ong the coast. At 10.50 o'clock, when Admiral
Cervera's flagship, the 'Almirante Oquendo,' suddenly headed in
shore, she had the 'Brooklyn' and 'Oregon' abeam and the 'Texas'
astern. 'The Brooklyn' and 'Oregon' pushed on after the
'Cristobal Colon,' which was making fine time and which looked as
if she might escape, leaving the 'Texas' to finish the 'Almirante
Oquendo.' This work did not take long. The Spanish ship was
already burning. At 11.05 o'clock down came a yellow and red flag
at her stern. Just as the 'Texas' got abeam of her she was shaken
by a mighty explosion.

"The crew of the 'Texas' started to cheer. 'Don't cheer, because
the poor devils are dying,' called Captain Philip, and the
'Texas' left the 'Almirante Oquendo' to her fate to join in the
chase of the 'Cristobal Colon.'

"That ship in desperation was plowing the waters at a rate that
caused the fast 'Brooklyn' trouble. The 'Oregon' made great speed
for a battle-ship, and the 'Texas' made the effort of her life.
Never since her trial trip had she made such time.

"The 'Brooklyn' might have proved a match to the 'Cristobal
Colon' in speed, but she was not supposed to be her match in
strength.

"It would never do to allow even one of the Spanish ships to get
away. Straight into the west the strongest chase of modern times
took place. The 'Brooklyn' headed the pursuers. She stood well
out from the shore in order to try to cut off the 'Cristobal
Colon' at a point jutting out into the sea far ahead. The
'Oregon' kept a middle course about a mile from the cruiser. The
desperate Don ran close along the shore, and now and then he
threw a shell of defiance. The old 'Texas' kept well up in the
chase under forced draught for over two hours.

"The fleet Spaniard led the Americans a merry chase, but she had
no chance. The 'Brooklyn' gradually forged ahead, so that the
escape of the 'Cristobal Colon' was cut off at the point above
mentioned. The 'Oregon' was abeam of the 'Colon' then, and the
gallant Don gave it up.

"At 1.15 o'clock he headed for the shore, and five minutes later
down came the Spanish flag. None of our ships was then within a
mile of her, but her escape was cut off. The 'Texas,' 'Oregon'
and 'Brooklyn' closed in on her and stopped their engines a few