United States or Gibraltar ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
La Escuadra del Almirante Cervera, por Victor M. Concas Palan. This was the moment which the responsible Ministers of the Crown thought propitious to throw down the gauntlet to the overwhelming power of America rather than to face what the writer terms the "cabbage-headed riff-raff of the Plaza de la Cevada" of Madrid. Again and again was the absolute inefficiency of the fleet pointed out to them.
It is impossible to imagine that any definite policy at all was followed by the advisers of the Queen Regent in this matter, unless it were the incredible one ascribed to it by Captain Concas Palan of deliberately allowing the fleet, such as it was, to be destroyed in fact, in the case of Admiral Cervera's squadron, sending it out to certain and foreseen annihilation so as to make the disaster an excuse for suing for peace, without raising such a storm at home as might have upset the Ministry.
Captain Concas Palan claims for his chief and the comrades who fell in this futile and disastrous affair "a right to the legitimate defence which our country expects from us, though it is against the interested silence which those who were the cause of our misfortunes would fain impose on us," and says that "some day, and that probably much sooner than seems probable at present," the judgment of Spain on this episode will be that of the English Review, which he quotes as the heading of his chapter.
Allowing somewhat for the natural indignation of one of those who was sacrificed, who saw his beloved commander and his comrades-in-arms sent like sheep to the slaughter, and all for an idea, and that a perfectly stupid and useless one, there is no gainsaying the facts which Captain Concas Palan relates, and the original telegrams verify every word of his story.
As we had arrived from behind the huts we took the savages by surprise, so that they had no time to fly at our approach: we were in the midst of them. I assumed the line of conduct I had pursued on arriving at Palan, but as I had no more coral beads or coloured glass, I presented them with a part of our stag, making them understand at the same time that we came with the most friendly intentions.
The inhabitants of Palan hearing this news screamed with joy; it was quite a tumult when they heard that a fête would be given in commemoration of the success at Laganguilan y Madalag. All wished to be present men, women, children; all desired to go to it. But the chiefs chose a certain number of warriors, some women, and a great many young girls: they made their preparations and set out.
Captain Concas Palan points out that even after it was fully recognised that the retention of Cuba was impossible, the worst catastrophes might have been avoided.
Word Of The Day