search-light-ship, with her broadside trained upon the
channel in readiness to fire the instant a Spanish ship should appear. The
commanding officers merit great praise for the perfect manner in which
they entered into this plan, and put it into execution. The
_Massachusetts_, which, according to routine, was sent that morning to
coal at Guantanamo, like the others, had spent weary nights upon this
work, and deserved a better fate than to be absent that morning.

"I enclose, for the information of the department, copies of orders and
memorandums issued from time to time, relating to the manner of
maintaining the blockade. When all the work was done so well, it is
difficult to discriminate in praise.

"The object of the blockade of Cervera's squadron was fully accomplished,
and each individual bore well his part in it, the commodore in command of
the second division, the captains of ships, their officers, and men.

"13. The fire of the battle-ships was powerful and destructive, and the
resistance of the Spanish squadron was, in great part, broken almost
before they had got beyond the range of their own force.

"The fine speed of the _Oregon_ enabled her to take a front position in
the chase, and the _Cristobal Colon_ did not give up until the _Oregon_
had thrown a 13-inch shell beyond her. This performance adds to the
already brilliant record of this fine battle-ship, and speaks highly of
the skill and care with which her admirable efficiency has been maintained
during a service unprecedented in the history of vessels of her class.

"The _Brooklyn's_ westerly blockading position gave her an advantage in
the chase which she maintained to the end, and she employed her fine
battery with telling effect.

[Illustration: U. S. S. BROOKLYN.]

"The _Texas_ and the _New York_ were gaining on the chase during the last
hour, and, had any accident befallen the _Brooklyn_ or the _Oregon_, would
have speedily overhauled the _Cristobal Colon_.

"From the moment the Spanish vessel exhausted her first burst of speed,
the result was never in doubt. She fell, in fact, far below what might
reasonably have been expected of her.

"Careful measurements of time and distance give her an average speed, from
the time she cleared the harbour mouth until the time she was run on shore
at Rio Tarquino, of 13.7 knots.

"Neither the _New York_ nor the _Brooklyn_ stopped to couple up their
forward engines, but ran out of the chase with one pa