The _Brooklyn_, further away from shore, changed her course so as to follow a parallel direction, and, as soon as she attained a fair range, opened a tremendous and well directed fire.

The _Texas_, whose course was somewhat diagonal, singled out the _Vizcaya_, and, unable to outspeed her, pounded her savagely with her shells.
[Illustration: CAPTAIN JOHN PHILIP, OF THE "TEXAS."] Every movement of the splendid battleship was directed by her Captain, John W.Philip.The _Texas_ was struck several times, but did not receive any material damage, while she wrought frightful havoc on the _Vizcaya_.
The _Oregon_, the finest ship in our navy, which had come more than 14,000 miles from the Pacific coast, was ploughing forward under forced draught, and, with a tremendous burst of speed, shot past the _Texas_ and drew up on the _Brooklyn_ in the effort to head off the leading fugitive, while the _Iowa_ was doing her utmost to maintain her killing pace and was firing her great guns with splendid precision.

Suddenly the _Vizcaya_ broke into flames and headed for shore.

Knowing that she was doomed, the _Brooklyn_ and _Oregon_ gave her a few parting shots and kept up their furious pursuit of the _Almirante Oquendo_ and the _Cristobal Colon_.
Just then the torpedo boat destroyers _Pluton_ and _Furor_ were discovered speeding also to the westward.

Lieutenant Commander Richard Wainwright, who was an officer on the _Maine_ when she was destroyed, was now in command of the auxiliary cruiser _Gloucester_, and, without hesitation, he dashed after the destroyers, though for a part of the time he received the fire of Morro Castle, the _Vizcaya_ and both of the dangerous craft he was chasing.