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brain; no one wanting her, every man in the service swearing he wouldn't serve on her unless drafted; unmanned, misunderstood, she was a pathetic thing. Now her hour has come! If she has any intelligence she must feel the glory of success. But, barring her emotion, there are those to-day who feel they have been vindicated.

Construction and Cost.

Technically, the "Vesuvius" has a water line of 252 feet; beam, 26 feet 6 inches; draught, 10 feet 1 inch; displacement, 929 tons; she has a speed of 21.4 knots. She

has two propellers driven by vertical triple expansion engines. Her horse power is 3,794; coal capacity, 152 tons. In addition to her three 15-inch dynamite guns she carries three 3-pounder rapid fire guns. The Cramps built her in 1887 at a cost of $350,000, when Mr. Whitney was Secretary of the Navy. She was launched in 1888. Her speed at trial of 21.947 was considered the fastest on record.

One of the prime uses to which the "Vesuvius" may be applied is the countermining of channels that have been planted with torpedoes. So wonderfully destructive are her dynamite gun-cotton shells, that it is possible for this unique vessel to literally fight her way through the most dangerous passage that mines ever defended, and thus open the way for the entrance of following ships. One of her 500-pound shells, which may be accurately thrown a distance of nearly two miles, can be made to explode at any point, whether on the water surface, or at the bottom, and such an explosion will destroy every mine or torpedo within 200 feet of the place where it falls. For this countermining purpose the services of the "Vesuvius" may be regarded as being invaluable, while for bombarding, especially under the cover of night, when she may creep within range, she promises to be dreadfully effective, as was shown at Santiago.

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HOW WE ANNIHILATED CERVERA'S SQUADRON.

BY

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(Captain of the Battleship " Iowa.”)

HE destruction of Cervera's ships before Santiago de Cuba on the morning of July 3, 1898, was an incident at once so thrilling and important that the story will never cease to interest, and the history of the world has been mightily enriched thereby :

As Cervera's squadron came out in column, from the bottle-necked harbor, the ships beautifully spaced as to distance, and gradually increasing their speed to thirteen knots, it was superb. The range at this time was 2,000 yards from the leading ship of our blockading fleet. The "Iowa's" helin was immediately put hard to starboard, and the entire starboard side was poured into the "Infanta Maria Teresa" which led the advance. The helm was then quickly shifted to port, and the ship headed across the stern of the "Teresa" in an effort to head off the "Oquendo." All the time the engines were driving at full speed ahead. A perfect torrent of shells from the enemy passed over the smokestacks and superstructure of the "Iowa," but none struck her.

The "Cristobal Colon," being much faster than the rest of the Spanish ships, moved rapidly to the front in an effort to escape. In passing the "Iowa" the "Colon" placed two 6-inch shells fairly in our starboard bow. One passed through the cofferdam and dispensary, wrecking the latter and bursting on the berth deck, doing considerable damage. The other passed through the side at the water line with the cofferdam, where it remained until removed when the ship was overhauled at New York a month later.

Terrible Damage
to the
"Oquendo."

As it was now obviously impossible to ram any of the Spanish ships on account of their superior speed, the "Iowa's" helin was put to the starboard, and she ran on a course parallel with the enemy. Being then abreast of the "Almirante Oquendo," at a distance of 1,100 yards, the "Iowa's" entire battery, including the rapid-fire guns, was opened on the "Oquendo." The punishment was terrific. Many 12 and 8-inch shells were seen to explode inside of her, and smoke came out through her hatches. Two 12-inch shells from the "Iowa" pierced the fated vessel at the same moment, one forward and the other aft. The "Oquendo" seemed to stop her engines for a moment, and lost headway, but she immediately resumed her speed, and gradually drew ahead of the "Iowa," and came under the terrific fire of the "Oregon" and "Texas."

At this moment the alarm of "torpedo boats" was sounded, and two torpedo-boat destroyers were discovered on the starboard quarter at a distance of 4,000 yards. Fire was at once opened on them with the after battery, and a 12-inch shell cut the stern of one destroyer squarely off. As this shell struck, a small torpedo boat fired back at the battleship, sending a shell within a few feet of my head. I said to Executive Officer Rogers, "That little chap has got a lot of cheek." Rogers shouted back, "She shoots very well all the same."

Well up among the advancing cruisers, spitting shots at one and then at another, was the little "Gloucester," shooting first at a cruiser and then at a torpedo boat, and hitting a head wherever she saw it. The marvel was that she was not destroyed by the rain of shells.

In the meantime, the "Vizcaya was slowly drawing abeam of the "Iowa," and for the space of fifteen minutes it was give and take between the two ships. The "Vizcaya" fired rapidly but wildly, not one shot taking effect on the "Iowa," while the shells from the "Iowa" were tearing great rents in the sides of the "Vizcaya." As the latter passed ahead of the "Iowa" she came under the murderous fire of the "Oregon." At this time the "Infanta Maria Teresa" and the "Almirante Oquendo," leading the enemy's column, were seen to be heading for the beach and in flames. The "Texas," "Oregon" and "Iowa" pounded them unmercifully. They ceased to reply to the fire, and in a few minutes the Spanish cruisers were a mass of flames and on the rocks, with their colors down, the "Teresa " flying a white flag at the fore.

Driving the Enemy's Vessels On to the Rocks.

The crews of the enemy's ships stripped themselves and began jumping overboard, and one of the smaller magazines began to explode. Meantime the "Brooklyn" and the "Cristobal Colon" were exchanging compliments in a lively fashion, but at apparently long range, and the "Oregon," with her locomotive speed, was hanging well on to the "Colon," also paying attention to the "Vizcaya." The "Teresa" and the "Oquendo" were in flames on the beach just twenty minutes after the battle began, Fifty minutes after the first shot was fired the "Vizcaya put her helm to port with a great burst of flame from the after part of the ship, and headed for the rocks at Acerraderos, where she found her last resting place.

As it was apparent that the "Iowa " could not possibly catch the Cristobal Colon," and that the "Oregon" and "Brooklyn" undoubtedly would, and as the fast "New York" was also on her trail, I decided that the calls of humanity should be answered Bodies Attacked and attention given to the twelve or fifteen hundred by Sharks. Spanish officers and men who had struck their colors to the American squadron commanded by Admiral Sampson. I therefore headed for the wreck of the "Vizcaya," now burning furiously fore and aft. When I was in as far as the depth of water would admit, I lowered all my boats and sent them at once to the assistance of the unfortunate men, who were being drowned by dozens or roasted on the decks. I soon discovered that the insurgent Cubans from the shore were shooting on men who were struggling in the water, after having surrendered to us. I immediately put a stop to this, but I could not put a stop to the mutilation of many bodies by the sharks inside the reef. These creatures had become excited by the blood from the wounded mixing in the water.

My boats' crews worked manfully, and succeeded in saving many of the wounded from the burning ship. One man, who has since been recommended for promotion, clambered up the side of the "Vizcaya " and saved three men from burning to death. The smaller magazines of the "Vizcaya" were exploding with magnificent cloud effects. The boats were coming alongside in a steady string, and willing hands were helping the lacerated Spanish officers and sailors on to the "Iowa's" quarter-deck. All the Spaniards were absolutely without clothes. Some had their legs torn off by fragments of shells. Others were mutilated in every conceivable way.

The bottoms of the boats held two or three inches of blood. Five poor chaps died on the way to the ship and they were buried with military honors from the "Iowa." Some of the Spanish sailors were examples of heroism, or more properly, devotion to discipline and duty, such as may never be surpassed. One man on the lost "Vizcaya" had his left arm almost shot off just below the shoulder. The fragments were hanging by a small piece of skin. But he climbed unassisted over the side and saluted as if on a visit of ceremony. Immediately after him came a strong, hearty sailor, whose left leg had been shot off above the knee. He was hoisted on board the "Iowa" with a tackle, but never a whimper came from him. Gradually the mangled bodies and naked well men accumulated until it would have been almost difficult to recognize the "Iowa" as a United States battleship.

Blood was all over her usually white quarter deck and 272 naked men were being supplied with water and food by those who a few minutes before

A Horrible Scene on the Ship Deck.

had been using a rapid-fire battery on them. Finally came the boats with Captain Eulate, commander of the "Vizcaya," for whom a chair was lowered over the side, as he was evidently wounded. The captain's guard of marines were drawn up on the quarter-deck to salute him, and I stood waiting to welcome him. As the chair was placed on the deck the marines presented arms. Captain Eulate slowly raised himself in the chair, saluted me with grave dignity, unbuckled his sword belt and, holding the hilt of the sword before him, kissed it reverently, with tears in his eyes, and then surrendered it to me.

Of course, I declined to receive his sword, and, as the crew of the "Iowa" saw this, they cheered like wild men. As I started to take Captain Eulate into the cabin to let the doctors examine his wounds the magazines on board the "Vizcaya" exploded, with a tremendous burst of flame. Captain Eulate, extending his hands, said, "Adios, 'Vizcaya.' There goes my beautiful ship, captain," and so we passed on to the cabin, where the doctors dressed his three wounds. In the meantime thirty officers of the "Vizcaya " had been picked up, beside 272 of her crew. Our wardroom and steerage officers gave up their staterooms and furnished food, clothing and tobacco to these naked officers from the "Vizcaya." The paymaster issued uniforms to the naked sailors, and each was given all the corned beef, coffee and hard tack he could eat. The war had assumed another aspect.

As I knew the crews of the first two ships wrecked had not been visited by any of our vessels, I ran down to them, where I found the "Gloucester" with Admiral Cervera and a number of his officers aboard, and also a large number of wounded, some in a frightfully mangled condition. Many prisoners had been killed on shore by the fire of the Cubans.

The "Harvard" came off, and I requested Captain Cotton to go in and take off the crews of the "Infanta Maria Teresa" and the "Almirante Oquendo," and by midnight the "Harvard" had 976 prisoners aboard, a great number of them wounded.

For courage and dash there is no parallel in history to this action of the Spanish admiral. He went as he knew, to absolute destruction. There was one single hope; that was that the "Cristobal Colon" would steam faster than the "Brooklyn." The spectacle of two torpedo-boat destroyers, paper shells at best, deliberately steaming out in broad of the Vanquished. daylight in the face of the fire of battleships can only be described in one way: It was Spanish, and it was ordered

Amazing Heroism

by Blanco. The same must be said of the entire movement.

In contrast to this Spanish fashion was the cool, deliberate Yankee work. The American squadron was without sentiment apparently. The ships went

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