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CERVERA, PASCUAL CERVERA Y TOPETE (18...

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Originally appearing in Volume V05, Page 767 of the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica.
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CERVERA, PASCUAL CERVERA Y See also:TOPETE (1839-1909) , See also:Spanish See also:admiral, was See also:born at See also:Medina Sidonia on the 18th of See also:February 1839. He showed an See also:early inclination for the See also:sea, and his See also:family sent him to the See also:naval See also:cadet school at the See also:age of twelve. As a sub-See also:lieutenant he took See also:part in the naval operations on the See also:coast of See also:Morocco during the See also:campaign of 1859-6o. Then he was for some See also:time engaged in operations in the Sulu Islands and the Philippines. Afterwards he was on the See also:West See also:Indian station during the early part of the first Cuban See also:War (1868-78), returning to See also:Spain in 1873 to serve on the Basque coast against the Carlists. He distinguished himself in defending the Carraca See also:arsenal near See also:Cadiz against the Federals in 1873. He won each step in his promotion up to See also:flag-See also:rank through his steadiness and brilliant conduct in See also:action, and was awarded the crosses of the Orders of Military and Naval Merit, See also:Isabella the See also:Catholic, and St Hermengilde, besides several medals. Cervera had a See also:great reputation for decision, unbending See also:temper and honesty, before he was placed at the See also:head of the See also:Bilbao See also:building-yards. This See also:post he resigned after a few months in See also:order to become See also:minister of marine in 1892, in a See also:cabinet presided over by See also:Sagasta. He with-See also:drew from the cabinet when he found that his colleagues, from See also:political motives, declined to support him in making reforms and, on the other See also:hand, unwisely cut down the naval estimates. When in 1898 the Spanish-See also:American War (q.v.) See also:broke out, he was chosen to command a See also:squadron composed of four first-class cruisers, the " Maria See also:Theresa," his See also:flagship, " Oquendo," " Vizcaya," and "See also:Columbus," and"several destroyers. This See also:ill-fated squadron only started upon its reckless cruise across the ocean after its gallant See also:commander had repeatedly warned both the minister of marine and the See also:prime minister, Sagasta, in despatches from Cadiz and from the See also:Canary and Cape Verde Islands, that the See also:ships were insufficiently provided with See also:coal and See also:ammunition.

Some of them, indeed, even lacked proper guns. In compliance with the instructions of the See also:

government, Admiral Cervera made for the landlocked See also:harbour of See also:Santiago de See also:Cuba, where he co-operated in the See also:defence, landing some guns and a naval See also:brigade. In spite of his energetic representations, Cervera received an order from See also:Madrid, dictated by political considerations, to sally forth. It meant certain destruction. The gallant squadron met forces trebly See also:superior to it, and was totally destroyed. The admiral, three of his captains, and r800 sailors and See also:marines were taken by the victors to See also:Portsmouth, New See also:Hampshire, U.S.A. After the war, Cervera and his captains were tried before the supreme naval and military See also:court of the See also:realm, which honourably acquitted them all. In 1901 he became See also:vice-admiral, in 1902 was appointed See also:chief of See also:staff of the Spanish See also:navy, and in 1903 was made See also:life senator. He died at Puerto Real on the 3rd of See also:April 1909.

End of Article: CERVERA, PASCUAL CERVERA Y TOPETE (1839-1909)

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