ur slowly approaching battleships showed where the Spanish
shells exploded in the water. The Americans replied. The battle was on,
but at a long range of two or three miles, so that the secondary
batteries could not be called into use; but thirteen-inch shells from
the _Oregon_ and _Indiana_ and the twelve-inch shells from the _Texas_
and _Iowa_ were churning up the water around the enemy. At this juncture
it seemed impossible for the Americans to head off the Spanish cruisers
from passing the western point, for they had come out of the harbor at a
speed of thirteen and one-half knots an hour, for which the blockading
fleet was not prepared. But Admiral Sampson's instructions were simple
and well understood--"Should the enemy come out, close in and head him
off"--and every ship was now endeavoring to obey that standing command
while they piled on coal and steamed up.

Meanwhile, from the rapidly approaching _New York_ the signal
fluttered--"Close into the mouth of the harbor and engage the enemy;"
but the admiral was too far away, or the men were too busy to see this
signal, which they were, nevertheless, obeying to the letter.

It was not until the leading Spanish cruiser had almost reached the
western point of the bay, and when it was evident that Cervera was
leading his entire fleet in one direction, that the battle commenced in
its fury. The _Iowa_ and the _Oregon_ headed straight for the shore,
intending to ram if possible one or more of the Spaniards. The _Indiana_
and the _Texas_ were following, and the _Brooklyn_, in the endeavor to
cut off the advance ship, was headed straight for the western point. The
little unprotected _Gloucester_ steamed right across the harbor mouth
and engaged the _Oquendo_ at closer range than any of the other ships,
at the same time firing on the _Furor_ and _Pluton_, which were rapidly
approaching.

It then became apparent that the _Oregon_ and _Iowa_ could not ram, and
that the _Brooklyn_ could not head them off, as she had hoped, and,
turning in a parallel course with them, a running fight ensued.
Broadside after broadside came fast with terrific slaughter. The
rapid-fire guns of the _Iowa_ nearest the _Teresa_ enveloped the former
vessel in a mantle of smoke and flame. She was followed by the _Oregon_,
_Indiana_, _Texas_, and _Brooklyn_, all pouring a rain of red-hot steel
and exploding shell into the fleeing cruisers as they passed along in
their desperate effort to escape. The