 per-
iShed.
Eulate himself got to shore, badly wounded
and covered with blood, together with some $50
of the crew. Fighting Bob" Evans, captain
of the Iowa, sent out his boats to rescue them.
AS Eulate was brought aboard the Iowa he
unbuckled his sword, kissed the hilt and pre-
sented it to Evans as a token of surrender.
But the American captain handed 1T back, say
ing Eulate had fought four ships and deserved
to keep it. Just before being escorted below to
have his wounds dressed, Eulate turned toward
the wreck Of his ship, now a wild-burning fur
mace on the rocks, saluated and exclaimed:
"Adios, Vizcaya" At that same moment, as If
by prearrangement, the Vizcaya exploded with
an earth-shaking and a flaming geyser OF
steel and burning decks and mangled bodies.
Shortly after Cervera himself was brought
aboard the Iowa. without shirt or hat. On see
ing him. the American crew burst into Epon-
taneous cheering for the brave old admiral
Cervera was soon transferred to Annapolis.
Living there until peace was signed and honored
by every one, he became more of . hero In the
hearts of the American public than any one ON
either side that fought In the Battle Of Santiago.
Meanwhile the Colon was so miles away. But
the Brooklyn was 48. 1t had become . contest
of boilers rather than guns The Spanish off,
GERS determined to keep ahead at any cost,
pushed back into the stokehole the fren1en and
engineers who, unable to endure the terrible
did not suffice. The Colon's coal gave out just
when she was on the brink of success. It b
reported that in insane fury over this new
disaster the officers, as they headed for the
beach, poured coal oil on the stokehole hatch
and ignited it, that no man came alive out
Of that hell under the waterline
When the bow of the Colon hit the shore
her stern was still in rs feet Of water. Con-
sequently when wreckers tried to salvage her
she turned over and sunk completely out Of
sight. And there on the bottom Of the ocean,
80 miles down the coast of Cuba, the Cristobal
Colon remains today.
OF the four hulks only the TeFesaS has not
been accounted for in my story And It took
Admiral Hobson himself to tell me what hap
pened there.
When the Teresa exploded on the beach
CeSvera and his son and every living member
Of the crew, as have explained, swam to shore;
every living member of the crew but one, Ger
vera's catl In the panic she was forgotten and
left behind.
And fortnight later she was found, stfn
alive by Hobson himself <then q heutenant1,
who had come aboard to salvage the flagship.
Hobson gave her water and food, renamed her
"Cervera.' She accompanied him everywhere
as he went about his job.
Afloat once more (af1oat, but nothing but .
corpse of a cruiser), the Teresa was towed out
to sea by the little salvage ship Vulcan and