Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Spanish Cruiser Vizcaya-- Part 1

I have been writing about the 11-inch gun from the Vizcaya, which was sunk at the Battle of Santiago de Cuba July 3, 1898, in a very one-sided battle between the Spanish and American fleets.

Some stats and history on the Vizcaya from Wikipedia.

The Vizcaya was an Infanta Maria Teresa-class armored cruiser, launched June 1891: 6,890 tons, 364 feet long, beam of 65.3 feet. Main armament: 2 X 11-inch guns and ten 5.5 inch guns.

Of interest, the Vizcaya was in New York City on a reciprocal visit while the USS Maine was in Havana Harbor. The Vizcaya left quickly when the USS Maine blew up. I didn't know that.

The Vizcaya needed dry docking badly as its bottom was befouled. Plus, some of its 5.5-inch guns had defective breach mechanisms and probably 80% of the shells for these guns were also defective.

The Spanish fleet sailed to Santago de Cuba harbor in Cuba because it had not yet been blockaded by the US fleet. However, once inside, the American fleet arrived and bottled them up. An attempt by the crew of the USS Merrimac to scuttle their ship and block the entrance failed.

Under bombardment and with an American Army approaching the harbor, it was decided that the Spanish fleet make a run for it which led to the battle.

A Very One-Sided Battle. --Cooter

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