with buglers handy by; the captain with his officers alongside stood at the gangway; Captain Eulate, with his sword on, was beside Evans, and then as the handsome old gentleman was helped up the side, the buglers sounded the old familiar blare, the marines as one man presented arms with the old familiar crash, and the officers with hats off, bowed low to the distinguished prisoner. Sir Walter Raleigh could not have ordered it better or more to the Spanish taste. And then there was the burial of the dead. Several wounded men were taken on the "Iowa" and some died. These were sewn in canvas hammocks, the crew and prisoners were mustered on deck, a Spanish chaplain read the service of the dead, and a guard of marines fired volleys when the bodies were sliding from the tilting board. Nor was this all, for many of the prisoners were brought on board half naked, and the Americans were quick to supply their needs. Admiral Cervera had good reason to speak kindly of the treatment he and his men had received after their extraordinary defeat. men. We come now to the comparison of ships and damages and losses of Squadron for Squadron. destroyers out of the harbor. It is said by the officers of an Austrian cruiser that arrived during the battle that a Spanish gunboat came out also, but none of the reporters mentioned her, and if she came out she had no part in the fight. To meet these six vessels Commodore Schley had four ships and two converted yachts on hand. The "Indiana " was near by, and the "New York," by her superior speed, showed herself to be actually within reach, though hull down to eastward when the fight began. The actual fighting was done, however, by the "Brooklyn," the "Iowa," the "Oregon" and the "Texas." The near presence of the other two, like that of the torpedoboat "Ericsson," Captain Usher, was certain to have a moral effect on the enemy, although their guns had very little physical effect indeed. It is entirely fair to say, however, that had the Americans manned the Spanish squadron, and Spaniards ours, the "New York" and her consorts would have had ample time to reach the scene before the end of the battle, unless, indeed, the dash for liberty had opened a way through the line at once. In numbers, that is to say, the two squadrons were equal. In fighting power the preponderance was, of course, on our side. The torpedo-boat destroyers outclassed our two converted yachts at least three to one, but on the Spanish cruisers there were of guns of the first class two 10-inch rifles and six 11-inch, while on our ships there were six 12-inch and eight 3-inch rifles. Of the second class (not the so-called secondary battery), they had forty guns of from 5% to 6-inch calibre and six of about 5-inch, while we had twenty-four 8-inch, ten 6-inch, twelve 5-inch and six 4-inch guns. We had fourteen big guns to their eight, and the least of ours was an inch heavier than the best of theirs, while of medium guns we had fifty-two to their fortysix, and of these twenty-four of ours were 8-inch or almost large enough to be counted among the huge guns. And this comparison is to be especially considered, for it portrays the difference between American and Continental ideas in arining ships just as the results of the battle show the difference between American and Spanish crews. Guns Bristling like Of the secondary batteries a word must be said. The American ships may be called for one reason the porcupines of the sea. It is guessed that no one will say they fight like porcupines, but it is plainly true that they bristle like the thorny beasts-bristle with tiny 6-pounders and smaller guns. It has long been the fashion to speak of these slender weapons as murdering guns. They were expected to hurl such storms of small projectiles upon the exposed portions of an enemy's ships that no man could remain there and live. But the ships of Spain had a plenty of these guns-they carried sixty-six in all, and yet the American commanders, from Commodore Schley on the "Brooklyn" to Captain Wainwright on the "Gloucester," fought their ships from bridge and open deck. As between the big ships these secondary batteries counted not at all. Nevertheless we could not do without them, for when it came to beating off the thin-sided torpedo-boat destroyers, these were the weapons to do it; for in Yankee hands they were like a twelve-gauge shotgun to a quail shooter. They were trained for snap shots and worked like a lead pump-like the stream from the nozzle of a fireman's hose. The crews of the torpedo-boat destroyers were all swept dead from the decks, it is true, but the boats themselves were literally shot full of holes and down they went. The holes were large enough. As to the damages to the ships, the difference is well-nigh but not quite infinite. The Spanish squadron was almost annihilated, while the American escaped with but trifling injuries. stroyed-One Unhurt. Three of the Spaniards were driven ashore within less One Squadron De than twelve miles of their exit, all in a sinking condition, all with their superstructures (that is, the light upper por tions) wholly wrecked and all on fire beyond the control of their crews. The havoc wrought, if told in detail, would seem incredible, and all this was due to the able marksmen who stood behind the American guns. The "Cristobal Colon" was injured less than the others-just why, unless it was because her speed made our gunners over anxious, has determined, but even she was driven ashore at last. There is hope may be gotten off the beach and repaired. As for the others, the hope they may find half the guns still serviceable. On our side the "Brooklyn" was struck forty-five times, the nine and the "Texas " got one in the ash hoist. Those that "Brooklyn" were all from the medium guns-in fact, all the p that struck either of our ships were of medium size. The Spaniar not work the big ones effectively. And so it happened that when the battle was over and every o Spanish ships had disappeared under the sea or lay smoking on t every Yankee ship was afloat with colors flying a to do it all over again could Camara's fleet hav opportunely. The losses of men were equally significant. the "Brooklyn" killed one good man-Chief Yeoman George H. New York, for which his ship was named, and wounded two more. On the "Texas" the shock of her 12-inch guns fired ath knocked one man down a hatchway and broke his leg. As for the enemy the official returns are not complete, and it ful if they will ever be accurately made. There were about 300 k wounded (a significant contrast of numbers), and the remainder o crews-perhaps 1,800 men—were made prisoners. Nearly 500 of t shed their blood in a wild dash for liberty, and three of ours blec them. It was not without good reason that Fighting Bob said, battle was over: "God and the gunners were on our side." ADMIRAL STANTON'S DIAGRAM OF THE BATTLE FUROR. TERRIFIC EFFECTS OF OUR BIG GUNS FIRING UPON T CERVERA'S SHIPS. BY PAUL ST. CLAIR MURPHY, (Senior Marine Officer of the "Brooklyn.") EN days after the destruction of Cervera's squadron by our great battleships, the Board of Survey made a careful examination of the wrecks in order to definitely ascertain the specific damage, and effects of the shots fired by our guns of different calibre. The result of this investigation is extremely interesting : Of four ships examined three had been blown up by their magazines, and of these one had every magazine exploded, and torpedoes in addition, yet on none of them was there the same effect as that produced by the explosion on the "Maine." There was no upheaval of the keel and little bulging of the plates except in the immediate vicinity of the explosion. The effect was nearly altogether upward, in some cases the protective deck being lifted; but outside of the springing of a few plates the hulls were intact. The examination of the wrecks of the Spanish ships, three of which were burned and all their magazines exploded, was made, first, for the purpose of ascertaining the effect of American gunnery, and, second, to find out the effect of internal explosion. The awful effect of well aimed shots wa demonstrated in the rapid sinking of the fleet. When it is remembered that the "Oquendo" and the "Infanta Maria Teresa" were both sunk within forty minutes of the time they left the entrance, the work of American gunners may well be considered remarkable, especially when it is known that the "Oquendo" was struck more than fifty-five times and the "Infanta Maria Teresa" thirty-seven times by large projectiles. The record of the damages to these ships is a world record and is fraught with great interest. The fight started at a range of 6,000 yards, or about three miles, while at 2,000 or 2,500 yards two torpedo boats and two cruisers were smashed. The closest fighting was done at 1,100 and 1,000 yards, by the "Brooklyn" and "Vizcaya," with annihilating effect on the Spanish ship. But two projectiles larger than 8-inch struck a vessel, both of these either 12 or 13-inch, being put through the "Infanta Maria Teresa." The 8-inch, 6-inch, 5-inch and 6-pounders did the bulk of the work and were frightfully destructive. Some idea of the effect can be obtained from a brief summary of the injuries to each ship as found by the Examining Board. The Board had upon it such capable men as Executive Officer Rogers, of the "Iowa"; Executive Officer Mason, of the "Brooklyn," an expert on the effect of shells on armor; Lieutenant Huessler, of the "Texas," who has made some splendid improvements in gun firing on that ship, and Assistant Naval Constructor Hobson, of "Merrimac" fame, who has a reputation for knowledge of ship construction. Briefly, these officers found: Destructive Work of "Cristobol Colon," battleship, first-class, with six inches of steel for protection not only on the water line, but around the 6-inch guns. This ship was hit with large projectiles but six times, as it kept Large Projectiles. out of range nearly the whole time, passing behind the other ships for protection, and finally making a run for it. The hits were made by the "Brooklyn" and "Oregon." One 8-inch shell went into the port side of the ward room, and left on the starboard side without exploding, but cleaned out everything in the room. A 5-inch shell hit just above the armor belt, and a 6-inch shell struck her on the bow. None of the injuries was sufficient to put her out of action, and they were not as serious as those received by the "Brooklyn," at one time her sole antagonist. The statement that the "Brooklyn" was overhauling her, and that the "Oregon's" terrific 13-inch guns were shooting nearer and nearer, and that escape was impossible, seems to explain her surrender. 66 The "Viscaya," armored cruiser, of same class as battleships "Texas " and "Maine," two 11.5-inch guns and ten 5.5-inch guns, with protections ten and twelve inches thick, double and treble that of the Brooklyn." This ship was the special prey of the "Brooklyn" and the "Oregon," although the "Texas," after her destructive work on the "Oquendo" and "Teresa," aided a little at long range, The "Viscaya," exclusive of 1-pounders and rapid-fire hits, which swept her deck, was hit with large projectiles fourteen times, and 6-pounders eleven times. The 8-inch guns of the "Brooklyn" and "Oregon," and the 6-inch guns on the "Oregon" and 5-inch on the "Brooklyn," tore her structure above the armor belt almost into shreds, while the 6-pounders and 1-pounders made it too warm for men to stand at the guns. The "Texas " got in a few 6-inch shots, and the "Iowa" landed a couple of 4-inch shells. No 13 or 12-inch shells struck her. The "Infanta Maria Teresa," the flagship, of the same build as the "Viscaya," was badly punished, and was the only one of the four ships hit by 12 or 13-inch projectiles. Two of that size went into her, and the position of one would tend to demonstrate that it was fired by the "Texas," the other being from the "Indiana," "Oregon" or "Iowa." An 8-inch shell, undoubtedly from the "Brooklyn," because she was the only ship in line, The Crash and Slaughter on the "Viscaya." |